The 25th Navajo Nation Council offers its heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and community of former Navajo Nation Vice President Rex Lee Jim, who passed away on Tuesday. Jim served as Vice President from 2011 to 2015 alongside Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly.
“On behalf of the 25th Navajo Nation Council, I extend my deepest condolences to the family of former Vice President Rex Lee Jim,” said Speaker Crystalyne Curley. “Among his great achievements, he leaves behind a legacy of strengthening Navajo education and furthering diplomacy for Indigenous Nations internationally. We pray that his family takes comfort in knowing that he is now with our Creator.”
Born and raised in Rock Point, Arizona, Rex Lee Jim was of the Red House People (Kin Łichíi’nii) and born for the Red Streak Running into Water People (Táchii’nii). His maternal grandfather was of the Towering House People (Kin Yaa’áanii), and his paternal grandfather was of the Mexican People (Naakaii Diné’é).
Throughout his life, Jim dedicated himself to serving the Diné people as an educator, cultural leader, author, and public servant. A gifted poet and playwright, he was also a traditional medicine man who learned the Blessing Way ceremonies from his grandparents and used this sacred knowledge to support and heal members of the community. He was fluent in Navajo, English, and Spanish.
Jim worked at Rock Point Community School, where he taught students from kindergarten through 12th grade and developed culturally and academically appropriate curricula for Navajo learners, ranging from early childhood to graduate-level studies.
He authored Áhí Ni’ Nikisheehiish (1989) and Saad (1995), works that reflected his lifelong dedication to the Diné language, culture, and storytelling traditions.
In public service, Jim represented Rock Point, Arizona, as a member of the 21st Navajo Nation Council and served on the Public Safety Committee. He later became Navajo Nation Vice President, where he championed health initiatives benefiting communities across the Navajo Nation and played a key role in providing testimony regarding the future of the Utah Navajo Trust Fund.
Jim also supported Indigenous communities globally through diplomatic engagement with the United Nations and as a representative of the Carter Foundation. Through these efforts, he helped strengthen relationships between the United States and Indigenous nations in Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador, and contributed to drafting the International Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The 25th Navajo Nation Council honors the life, service, and lasting legacy of Rex Lee Jim, recognizing his lifelong commitment to the Diné people, the preservation of culture, and advocacy for Indigenous peoples worldwide.