The Cherokee Nation is mourning the death of one of its elders.

On Sunday the nation shared that Edna Raper knows to many as "Dolly" died from COVID-19 complications. The 67-year-old was a fluent Cherokee speaker and Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. says Dolly was an "outstanding Cherokee citizen."

In a Facebook post he continued saying in part,

"We can give her life and passing even more meaning by recommitting ourselves to language preservation and keeping each other safe by wearing masks, social distancing and listening to health experts so that we do not lose any more of our most precious resources."