Keith Little, the president of the Navajo Code Talkers Association, died on Tuesday night. He was 87.

Little was a U.S. Marine who use the Navajo language to transmit codes during World War II. He later became the driving force to build the National Navajo Code Talkers Museum & Veterans Center.

"A proud Marine, a revered veteran of WWII, deep devotion to his family, and an engaging, kind, and noble man – he will be sorely missed and a loss to the country as well," the association said in a press release.

A public memorial service is scheduled for this Friday. The funeral will take place on Saturday.

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President of Navajo Code Talkers Association dies (AP 1/4)