Gary Lynn McAdams

Garry (Gary) Lynn McAdams, age 70, passed away on Saturday, October 4, 2025, in Oklahoma City, after an extended illness, with family by his side. Gary was born to Elva Mae (Miller) and Lewie McAdams on February 24, 1955, in Lawton, Oklahoma. He married Ardina Sue Standing on August 24, 1973, in Gracemont, Oklahoma.

Gary was a member of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes. He graduated from Gracemont High School in 1973 and attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Okla., for two years. He worked as a masonry subcontractor for the next ten years. He served as an Executive Committee Member for two years, Vice President for two years, and then President of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes for 18 ½ years from 1990 to 2008. In 2009, he served as a Language Consultant and served as the Cultural Planner from 2010 until his passing. He also served as the first Tribal Historic Preservation Officer. He was a key figure in the creation of the Wichita Tribal History Center. He dedicated extensive time to research, editing, and submitting texts and pictures for the displays, ensuring our history was accurately represented for Wichita people. He served as the Chairman of the Wichita Tax Commission and Chairman of the Wichita Annual Dance Committee until 2025.

In his younger years, Gary played softball with the Wranglers and Anadarko A's. While playing with the Wranglers, he often told the story about how he got 3 outs in one play. He loved watching OU football and the Oklahoma City Thunder. He loved nature, taking nature pictures, and taking nature hikes with his grandkids.

As President for the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, Gary was a visionary President. He was a dedicated Tribal Leader. He spent tireless hours reading, writing, and studying. He laid a foundation for future generations as a Tribal Leader. Under Gary's leadership as President, many of our Tribal laws were put in place. The Wichita Housing Authority Act laid the foundation for all the housing projects. The Industrial Development Commission Act laid the foundation for our 8(a) companies and our first 8(a) company, Anadarko Industries. The Wichita Gaming Ordinance laid the foundation for all future gaming, and on the eve of his last night as President, the foundation for the Tribes' first casino was solidified, along with establishing the gaming ordinance and TICs. The General Revenue and Taxation Act laid the foundation and structure for the regulations for Tribal Tags and set a foundation for future taxes to be collected. The Motor Fuels Compact laid the foundation for the collection of payments to the Tribe from the State. The Tribal/State Tobacco Compact laid the foundation for future Smoke Shop sales. The WCD/Land Set Aside laid the foundation for the Cultural Center to be built 10 years later. While the Tribe had jointly held land, in 2006, under Gary McAdams' Presidency, the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes took the first parcel of land into trust for the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes. He also served as the Chairman, Lawton Service Unit Intertribal Health Board; Chairman, WCD Enterprises, Inc.; Member, Wichita Tribe Industrial Development Commission; Anadarko Area Vice-President to the National Congress of American Indians; Anadarko Area Representative to the PL-638 Negotiated Rule-Making Committee, and Oklahoma City Area Representative to the Indian Health Service Re-Design Committee. While serving as the Chairman of the Lawton Service Unit, he was instrumental in helping obtain funding for the clinic portion of the hospital when he testified before Congress. This is just a small list of his accomplishments as a visionary leader.

As President, Gary became immersed in the Tribes' language, history, and culture. He learned to read and write the language using the orthography developed by the linguist, Dr. David Rood. He spent numerous years working directly with Doris McLemore, the last fluent speaker of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, working to learn to speak and write the Wichita language. He served as a teacher of the language, history, and culture during his Presidency up until his passing.

From 1988 to 2025, Gary served as the Tobacco Man and/or the second to the Tobacco Man throughout a total of 37 years. Gary served as the Tobacco man from 2010 to 2025 and also for 10 years from 1994 to 2004. For over 25 years, he served on the Wichita Annual Dance Committee and as Chairman of the Wichita Annual Dance Committee for the last 21 years with his last Dance in August of 2025 as Chairman.

Gary loved his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He spent years of his life dedicated to mentoring younger generations during his lifetime as a father, Tribal Leader, and as a leader of the Wichita history, culture, and language.

Gary's knowledge, passion for Wichita Tribal history, language and culture as well as his funny dry humor for those who knew him closely, will be greatly missed.

Preceding him in death were his wife Ardina McAdams; his daughter Micah McAdams; his parents Elva Mae and Lewie McAdams; four brothers, Leslie McAdams, Ronnie Birch Sr., and two infant brothers; a sister Ramona Ahdunko, and his dog Puff.

Survivors include his daughter, Kelly McAdams and her companion, Chris Webster of Oklahoma City and Cassandra McAdams of Anadarko; son-in-law Charles "Chuck" Chalepah; five granddaughters, Makennah R. McAdams of Anadarko, Charlie D. McAdams and Jeffrey Lightfoot of Apache, Addison "Addie" Chalepah and her companion Sorin Bish of Anadarko, Lindy Chalepah, and Adrian Nawa Spottedhorsechief; three grandsons, Kody McAdams and companion Kaylin Tartsah, Judah Spottedhorschief and Léksi Pewo. Great grandchildren Kaislen McAdams, Everley Cruikshank and July Lightfoot; special granddaughter Annabelle Hawkins; special nephew Frank Ahdunko; special nieces Debra Ahdunko and Teresa Ahdunko; brother JD "Creek" McAdams and his wife Darlene; long-time childhood friend Sandra Wilson; long-time friends Gerald Collins and Terri Parton; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, extended family, friends, and acquaintances.

Funeral: 10:00 a.m., Thursday, October 9th, 2025

Wichita and Affiliated Tribes Community Building, Anadarko

Visitation: 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Ray & Martha's Funeral Home, Anadarko

Wake: 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 8th, 2025

Wichita and Affiliated Tribes Community Building, Anadarko

Interment: Rock Spring Cemetery, Anadarko, Oklahoma

Under the direction of Ray and Martha's Funeral Home, Anadarko, OK