Wilma Man killer Service Likely to Draw Thousands

Cherokee Nation officials expect thousands of people at the memorial service today for former tribal Chief Wilma Man killer, one of the most apparent American Indian leaders in recent years and among the few women to ever lead a major tribe.

The memorial for Man killer, who died Tuesday at age 64 after a spell with pancreatic cancer, will be held outside at the Cherokee Nation Cultural Grounds in Tahlequah, about 70 miles east of Tulsa.

Volunteers helped set up about 3,000 chairs, and seating will be available during a service that will emphasize Cherokee culture, tribal spokesman Mike Miller said Friday.

Mankiller led the Cherokee Nation, which now has about 290,000 members, from December 1985 until 1995, when she decided not to run for re-election. Under her decade of supervision, the tribe tripled its conscription, doubled employment and built new health centers and children's programs.

She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom the highest civilian honor in the U.S. from President Clinton in 1998. She met with other U.S. presidents and dignitaries, but was also known for working closely with everyday members of the tribe.