Passing of a Great Man

I would like to thank everyone who sent their condolences. It means a lot to me especially now.

The passing of my Uncle George is a great loss to our family and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation which he severed for many years.

I thought I would share his bio with everyone to get a small glimpse of a great man we lost.


Justice George Almerigi

Tribal Town: Cussetah

Clan: Alligator

George Almerigi is of the Alligator clan and is a descendent of the Cussetah tribal town. He grew up in Schulter and Okmulgee. Almerigi received B.S. degree in business in 1964 from Long Beach College in California and a Juris Doctor degree in 1983 from Oklahoma City University. Following his admission to the practice of law in October, 1983, Almerigi went to work for the Muscogee Nation in June of 1984 as general counsel (tribal attorney) and served in that capacity until September 1986, then he opened his law office in Okmulgee, Oklahoma.

Almerigi was elected to the National Council and served there from January, 1988 until September 1992. During this period he was recall to active duty in the US Navy and served in the Persian Gulf War. Almerigi resigned his position as Council member in September 1992 and took a position as Assistant Attorney General for the Muscogee Nation where he served until the end of 1995, when he took his elected position as Second Chief of the Muscogee Nation. He served as Second Chief for four years. Almerigi again served as Council member for two years in 2002 and 2003. Almerigi has served as Community chairperson for the Wilson Indian Community and also the Okmulgee Indian Community.

Almerigi brings to the Supreme Court a background of Tribal government and knowledge of the development of the government under the 1979 Constitution.

He had been a tribal Supreme Court justice since 2006.

He also was the community chairman for the Wilson and Okmulgee Indian communities and was a 32nd- degree Mason and a Shriner.

He is survived by his wife, Shirley Almerigi; two sisters, Sandra Cook of Mount Airy, Md., and Camelia Lovett of Lake Isabella, Calif.; two brothers, Tom Chalakee of Bakersfield, Calif., and Mike Cook of Long Beach, Calif.