James John Nielsen Sr., “Big John”

James John Nielsen Sr., “Big John,” passed in Sitka May 3, 2019, at age 89.
He will lie in state at the Sheet’ká Kwáan Naa Kahídi community house beginning 6 a.m. Monday, May 13.
His funeral service will be at noon Tuesday May 14, at St. Michael’s Cathedral, with Father Ishmael Andrew officiating. Interment will follow immediately afterward at Sitka National Cemetery, with a reception following at the ANB Founders Hall.
John was born June 20, 1929, in Sitka, to Peter and Dora Nielsen, the sixth of their seven children. All were born in Lot 1, Block 8 of the Sitka Indian Village. He died at SEARHC hospital  May 3 after suddenly falling ill.
John was the Big Man of the Chookaneidi clan. His Tlingit name was Chatskooogoo Éesh and Gooch Shaayí, Sheet’iká dax Chookaneidí naashuháni, Xaatl Hít dax (the Sitka Chookaneidi clan leader from the Iceberg House), Kiks.ádi yádi (a child of the Kiks.ádi clan).
John was a sergeant in the 208th infantry battalion National Guard, and received his honorable discharge July 18, 1953. He was a marksman in the rifle and pistol, and received many awards, too numerous to count. 
He worked for the Indian Health Service for more than 33 years. He also was a shore boat operator and a captain in the BIA Fire Department.
John belonged to the Russian Orthodox Church from the time he was a young boy, and enjoyed attending church and holding the holy icons, which he was proud to do. He attended   church up until he was no longer able due to health complications.
He was also a shareholder in Sealaska Corp. and Shee Atika Inc. He was part of the first group of shareholders fighting for changes in the local corporation. He was a Tribal Citizen of Sitka Tribe of Alaska and served on the Tribal Council.
His family and friends will remember his big smile and infectious laughter. He had a quick wit about him. He loved playing pool and darts and was part of these leagues for many years. His pool league teammates recently stood around the pool table at Ernie’s turning the music off and did a moment of silence for him. The family was touched by this. One of his favorite lines was, “What the heck kind of Indians were those (as the cowboy was running away with darts in his back).”
He was an avid Seattle Seahawks and Mariners fan, and loved traveling to watch games with his nephew who predeceased him, Phillip Nielsen.
He loved going to garage sales.
John was the last surviving child of Peter and Dora Nielsen. He was predeceased by his brothers and sisters: Albert Nielsen Sr. (Ethel Makinen), Agnes Bartels (Harry), Raymond Nielsen Sr. (Marian), Arthur Nielsen, Frederick Archie Nielsen (Lu) and Katherine Williams.
He was predeceased by his daughters, whom he loved very much: Sandra Lee Nielsen and Mary Jolene Rodriguez.
He is survived by his sons, Jim, Robert and Leonard Nielsen; and grandchildren Pete Martin, Kimmie Lapchynski (James), Garrett Nielsen, Derrick Nielsen (great-grandchildren DJ and Neva Nielsen), John Jacobs, Michael Overman (great-grandchildren Adrianna, Elijah), and Brian Overman.
He had many nieces and nephews who loved him very much: Jeffrey Nielsen, Kenneth Nielsen Sr. (K.L. Nielsen) and Lillian Nielsen Young (husband, Kyle, and children Kyla and Joshua), Christine Clingenpeel (Mandy and Stefanie), Dori Biggs (Richard Scooter Biggs), Doug Bartels, Clyde Bartels (Kenneth Bartels); (predeceased nephew Jay Bartels, his children Steven and Kristin Bartels); Shirley Senn (Steve Senn and children, Sandy Covington Payne, Raymond Covington, Jennifer Senn); (predeceased niece, LouAnn Wood, her children Tracy Bose, Theresa Camacho, Travis and Trenton Wood), Leilani Lolly Nielsen (Keith Schroth, Phillip Marek, Elsie Marek, Agnes Marek), Raymond Nielsen Jr.; Eileen Weathers (James “Eddie” Weathers and children, Jamie Paris and Jessica Weathers); Tim Tutiakoff Jr. (Tamaria Hillman, Tim and Jeremy Tutiakoff), Cynthia Carlson (Jay Young, Sherry Whitney and Katherine Matthews).
He also loved his dogs very much: Brät, Kootz and Snoopy.
Pallbearers will be Pete Martin, John Jacobs, William Biggs, Joshua Young, Wade Marty Martin, David Ness, Tom Gamble, Tom Young III, Jeff Young, Chad Titell, Harry Lysons, Larry Garrity, and Sitka Chief of Police Robert Baty.
Honorary pallbearers are Herman Davis Sr., Kenneth Nielsen Sr., Jeffrey Nielsen, Raymond Nielsen Jr., George Bennett, Johnny Duncan, Albert Duncan, Chuck Miller and Brian James.
John’s family may be contacted through Robert Nielsen at 105 A2 Burkhart Drive Sitka, AK 99835 (907) 738-1634. Donations can be made to Robert Nielsen that will be put in an account for John’s funeral arrangements, reception, 40 day and Koo.Eex’. The family thanks everyone for their love, prayers and support during this very difficult time.

John McMillen Jr.

Sitka resident John Dwight McMillen Jr. passed away on May 2, 2019, in Sitka. He was 72.
John was born August 1, 1946, in East Liverpool, Ohio.  He received a bachelor of science degree in geology from Youngstown State University in 1973 and relocated to Sitka in 1973. He was employed at Alaska Pulp Corporation mill. 
He was actively engaged in local civic organizations, including the Sitka Lodge #1662 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He joined the Lodge in 1974, held various officer positions, and served as Exalted Ruler from 1982 to 1983.
He also became a 32nd degree Mason in September 1985 in the Scottish Rite Valley of Juneau. John was a longtime and very well-liked member of the Sitka Moose Lodge. In addition, he was on the Sportsman’s Association Board of Directors from 1975 to 1978 and president from 1979 to 1980.
He is survived by his sisters, Carol Ann McMillen Moinpour of Seattle, Washington, and Joyce Elaine Mendoza of South Portland, Maine.

Susan Tisher

    Susan Nadine “Susie” Tisher, a lifelong Alaskan, passed away at Sitka Community Hospital on April 13, 2019, at the age of 71.
    She had been ill for more than a year.
    Susie was born in Ketchikan July 24, 1947, the daughter of Edward “Beamie” and Mildred Fredrickson. When she was young the family moved to Sitka. There she met and fell in love with Jerry Tisher, and they were married March 27, 1965, in Sitka. They had celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary shortly before her death.
    Susie was a full-time mom, and also a licensed practical nurse – she worked at hospitals in Juneau and Ketchikan as well as Sitka.
    She also worked with her husband at the Snettesham Hydro Plant out of Juneau.
    Susie loved spending time with her family. Her favorite pastimes included cooking with her husband, playing poker and bowling.
    She also loved to fish – especially in the Sitka Salmon Derby.
    She was preceded in death by her parents, and her sister, Linda Lee.
    She is survived by her husband, children Deanne Lynn Kubik of Sitka, and Jerry Edward Tisher of Juneau; five grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
    She will be missed by many.
    Services have not yet been scheduled.

   

Cecilia Borbridge

Cecilia Victoria Soxie Borbridge, 92, a longtime Sitka resident, slipped into her angel wings very peacefully on May 26, 2019, in Anchorage, following a brief illness. Her family was by her side.
Services will be 2 p.m. Thursday, June 6, at the Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi, with Wolfgang Corduan officiating.
Cecilia Victoria Soxie was born Oct. 15, 1926, to Arthur and Victoria (Mulluk) Soxie in Unalakleet, where she remained until traveling to Sitka to attend Sheldon Jackson High School.  There, she met Ted Borbridge. They married Feb. 1, 1952, and remained in Sitka to raise their five children. To her many close friends, she was affectionately called Soxie, her maiden name.  
Cecilia worked for approximately 20 years as a girls dorm aide at Mt. Edgecumbe High School.  Her Inupiat lifestyle and ways of knowing were a valuable asset to many girls who came from afar and became homesick.  She became their voice of understanding, love and compassion, having gone through the same experience herself.  Many of those former students, now adults living throughout the state, still remember Mrs. Borbridge fondly.
Following Mt. Edgecumbe High School, Cecilia worked for Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital Medical Records, retiring in 1985.
She was a member of the Presbyterian Church and, more recently, the Sitka Christian Center.  Her unwavering faith carried her throughout her entire life, to the very end. She was always calm and at peace, despite the many obstacles put in front of her. Her spiritual and physical strength were shown through example to family and friends who knew her.
She was a very skilled crafter, including sewing, knitting and crocheting.  Each of her children, and many friends received their own crocheted afghans, baby blankets or sweaters, and she sewed many of her own clothes as well as her daughters’.  Berry picking, fishing on the family boat, and putting up traditional food were also high on her list of “fun” activities.  She is also one of the original organizers of the community holiday dinners, still held each year in Sitka.
Her husband of 53 years, Ted, son-in-law Larry L. Simmons, brother Daniel Soxie of Unalakleet, and a sister, Esther, preceded her in death.
Survivors include her five children, James, Harold, Alan, Kay and Donald.  Extended family includes nephews Emory and Davis Nashalook, nieces Michelle Chivers of Anchorage and Barbara Redington of Wasilla, Dalene Soxie of Kentucky, sisters Betty Bryant, Jessie Dugan and Viola; of Anchorage, and Janet Ferris of Marysville, Washington.
She is also survived by sister-in-law Emma Borbridge, and children Sandra and Charles Borbridge, Earvin Lott, Mary Sabon and Lloyd Borbridge of Juneau. She had 11 grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren.  
Pallbearers will be her two grandsons, Walter and Darren Borbridge, great-grandson Tyson Ross Jr., and close family friends Herbert Didrickson Jr., and Kyle and Joshua Young.
A reception will immediately follow the service. Those attending are welcome to bring a dish to share, it they can.

Donna Winnop

    Donna Winnop, formerly of Sitka,  passed away peacefully May 9, 2019, at home in Hawaii, where she had recently moved from Sequim, Washington. She was 82.
    Donna Irene McLeod was born January 28, 1937, in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada.
    She traveled with her family to the United States when she was 14.  That was when she met her future husband Bill Winnop.             They married years later and settled in Moses Lake, Washington. Both their two sons, Scott and Gary, were born in Moses Lake.
    In 1959 the family moved to Sitka. Donna worked as a legal secretary for several attorneys before working for the State of Alaska as Judge Duane Craske’s private secretary. She also worked for Judge Larry Zervos.
    Donna enjoyed working in her garden. She had a beautiful yard on Lake Street that many enjoyed. She also loved to knit and crochet – she made many beautiful afghans and sweaters. She enjoyed sport fishing and canning her fish. She loved animals, and had many dogs, birds, fish and even a pet duck.
    Donna was a member of the Sitka Emblem Club and the NRA. She had a concealed carry permit and she enjoyed target practice.     Bill and Donna moved to Sequim, Washington in 2005. Bill passed away in 2015.
    Donna recently moved to Hawaii, where she and Bill had spent many vacations. Her older son Scott and his wife Ann currently live in Oceanview, Hawaii, and Donna resided with them in her final months. She loved the islands and the aloha spirit.
    Donna was preceded in death by her parents, Roderick and Winona,  and  her stepfather, Al; siblings Frank, Helen, JoAnn and Joy. She is survived by siblings Jack, Linda, Jill, Jean. Raymond. David and Rick.
    She is survived by son Scott; daughters-in-law Ann and Patti; grandchildren Kori, Wayde, Trevor and Chad; and great-grandsons Ryan and Ari. Her son Gary passed on June 1, 2019.
    At Donna’s request there was no memorial service but her ashes will be spread with Bill’s at Starrigaven in Sitka at a later date.
 

Gary Winnop

    Gary Winnop, former Sitkan, passed away June 1, 2019, after his year-long battle with mesothelioma, a lung cancer caused by asbestos. His final days were spent at home in Sequim, Washington, in the care of his wife, Patti. He was 60.
    While Gary spent most of his life in Sitka, he started his life March 22, 1959, in Moses Lake, Washington. When he was just 6 months old his family moved to Sitka. They arrived in a PBY floatplane, landing at the old Sitka turn-around at Katlian Street and Halibut Point Road.
    Gary’s early life was spent playing in the woods with his brother Scott and enjoying the freedoms of small community island life. He grew into a strong athlete, competing in Little League as a young boy and wrestling as a high schooler, where he took fourth place in state competition. He also took part in track, and was a member of the pep band for all four years.
    However, his prowess truly shone in logging competitions. He competed for eight years in the All Alaska Logging Championships, where he excelled in the speed climbing and tree topping events. He routinely took home first-place trophies and earned many awards. He was even invited to the nation’s bicentennial exhibition in Washington, D.C., where he and a group of fellow expert loggers represented Alaska by demonstrating their climbing and logging skills in front of the Washington Monument. Gary is immortalized in print as a photo of him made it on the front page of the Washington Times newspaper hanging the Alaska Flag at the top of a spar pole. That photo is kept in the records of the Smithsonian museum as a piece of American history.
     After graduating from Sitka High School in 1977, he immediately went to work at Alaska Lumber and Pulp, where he stayed  for five years. At age 23, he was accepted into the International Union of Operating Engineers and worked for local contractors for 10 years before he and his wife opened  Winnop’s Excavation Service. Through their hard work and complementing skills, the business was extremely successful.
    In 2001 he moved his family to Sequim, Washington, and continued his excavation contracting. He continued to take on new jobs up until his last year.
    Gary was a kind, loving, and strong husband, father, and grandfather. He married Patti Pond, his high school sweetheart, in 1986, and has a daughter, Kori, and a son, Wayde.  He has two grandsons, Ryan, 4,  and Ari, three month.
    Gary discovered a passion for flying very early in his life. He became a pilot at 20 years of age and immediately purchased a floatplane.  Over the years, he contracted his services to fish companies, flying supplies to fishing boats and spotting herring during the sac roe fisheries. His expertise was also put to good use in service to others as an active member of the Civil Air Patrol, where he flew the local Beaver floatplane.
    Flying perfectly complemented his love for adventure and the great outdoors. With the entirety of the Southeast Alaskan wilderness as his playground, he spent thousands of hours camping, hunting, and fishing in the numerous remote lakes and forest service cabins. He took his family on many incredible and often nerve-wracking adventures while exploring the awe-inspiring beauty of the natural world. After moving down to Washington State, Gary continued his passion in the waters off the Washington coast, and the forests of the Olympic Peninsula.             While he gained immense satisfaction from pulling in his quota of salmon or successfully bagging a handsome buck, he also just loved being able to spend time in the natural world.
    Later in his life, Gary put his faith in Christ, and realized a passion for mission work and helping those in need. His knowledge of and aptitude for construction allowed him to help spread God’s kingdom into communities that desperately needed it. He helped build a church in the Philippines, homes in Mexico, and took two trips to Haiti to work on both a church roof and an orphanage. These missions had a profound impact on Gary, and he was so grateful for the opportunity to give himself as a helping hand to those who needed one.
    Gary is remembered by many friends and family members including: his wife Patti of 33 years; his daughter Kori Postlewaite and husband Greg of San Diego; son Wayde Winnop and his partner Jami Stutz of Sequim; grandchildren Ryan and Ari; brother Scott Winnop of Oceanview, Hawaii; sisters-in-law Ann, Susie, and Lori; nephews Trevor, Chad, and Jeremiah; and niece Maileen.
    Gary goes to join his deceased father, Bill Winnop, and very recently deceased mother, Donna Winnop.
    He was a member of Kingsway Four Square Church in Sequim and a former member of Sitka Christian Center.
    A celebration of his life will be held at Kingsway Four Square Church in Sequim, Washington, 1023 Kitchen-Dick Road at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 15. His service will be live-streamed at www.thekingsway.net; click on the YouTube icon at the bottom of the page.

Myrtle L. Helem

Services for Myrtle Louise Helem, longtime Sitka businesswoman, will be held 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 18, at Sitka National Cemetery.
The Rev. Julie Platson, of St. Peter’s By-the-Sea Episcopal Church, will officiate the graveside service. A  casual memorial reception will follow at Longliner Lodge Restaurant.
Myrtle passed away May 21 at Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital-SEARHC after a brief illness. She was 94.
Myrtle Louise Beall was born February 13, 1925, in Vancouver, B.C., the second of three children of Chester Beall and Eliza Angeline Beall. The family moved to West Seattle in the early 1930s, and Myrtle was raised there. Myrtle’s father passed away at a young age, and caring for and raising the children fell solely upon her mother Eliza. As a result, Myrtle, as well as her siblings, had to enter the workforce at a young age. She developed strong business skills and a passion for hard work that would later pave the way to several successful businesses in Sitka.
After graduating West Seattle High School in 1943, Myrtle volunteered with the Navy Waves (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) during WW II.  Shortly after the end of her Navy service, she met Gordon James Helem, also a Navy veteran, and the two eloped to San Francisco and wed on October 15, 1947. Their first child, Theresa L., was born the following year.
Gordon was a commercial fisherman who had fished in Alaska for many years. With his connection to Alaska, a strong work ethic and a knack for electrical engineering, he landed a job at Ketchikan Pulp Mill while Myrtle was employed by Bob Ellis at the original Ellis Airlines.
The couple lived in Ketchikan for two years before Gordon went to work in construction at the new pulp mill in Sitka. After construction, Gordon became chief electrician for the new Alaska Pulp Mill in Sitka in 1959. By this time, the couple had three children, with the birth of G. Kenneth and Gerald L. and were ready to set down roots.
While Gordon continued his career with the pulp mill, Myrtle ran two successful laundromats, the Whirlomat on America Street in 1959 and Town & Country Laundry located in the Ken Brown Apartments complex in 1966. In 1972, the Helems founded Sitka Electrical Contractors, then in 1977 Myrtle and Gordon started Sitka True Value Hardware Inc.
While handling multiple jobs, growing businesses, and raising a family, Gordon and Myrtle were also building their dream home that they shared together until Gordon’s passing in 1996. Myrtle continued to live at the home until her passing.
Myrtle Helem was a determined, proud and strong-willed businesswoman. She continued to work and help at Sitka True Value on a daily basis until just a few years ago. Myrtle was often found straightening up aisles, working with employees on product placement, and balancing the accounts.
Besides her passion for her businesses, Myrtle was a long-time active member in several social community organizations including Sitka Emblem Club and the Beta Sigma Phi Women’s Organization.  
Myrtle Helem was preceded in death by her husband Gordon Helem; mother and father Chester and Eliza (Peggy) Beall; and her two sisters, Norma Hilsinger and Dorthea Pitner; and grandson Randy Helem.
Myrtle Louise Helem is survived by her three children, Theresa Helem, Ken (Carole) Helem, and Jerry (Mary) Helem; eight grandchildren,  Doug Helem, Jeff (Jolene) Helem, Tim Bernard, Katie (Jason) Yuhaz, Nicole (Chris) Renneker, Amanda (Jon) Martin, Ashley Grearson and Danielle Helem; and 14 great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the charity of your choice.

Ryan Mae Huddlestun

A beloved mother, daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, cousin and friend, Ryan Mae Huddlestun, 31, left this world unexpectedly on April 4, 2019. She was at Providence Hospital in Anchorage.
Ryan was born in Sitka on October 9, 1987, the daughter of Ken and Patti Huddlestun.
She attended Sitka schools, graduating from Sitka High in 2006. She was living in Juneau at the time of her death.
Ryan was funny, outgoing and vivacious. “We will always remember her infectious smile, thick reddish brown hair and caring personality,” her family said. “Her presence in our lives will be sorely missed.
“When you think of Ryan celebrate the good memories you have of her. Remember that life is fragile and short and should be lived to the fullest.”
Ryan was preceded in death by her grandparents, Norman and Lourdes Hill.
Her beautiful life will always be cherished in the lives of her children, Jordan Carlos and Benjamin Peavey of Sitka, and Ryan and LilyBella Shattuck of Melbourne, Florida; her parents, Ken Huddlestun of Juneau and Patti Huddlestun of Ketchikan; brother Arik of Ketchikan; sisters Devyn of Sitka, Kamryn Craig of Ketchikan and Hunter of Pflugerville, Texas; and aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
A celebration of her life will be held 3 p.m to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, June 15, at Crescent Harbor Main Dock on an Allen Marine Tour charter.
Potluck will be held on the boat. 

Glenn Gerald Howard Sr.

       Services for Glenn Gerald Howard Sr., a lifelong Sitkan, will be 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 12 at the First Presbyterian Church.
    The Rev. Bennie Grace Nabua of United Methodist Church will officiate. A reception will follow at the Elks Lodge, hosted by the Emblem Club.
    Glenn died June 6 with family members by his bedside. He was 84.
    He was born Aug. 11, 1934, in Sitka, the son of George and Helen (Liberty) Howard. He was a Kaagwaantaan (Wolf), and Eagle.
    Glenn attended school in Sitka until the eighth grade, then continued his learning by doing. He worked with his father, a boat builder whose own father, also named George Howard, had built his own home and a boat shop on Katlian Street in 1913. The shop stood until 1990.
    Glenn was a craftsman, and took great pleasure in his work. He built a 24-foot cabin cruiser, the Captain Kidd,  for his sons, and a 36-foot boat, the Miss Howard, for his daughters. He also built several skiffs and punts, and boat cabins.
    Also like his father, Glenn was a fisherman, and he and his brothers crewed for their dad on a seiner.
    He also worked at Alaska Lumber & Pulp Co. for 15 years, and then for the city Public Works Department, from which he retired.
    Glenn liked to hunt deer and mountain goats, make deer calls, go bowling and play basketball – he was on the Sitka Nighthawks and Elks Bills teams.
    He was a member of the Sitka Elks Lodge, the Moose Lodge and Alaska Native Brotherhood.
    He and Elizabeth Antioquia were married on Sept. 25, 1953, and together they raised six children and a foster son.
    “He never complained, yet did a wonderful job of providing for his family,” a daughter said. “Pop never knew a stranger – everybody was welcome.”
     She added, “He still had old-fashioned values when it came to respect. He also instilled an honorable work ethic: be honest, work hard, pay your bills.”
    “He always used to say ‘there is no shame in love,’” another daughter said.
    A son-in-law wrote to his own sons: “Your grandfather was a great person ... (he) taught me how to fish, hunt, catch crab and get abalone. But most of all I learned how to be a good, kind person.”
    Glenn was preceded in death by daughters Geraldine A. Garcia (Joe) of New Bedford, Massachusetts; Doris M. LaBorn-Anselm (Carl) of Juneau; his brothers, George Howard, Roger Howard and Louie Howard; and a sister, Inez Johnson.
    He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Elizabeth, of Sitka; sons Glenn B. Howard and Darryl Howard (Stacy), all of Sitka; daughters Cynthia Bass (Mark), of Spring, Texas, and Judith Kell (Tony) of Sitka; and sisters Ruby Lanham of Caldwell, Idaho, Diane Howard of Seattle, Gina Lundy of Port Angeles, Washington, and Shirley Howard of Sitka.
    He also is survived by 14 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild, many nieces and nephews, and many friends who were like family.

Reo Lee Lloyd

Reo Lee Lloyd, 70, of Moscow, Idaho, formerly of Sitka, passed away at his home June 17, 2019.
 Reo was born in Moscow June 13, 1949, the son of Robert E. Lloyd and Dorothy (Obershaw) Lloyd. He was raised in Moscow and lived the majority of his life on the family farm on the extension of North Polk.
He spent his childhood traveling with his parents around the west,  visiting national parks and attending many Idaho, Oregon and Washington rodeos where his father was a participant, and later a judge.
After graduating from Moscow High School in 1969, Reo joined the U.S. Navy and served for eight years, seeing action in the Vietnam War.
Reo was a journeyman carpenter, and his skills allowed him to work alongside his father for many years, making stops throughout Southeast Alaska and living in Sitka in the late 1970s and early 1980s. During his time here, he was also an avid scuba diver, volunteered for the Sitka Fire Department, and served as an EMT.
In 1978 Reo was awarded the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission Medal after rescuing a drowning boater after his skiff had overturned in the icy channel waters just outside Sitka.
In 1979, he again braved the frigid waters of Alaska and risked his life to swim two miles to save himself and a friend when his own boat failed. They were stranded for 36 hours on Belknap Island. After both incidents Reo had little to say and declined to have his photo taken for the local newspaper.
Following his father’s death in 1989, Reo purchased the family farmhouse and settled down in Moscow. He continued his work as a carpenter and was a longtime UBC member, eventually serving as an officer of the Local 313 and voted to be the representative on the Pacific Northwest Regional Council.
Lately, on most afternoons around 4:30 p.m., you would find Reo opening up the bar at the Moscow Moose Lodge 871 — where he was a member, a volunteer, an officer of the board, and served as governor of the Lodge.  He was also a member of the Paradise Lodge No. 17 A.F & A.M. in Moscow, a member of the Scottish Rite, and a Noble of Calam Shrine Temple and Shriners International.
In 2018 Reo gave an eight-acre parcel of his land to Latah County, to be used as a natural park and named after his father, Robert Edwin Lloyd. His desire was for Moscow residents to be able to enjoy the more than 500 trees — conifers, plum and oak — he had planted on the property.
Reo loved his family and was deeply appreciative of the love of his stepmother, Louise Lloyd, “Mama Lou,” who passed away in 2003.
 He is survived by his sisters, Deanda Lyne, Sherri Meadows Maywald, Lindy Wellyn, and Andrea Lloyd; his brothers Noel Edwards, Scott Welfare and Mark Lloyd; and his aunt, Peggy Davis. He will be missed by all of his family, and friends he made along the journey.
In keeping with Reo’s wishes, no formal services will be held. Donations in Reo’s name can be made to the Moscow Moose Lodge 871.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Short’s Funeral Chapel, Moscow, and online condolences may be sent to www.shortsfuneralchapel.net.

Beverly Scholz

Long-time Sitka resident, Beverly Darlene (nee Bright) Scholz, age 81, passed away on June 9, 2019, in Anchorage, following a decade-long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, she came to Sitka to work as the school nurse at Sheldon Jackson High School and Junior College in the early 1960s.
While in Sitka, she married a former church-mate from Los Angeles, Edwin Scholz, who ran a small radio station near the Sheldon Jackson campus. Their mission work for the Presbyterian Church led them away from Alaska for a few years but after the birth of their son, they returned to their beloved Sitka, where they raised their family and lived for 45 years. They retired to Sahuarita, Arizona, for almost a decade where they enjoyed the warm weather and ability to travel.
Mrs. Scholz loved her family and was devoted to her church but at her core she was a teacher. When her children entered school, she began years of teaching at Mt. Edgecumbe Preschool. She continued her love of education by working to obtain first her teaching degree and then her special education credentials. This led to her work with the Sitka School District for almost two decades working with hundreds of children. She inspired a love of learning in her students, her children and her grandchildren, some of whom went on to become teachers themselves.
Mrs. Scholz is survived by her children, Jim Scholz of Juneau,  Karen Scholz of Anchorage, and Cathy and Ray Gallagher of Snoqualmie, Washington; her sister and brother-in-law, Sharon and Richard English of Green Valley, Arizona; grandchildren Jessica and Nick Oberg, Chelsea Brester, Tiffany and Alexandra Scholz, Jessaca and Bud Lee, Trevor Koehn, and Ray and Kyler Gallagher; and great-grandchildren  Sophia and Oliver Oberg, Caden and Aleaha Beverly Brester, Levi Soares, Astraea and Alitheea Koehn, and Radley Gallagher.
The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Resources of Alaska to continue their important work.
The family extended a special thank you to all who assisted in her care during the past 10 years including but not limited to Jade Assisted Living Home, Serendipity Adult Day Program, Providence Horizon House, Hospice of Anchorage, Providence Hospice and AnchorRides.

Maryellen Severinghaus Bowers

Maryellen Severinghaus Bowers, 96, died peacefully at her home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, after a period of declining health, on May 13, 2019.
She was born Oct. 8, 1922, in Ithaca, New York. She graduated from Cornell University in 1943, after which she moved with her husband, Wayne, to Los Alamos, New Mexico.
After spending a year in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Wayne and Maryellen moved to Chapel Hill where they lived for the rest of their lives, apart from a number of sabbatical years spent in Cambridge, England, as well as one in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Maryellen was an accomplished seamstress and knitter, making most of her own clothes as well as many for her family. In later years she added to her repertoire of skills by taking up tie-dying and weaving.
She loved gardening, and was especially fond of camellias, with which she surrounded her house on Franklin Street over the years.
She also was active in community affairs, particularly during the racial integration struggles of the 1960s. She was once referred to by a segregationist opponent as the Madame Defarge of the integration movement on account of her habit of knitting during meetings. Needless to say, Maryellen was unfazed by this bit of nastiness and continued to knit while playing an active role in the struggle against Jim Crow until it was eliminated from Chapel Hill.
On another occasion, she was involved with a group of citizens opposed to a local bank’s desire to erect a multi-story building on the main block of Franklin Street which would have been incompatible in height with the rest of downtown. Maryellen had the idea of hoisting a balloon to the proposed height of the building. Many people, startled by the visual impact, were persuaded to sign the petition that her group had ready at a table on the sidewalk in front of the bank and, ultimately, those opposed prevailed.
Maryellen was preceded in death by her husband Wayne Alexander Bowers, who died in August 2008, and her daughter Margaret Ellen Barrett, who died in April 2008.
She is survived by three children, John Severinghaus Bowers of Ithaca, New York, Ruth Elizabeth Bowers of Stockton, New Jersey, and Wayne Cameron Bowers of Sitka; eight grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
A memorial gathering will be held 2 p.m. (E.S.T.)  Sunday, August 18, at 714 East Franklin Street – the home Wayne and Maryellen bought in 1949 to raise their family in.
Contributions in Maryellen’s memory may be made in lieu of flowers to the American Friends Service Committee at the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Ernest George Matteson

Ernest George Matteson, age 76, a longtime Sitka fisherman, passed away peacefully in the early morning of May 20, 2019,  in Tucson, Arizona, with his wife Diane and daughters Mia and Cho by his side.
At his request, no services will be held.
Ernie was born in Salmon, Idaho, on December 16, 1942, the only son of Arnold and Helen Matteson.  As a child, Ernie spent many hours fishing  “in every pond, creek, or river that he could find.”  When he was 10, his family visited the West Coast and Ernie saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time. He knew immediately that he wanted to be out on that water, fishing.
As a young man Ernie joined the U.S. Navy and served on the U.S.S. Midway. He was stationed at the naval airbase Atsugi in Japan.  After his military tour was over, Ernie flipped a coin with his cousin Butch to see if he would head to Alaska or Australia. Alaska it was, and he arrived in Sitka to look for fishing work in 1962.
 Ernie’s first solo experience in long-lining halibut was from a Boston Whaler, beaching the boat at night to sleep on various islands. An indefatigable worker, he woke at 3 a.m. most mornings for the rest of his life, and would work steadily until late evening. His hard work paid off, and he soon had a real fishing boat, the Vina.
Somewhere in those early winters, he also drove taxi cab to make ends meet, and would often stop at the Coffee Cup Café for breakfast. It was there that he met Diane Unterwegner, a young Sitka woman who was working as a waitress.  She brought him his coffee, they chatted, he taught her how to play cribbage, and the rest is history.  They were married in Sitka on December 21, 1973. Together they had many adventures, both at sea and on land. Two of their best adventures were their daughters, Amelia Laurel Won, born in 1979, and Hayley Lillian Cho, born in 1981.
Over the years, Ernie and Diane bought many boats, including the Annette, the O.B., the Majestic, and the Myra. During the summers that their two daughters were small, Ernie and Diane ran the fish-buying scow the WonCho, (named after their daughters), which was moored in Murphy Cove in Graves Harbor and later in Kalinin Bay near Sitka. During the winters they lived in Hilo, Hawaii, where Ernie bought a fishing boat, the Audrey Lynn, and fished mahi mahi, swordfish and other tropical fish.
After selling the WonCho, Ernie bought the Gota and returned to fishing. He fished it for 14 years and then bought the Shearwater, a beautiful boat built in 1977, and, finally, the Diane Lynn.
Ernie always moored his boats at the ANB Harbor, his favorite harbor, where he knew everybody, and everybody knew him. Many young fishermen stopped by his boat to ask for advice and share stories.
Although Ernie from time to time hired various deckhands, he was happiest when Diane was by his side, and she was his most consistent fishing partner. She made their boats into cozy second homes with beautifully decorated interiors and delicious meals. She was always his favorite fishing crew, although he also greatly enjoyed, as the years passed,  the seasons when  his daughter Hayley Cho would come along as a deckhand.  He was very proud of her hard work and skill as a fisherwoman.  His daughter Mia kept his boat stocked with homemade cookies, brownies, and other baked treats.
Their family fished a wide variety of fish, including halibut, salmon, black cod, and shrimp, and Ernie briefly worked with cucumber diving crews.
During 2011, Ernie and Diane bought a home in Tucson, where Ernie loved to tend their orange trees and swim in their pool. They also spent a lot of time visiting their daughters and their families.
Also during this time, Ernie sold the Shearwater, and planned to retire. But, old fishermen, they say, cannot stay away from the water for long, and Ernie was no exception. A year or so later, he bought a 25-foot pleasure craft, and tried fishing from it for a season. Frustrated at the limitations of its small size, he sold it, and bought a beautiful 40-foot fishing boat from Canada. When Diane arrived from Tucson to begin the fishing season, she passed a boat called the Diane Lynn. “That boat has my name on it. That should be our boat!” she said. “It is,” he said. They spent the last several seasons fishing her together.
  Ernie loved his family deeply, and was a devoted father to his daughters Mia and Cho, a wonderful grandfather to Mia and Kevin’s daughters Avila and Cambria, enjoyed his step-granddaughter Charlie Lawson, and was thrilled when Cho and her husband Chuck had Arlo George late last year. Arlo, named after Ernie, brought joy to the entire family.
Ernie also loved and appreciated all of his extended family, and was involved in the many adventures of his nieces and nephews and their children.
This spring, Ernie was diagnosed with cancer. Being a strong and tough fisherman, Ernie had quietly been fading away. He passed away ten days after his diagnosis.
Ernie was preceded in death by his grandfather Arthur Matteson, his parents Arnold and Helen Matteson, and his niece Jessica Baggen.
He is survived by his wife Diane, Tucson; his daughters Amelia (Kevin) Morgan, of Amesbury, Massachusetts, and Hayley Cho (Chuck Lawson) Matteson, Denver; and his grandchildren, Avila and Cambria Morgan, and Charlie and Arlo George Lawson.
He is also survived by his sisters-in-law Sandra Fontaine (Curt Ledford) of Sitka, Vicki (George) Baggen, and Kris Unterwegner (Robert Pappe) of Silverton, Oregon; and their children, his nieces and nephews, Keith Ledford (Christi), Janine Ledford, Trevor Harang (Tracie), Sonia Harang Kwon (Trevor Laib), Teresa Miller, Beth Fontaine, Daisy Casey; Cory Baggen, Melissa Turvey (Brent), Amanda Baggen (Jensen Yocum); Kathleen States (Andrew Pienkos), Carson States (Leah), Ryan (Toni) Pappe, Jacob (Meghan Clark) Pappe, and Tanya (Steven) Varner, and their families.
He is also survived by his cousin Art (Earlene) Matteson, of Santa Rosa, California.
His entire extended family deeply mourns Ernie’s passing. His dry humor, his stories, his natty way of dressing, his calm and dignified way of keeping himself erect and moving onward, (sometimes under the most difficult of circumstances), his deep connection and love of his family, and his love for the sea, formed an irreplaceable man.
His niece Kathleen long ago sent Ernie this poem, and Diane found it among his things:
“Love in all its forms is a many splendored thing,
Be it love felt by a peasant
….or love felt by a king.
But the greatest love of all,
Or so the poet wrote,
Is the all-consuming love…
Between a Viking and his boat..”
Fair sailing, Ernie……

Rebecca Aikey

Rebecca Aikey (Rebecca Winzer) went home to be with the Lord on June 17, 2019, while serving with AmeriCorps in Sitka. She was 26.
Rebecca was loved by so many and her sweet, loving, kind, and intelligent personality will be deeply missed.
Rebecca was born on May 27, 1993, to Judy and Carl Winzer in Simi Valley, California. The family moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, when Rebecca was 8 years old. She loved the beauty of Northern Idaho and had many fond memories spending time outdoors with her family.
She also excelled academically and graduated from Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy in 2011.
After graduating from high school, Rebecca attended the University of Idaho and was awarded the Goldwater Scholarship in her sophomore year. She also was a member of the honor society Phi Eta Sigma and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor’s of science with a major in physics and a minor in mathematics.
She also fulfilled all of the pre-med requirements and gained admission to the prestigious WWAMI medical program. She was enrolled in the program until she took a one-year break to work with the AmeriCorps.
Rebecca was loved by so many and will live on in the memories of her husband Mark Aikey and their son James; her father Carl and mother Sue; her mother Judy; and siblings Sara, Kira and Kate. She is currently reunited with her dear brother James, who passed away in 2012.
 
 
 

Willis Leroy Donnally

Former Sitkan Willis Leroy Donnally went to be home with the Lord on July 3, 2019, just 12 days before his 83rd birthday. A resident of Delta Junction, he was in Fairbanks at the time of his passing.
He was born July 15, 1936, in Everett, Washington. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1956, served two terms, and had an honorable discharge after nine years of serving his country.
He moved to Sitka in 1967 with his wife Claudia and four children, Jody, Katy, Pat and Erin. While in  Sitka, he ran his own commercial fishing boat, and together with his wife operated a fish processing plant, Claudia’s Fisheries.
In 2005, he moved to Delta Junction, into a beautiful log cabin, built by himself, family, and friends. He resided there until he went home to be with the Lord.
“Those who knew our Dad/Grandpa/Uncle knew that he was a one of a kind special character,” his family said. “He not only enjoyed fishing immensely, but more so the telling of a few pretty big fish stories along the way.”
He loved to go moose hunting and fishing with his favorite partner, his son, Pat.  
He enjoyed conversation and meeting new people and offered a warm welcome to those he met.
He celebrated his most favorite holiday, St. Patrick’s Day, with family, having a corned beef & cabbage dinner enjoyed by all. At Christmas time he always took pleasure in his tradition of reading his family “The Legend of the Candy Cane” story.
“Dad was a loving man who will be very much missed,” his family said.
He was preceded by his father, Harvey Andrew Donnally, mother, Earna Cheldelin, and stepfather, George Cheldelin.
He is survived by his former wife, Claudia, of Sitka; daughter Jody Grall and husband Doug of Edmonds, Washington, daughter Katy Rouse and husband John of Sitka, son Pat Donnally and wife Dee of Delta Junction, and daughter Erin Hansen and husband John of Sitka.
His grandchildren are Dale Lindstrom and wife Paula, Jenny Metlicka and husband Scott, Jr. Lindstrom, Kori Lindstrom, Haley LaDuke and husband Jake, and Lee Burkhart. 
His great-grandchildren are Shaylene, Kali, Bubba and Emily Metlicka. Reyana, Kiyara, Robert, Sydney, Ashton Lindstrom. Landon and Sawyer LaDuke. He also is survived by his numerous nieces and nephews of Washington.
    He loved all his family dearly.
A celebration of life and a fishing adventure will take place with family next July 2020 in Delta Junction.

Linda Hamilton

Blessed are those who have known love and given love. Linda Kathryn (Dombroski) Hamilton finished her journey through life filled with love on July 12, 2019.
“Love always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres. Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13: 4-8). She taught us all the truth of love and showed that to every soul whose life she touched, her family said. Her soul is now free and rejoicing at the end of a long journey through the trial of breast cancer.
Linda was born Aug. 6, 1948, in Springfield, Illinois, and was raised there.
She lived in Normal, Illinois,  while attending Illinois State, where she met Steve Hamilton, who became her husband of 50 years.  She then left Illinois in the spirit of adventure and moved to Sitka, where she raised her family and worked for the Alaska Housing Finance Corp., managing elderly and low-income housing.
She and her husband left Sitka for Kalispell, Montana, where she lived out the rest of her days.
She is survived by her husband, Steve; two sons, Nathan and Ethan Hamilton; her younger sister, Diane Suderman; and her twin brother, Michael (Nancy) Dombroski. Nephews, nieces and two great-nieces.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Bernice (Shevokas) Dombroski.
Family and friends are invited to a graveside service to be held 11 a.m. July 19, 2019 at the Viola Cemetery, Viola, Illinois. A time of fellowship and luncheon will immediately follow at Speer Funeral Home, 2502 SE 3rd St. , Aledo, Illinois.
In lieu of sending flowers, the family asks friends to please consider a donation to the Linda K. Hamilton memorial Fund through the Susan G. Komen Foundation at http://www.info-komen.org/goto/Linda_K_Hamilton.

Mrs. Elizabeth Teal

It is with disbelief that the family and loved ones of Mrs. Elizabeth Teal, announce her passing on July 6, 2019, in Sitka. She was 92.
Mrs. Teal was born Martha Elizabeth Ryan on May 26, 1927, one of 12 children of Mr. and Mrs. Albert H. Ryan of Alki Beach, West Seattle.
When she was 10, she experienced the loss of her beloved Mother. During the following eight years, she was placed in 14 different foster homes, an experience that shaped who she was. She often said, “I wanted nothing but my Mother to return but I knew I couldn’t give up, I couldn’t ever give in.”
As a young woman, she worked numerous jobs to help a brother through college. Bob Ryan graduated from Wharton’s School of Business and ran his own wealth management firm until his death in 2012.
During World War II, Mrs. Teal worked on engines, a skill she never divulged, due to its not being ladylike. Manners were important to Mrs. Teal; that’s why she was always, “Mrs. Teal,” and never, “Elizabeth.” If you knew her well, she was simply Bette.
In 1950, Mrs. Teal married the love of her life, Col. W.B. Brinton, who at the time was a King County Commissioner. He built her dream home at 1904 Walnut Avenue SW, where they raised their three sons, Dorian Shelby Brinton, Bryan William Brinton, and James Robert Brinton. All three sons were Eagle Scouts.
Mrs. Teal was an avid outdoorsman and world traveler. She often traveled by ship to Europe to visit her sons, who attended the Munich International School. She instilled in her sons a love for the outdoors. Together they climbed Mt. Rainer, went spelunking in the Big Four Ice Caves, and skied the Alps,  along with taking countless hikes and camping trips.
Mrs. Teal’s boys were her life. All three sons were decorated veterans of the Vietnam War. Tragically, after returning safely from multiple tours in Vietnam, her son Jim Brinton set out on a kayak trip from La Push, Washington, to Tokyo, Japan, in 1971 and died attempting this feat. Less than a year and a half later, her son Dorian Brinton never resurfaced during a scuba diving lesson. He was studying to be an oceanographer. At this time, Mrs. Teal moved to Alaska to start a new life.
In 1973 she adopted her daughter Rosebud Sue Petra Thiel, granddaughter of Athabascan Chief Simon Francis. They made their home in their log cabin Mrs. Teal had built on the corner of 7th and Kellum in Fairbanks. In 1981, she adopted her daughter Blossom Juliana Teal after meeting Blossom’s great-aunt Alvira Downey on a trip to Kotzebue.
In 1983 Mrs. Teal sued the State of Alaska for the right to adopt her daughters and won, but in the process she lost her home on Kellum. This didn’t stop her from creating a home for her girls.
During this time, she earned her badge as a police officer for the City of Kotzebue, and in the late 1980s, early 1990s Mrs. Teal became a corrections officer in Fairbanks. She loved this profession and excelled at it. As a corrections officer, she pushed for more art programs and extended the Fairbanks Correctional Center’s book program. Reading was always important to Mrs. Teal.
Mrs. Teal was an audacious soul filled with stories and laughter. In 1993 she adopted her grandson Joseph James Martinez. She loved him dearly. She often said while people lived one life, she found herself in many because that’s what you do rather than give up, “Sometimes you have to start life over.” Sadly, her last son, Bryan Brinton was killed in 1994 when his truck ran over a mine in Bosnia. A photojournalist, he was photographing the effects of the war.
In 1997 Mrs. Teal moved from Kotzebue to Sitka. This was supposed to be a short-term move while her daughter Blossom attended Mt. Edgecumbe High School but she fell in love with the rainforest. This is where she raised her grandson.
During her life, Mrs. Teal touched many lives. She believed in tenacity and had true grit. She was an avid reader, a fluent speaker in German, French, Latin, Gwitch’n Athabascan, and Inupiaq.
Mrs. Teal believed in asking questions and held many intriguing conversations with anyone who wanted to talk or with anyone who was good at listening. Mrs. Teal believed in giving and the power of God’s love. Above all, she believed in a good walk.
Mrs. Elizabeth “Bette” Teal leaves behind her daughter Rosebud Sanchez (husband Johnny Sanchez) of Long Beaqch, California, and grandsons Joseph James Martinez of Sitka and Marcel Thiel, and Johntae Sanchez, of Long Beach; daughter Blossom Twitchell (fiancé Frederick Olsen Jr.), and grandson Allistair Twitchell, and granddaughters Teslin and Lucca Bea Twitchell, all of Sitka.
“Our Mother and Grandmother joined her beloved sons Jim, Dorian and Bryan Brinton; her loving husband Col. Wilmer Bryant Brinton; her mother Ethel and father Albert; her 12 siblings; and the faithful family dog Miki MacKenzie Teal,” her family said.
On behalf of Mrs. Teal, her family thanked the staff of SEARHC Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital and Sitka EMS for providing exemplary medical service to her throughout the years.
A memorial service will be held 5 p.m. August 7 at St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Church. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests letters be written to an inmate.

Nels Herbert Lawson

Nels Herbert Lawson passed away at his home July 8, 2019, with his loving family at his side. He was 79.
He was born Sept. 4, 1939, in Juneau/Douglas. The first few years of his life, he lived in an Indian Village located across the channel from Juneau on Douglas’ sandy beach. His mother, Elizabeth, stayed home to care for him and run the household. His father, Herb, was a commercial fisherman.
While Nels was still very young, his family moved to Hoonah. During his time there, the devastating 1944 burning of Hoonah took place. This tragedy started as a house fire and nearly every house in Hoonah caught on fire. The fire was so intense that it took the entire day to burn out. Only a few buildings on the outskirts of town survived.
Soon after this tragedy, another struck. In 1948, Nels’ mother contracted tuberculosis. She was sent to the TB hospital on Japonski Island, and  Nels’ father moved here to be with his wife. Meanwhile, the seven children spent the year in the Presbyterian Missionary orphanage in Haines. They then moved to Sitka to join their father and recovered mother.
Nels, along with his six siblings, attended the Etolin Street School. Nels graduated from high school in 1957 along with 19 other students in his class. During his high school years he spent many long summer days long-lining for halibut with his uncle, learning persistence and devotion.
Nels later attended college at Fort Worth in Spokane, Washington. It was during his studies that he changed direction and fulfilled his lifelong dream of being a U.S. Marine. Nels served his country honorably for four years and returned to Sitka following his discharge.
Always trying to better himself, Nels soon left again to attend electronics schooling in Los Angeles and New York City. After 18 months of electronics schooling, he once again returned to Sitka.
In 1965, Nels left for the San Francisco Bay area for a new job opportunity. This new job included designing and building satellite communication systems. During his time in San Francisco, Nels and his group designed and built communication systems that would later be used in space. The aerospace electronics field had his attention and dedication for 15 years. During this time, his work assisted the first lunar landing and many other adventures of the Space Age. Nobody had designed and built anything like this before and there were no building plans to follow.
In 1978, Nels married his Georgia peach, Sheila. She was born on a train in Georgia. From opposite corners of the country, they met in electronics school and chatted during coffee breaks. The two fell in love and were soon married. They both decided not to raise their family in the heavily urbanized environment of the Bay Area. They sold everything and headed to Alaska in search of work and a new start on life. Juneau did not offer any opportunities for Nels, so he decided to return to Sitka once again. Luckily, the Forest Service had an opening. The man who started out as a Marine turned computer specialist would become a Native Liaison. He formed many agreements between the Native Alaskans and the Forest Service to benefit both sides.
After working many years with the Forest Service, Nels retired in 2003. He was a respected member of the community and actively involved in many Native and community organizations. Even in retirement, Nels never lost his devotion to the greater good or his dedication to his community. In 2012, Nels became leader of the Sitka Kaagwaantaan Clan. In his capacity as Clan leader, Nels flourished. He wore many hats both figuratively and literally. Not only was he a leader, mentor, adviser, and confidante; he was also a friend, brother, uncle, father, grandfather and husband. Nels wore all these hats with ease, honor, confidence, and pride. 
Nels is predeceased by his mother and father, Elizabeth and Herb Lawson, two brothers and one sister.
Treasured memories will be forever in the hearts of his wife, Sheila, of Sitka, and his seven children, Nels Lawson II of Sitka, Pauline Mead and Greg of Alma, Washington, Art Stephens Jr. and Angie of Graham, Washington, Katu Allen and Jessica Garcia, both of the San Francisco Bay area, and Nels Demma of Anchorage.
 He also is survived by 20 grandchildren, and a growing number of great-grandchildren; and brothers Ralph Lawson of Anchorage and Larry Lawson of Windsor, California, and a sister, Bernadine Shultz of Canoga Park, California.
A memorial service will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, July 20, at the ANB Founders Hall.
Honorary pallbearer are Sam Pointer (USMC),  Tony Phillips (USMC), Bernie Gurule (USMC), Justin Hulse           (USMC), Art Stephens (USA), Jared Carpenter (USN), Wayne Myers (USAF), Brian Gundaker (USCG), and             Ted Allio (AK NG).
 

Fred H. Hope

    Fred Howard Hope, a lifelong Sitkan, passed away July 20, 2019, surround by family and friends. He was 84.
    Services will be 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 1, at Sitka National Cemetery. Following a luncheon an Alaska Native Brotherhood service will be held at the ANB Founders Hall.
    Fred was born Dec. 30, 1934, in Sitka, one of 14 children of Andrew and Tillie (Howard) Hope. His Tlingit name was Shaaxhwaa Shaay Eesh, and he was of the Kiks.adi Raven clan, Point House.
    After graduating from Sheldon Jackson High School in 1954, he fished on the Neva, his father Andrew Hope’s purse seiner.
    He then joined the U.S. Army Infantry, serving with the 11th Airborne Division. After his honorable discharge, he met, and in 1960 married, Katherine Lott. They had two children, Shirley and Loren.
    Fred held various jobs, including as a taxi driver and a laborer, before going to work fulltime for Alaska Lumber and Pulp. He continued working there until it closed, in 1993, retiring as department supervisor.
    Afterward he worked on a log ship with his son Loren, in Hoonah.
    While attending an Alaska Native Brotherhood/Alaska Native Sisterhood convention, he met Margaret Gross. They married in Hawaii in 1984, and ran a bed and breakfast inn on Monastery Street for several years. She died June 3, 2016.
    Fred was active in the Alaska Native Brotherhood, and held several offices.
    He and a brother, Herb Hope, documented and organized a Kiks.adi survival march in 1994 and again in 1996, reenacting the one the Kiks.adi took to Chichagof Island following the 1804 battle at Indian River between the Tlingits and Russians.
    Fred was a lifelong Presbyterian. His family had ties to the Cottage community.
    Fred also enjoyed painting, drawing fishing boats, fishing, hunting and hiking. He also liked to ride a bike and within the last year was still riding around town, looking at the boats and even going so far as to Starrigavan.
    Fred was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret Gross Hope; his parents; and all his siblings – he was the last of the 14 children.
    He is survived by his daughter Shirley Littlefield (husband Pat) and their son, Loren Littlefield, of Sitka; and son Loren Hope (Priscilla Jordon) and their children Carrie Hope, Ruby Hope, Jessica Hope and Jason Hope, of Juneau.
    Numerous nieces and nephews also survive.

     

William McNally

William Floyd McNally was born Feb. 13, 1947, during a raging snowstorm. His dad, Harold McNally, had to drive his mom, Marguerite, to the small hospital in Yale, Michigan, following behind a snowplow.
He was raised on the family dairy farm in Brown City, Michigan. He went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the early morning hours of July 5, 2019.
Bill attended schools in Brown City and later went on to Mott Community College and then Michigan State University, where he graduated with his B.S. degree, He was in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts and played on the high school football team. He was also in the band, and the school was so small he was asked to play football and then be in the band during half time. He made the choice of playing football.
After Bill graduated from Michigan State in 1969, he became a conservation officer for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. After eight years, Bill left Michigan and headed for his new job in Alaska working for the National Marine Fisheries Service as a Special Agent and then as the supervisor of the Sitka office. He retired from NMFS in 2002, after 24 years of service.
In 1985, on a blind date, Bill met the love of his life, Mary Jo, who had just moved to Sitka from Minnesota. He always said, ‘‘Thank God for imports!’’ After he retired from NMFS, they opened Fly Away Fly Shop in downtown Sitka. There they never worked harder nor loved what they did more. Countless friendships were made throughout their business-owning years, friendships that are deep and meaningful even today. Bill could teach someone to fly-cast in only hours – he was a great teacher!
After closing the fly shop in 2009, they began their travels. They left in the fall of 2010 for their first winter ‘‘down south.’’ Every year after, they made their way south, visiting friends and family from Washington State to Key West. They loved driving the roads of America after living for 40 years with only 15 miles of road in Sitka.
Bill loved Sitka Young Life and was devoted to making cinnamon rolls for the Friday morning boys’ group. He loved his friends and his church family and was always willing to help them and strangers alike. He had a hearty laugh and was bigger than life itself. He was caring and giving and always concerned about others more than himself.
In 2017, Bill and Mary Jo said their good-byes to Sitka and headed to Post Falls, Idaho, where they established their new home and life. They had many plans to fish the rivers and lakes of Northern Idaho and Western Montana, but illness and poor and failing health never allowed those dreams to come true. He got sick only three weeks after they moved into their new home and he fought a valiant battle for a long 17 months, believing he was going to once again be strong and healthy enough to fulfill those dreams. Sadly, that didn’t happen, and he passed away peacefully at home on July 5 with Mary Jo by his side.
Bill is survived by his wife Mary Jo, his sister and brother-in-law Kathy and Jim Num, and mother-in-law Sue Linder, all of Post Falls, Idaho; ‘‘adopted children’’ Jeff and Jakala Bowling and their two children Jeffrey  and Jackson of Spokane, Washington; Tim and Bree Davis and their two children Morgan and Jacob of Waverly, Georgia; Michele (Stephenson) and Jason Warren and son Aidan of Cary, North Carolina; brother and sister-in-law Charlie and Lori Aldean of Woodbury, Minnesota; and nieces and nephews Jacob and Sarah Aldean and their three children; Chuck and Emily Aldean and their two children; and Carla and Dan Cheng and their three children.
A memorial service will be held at Grace Lutheran Church on Sunday, August 25, at 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Sitka Young Life, P.O. Box 2046, Sitka, AK 99835.