Governor Tina Kotek ordered flags at Oregon public institutions to be flown at half-staff tomorrow March 31, 2026 and April 1, 2026, pursuant to the United States Flag Code, in honor of Chief Delvis Heath Sr., who passed away on March 29, 2026. This action follows the order issued today by the Tribal Council of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs for flags to be lowered to half-staff on tribal properties.

Chief Heath was a respected elder, leader, and chief who devoted his life to the people of Warm Springs. He was one of three hereditary chiefs of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, which includes the Wasco, Warm Springs, and Paiute tribes. He had served as hereditary chief of the Warm Springs Tribe since 1984, and was an unwavering advocate for treaty rights and cultural preservation.

The flag should be flown at half-staff on March 31 and April 1 from sunrise to sunset to coincide with a funeral service and sunrise burial being held in the Dalles and Simnasho.

“On behalf of the State of Oregon, the First Lady and I offer our deepest condolences on the passing of Chief Heath," Governor Kotek wrote in a condolence letter to the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and to Chief Heath's family. The letter continues: "His loss will be felt deeply by the Warm Springs community and is felt far beyond Warm Springs, including by all Oregonians who benefited from his leadership, his counsel, and his lifelong commitment to his people.”