Marlene “Tiny” Lanz, the sitting president of the Calgary and southern Alberta region of the Métis Nation of Alberta and longtime fixture in Alberta Métis politics, died on Saturday, Aug. 25. She was 74.
Born prematurely in a High Prairie hospital, Lanz called Medicine Hat home for 25 years.
Lanz began her work with the Métis Nation of Alberta in Peace River in 1989 and moved to the Calgary office in 1991, where she was first elected to vice-president for Region 3 in 1996. Lanz was elected president in 2005. She declined a nomination in 2008, but ran and was re-elected in 2011.
Lanz received the Diamond Jubilee medal from the Governor General in 2012.
Lanz was nearing the end of her latest term in office with an election scheduled to be held on Sept. 18.
Condolences were expressed on social media on her passing.
The Metis Nation of Alberta was due to announce a newly created endowment fund at SAIT on Monday evening, but the announcement was cancelled after news of Lanz’s death.
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Lanz leaves behind her husband, two children and two grandchildren.
A celebration of Lanz’s life will be held at the Executive Royal Hotel at 1 p.m. on Saturday.