McCaleb, an Oklahoma Hall of Fame and Chickasaw Hall of Fame inductee served eight years in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, with four of those as the Republican House minority leader.

He was appointed Oklahoma’s first Secretary of Transportation under Gov. Henry Bellmon and headed the Oklahoma Department of Transportation during the initiation of urban and rural turnpikes.

In 2001, President George W. Bush appointed McCaleb as Assistant Secretary of the Interior, where he headed the Bureau of Indian Affairs and advocated for tribal sovereignty.

Additionally, he served as a President Ronald Reagan appointee to the Indian Reservation Economies Commission.

Later in his career, McCaleb returned to his tribe, where he worked as a special advisor to Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby and as the Chickasaw Ambassador-At-Large.

In an interview with Voices of Oklahoma, McCaleb said his biggest wish is to be remembered as a good father and grandfather.

“Well, I just advise young people, in general, to follow their dream, to have confidence in themselves, and to be prepared to make sacrifices to accomplish those dreams,” he said.

McCaleb leaves behind his wife, Georgann, four children and 13 grandchildren.