Alaska School Yearbooks by County
Beverly Milton
Longtime Douglas resident Beverly Milton, of the Teikweidi Eagle Brown Bear clan, died Sept. 18, 2009, in Salem, Ore. She was 69.
An adopted daughter into the Tlingit tribe by Eva Milton, of Yakutat, Beverly Ann McCune was born Sept. 3, 1940, in Cambria County, Pa., to John and Anna McCune. She married Robert Milton in 1957 in Sitka, and they raised their family for many years in Juneau and Douglas. She moved to Salem in May 2008 and made many new friends in her adopted home.
She was a member of the Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 2 and worked for the state for many years in the departments of Labor, Revenue, Fish and Game and the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend. She spent much of her time volunteering for Juneau's Kids Day Program and Celebration. She also was an active member of the Bahá'í faith and loved celebrating with other followers.
"But most of all, she loved being a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother," her family wrote. "She will be missed by all."
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Milton; parents; brother, James McCune; and sisters, Corinne Danasko and Bella Miller.
She is survived by her five children, Robert Milton Jr. and John Milton, both of Juneau, Dianna Druley of Wasilla, Franklin Milton of Salem, and Katherine Milton of Juneau; 17 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Alaska Native Sisterhood services will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, at the Juneau Church of Christ on Trinity. Memorial services were held Monday, Sept. 21, at the Emerald Pointe Retirement Center in Keizer, Ore.
Honorary pallbearers are Agnes Asaro, Joanne Witta, Eunice Akaigi, Peggy Exendine, Victoria Johnson, Delina Quick, Rockie Kunz, Haley White; Grandchildren: Sharon Samantha Chilton, Kevin Milton, Steven Milton, Chellsy Milton, Juan Quintanilla, David Quintanilla, Ernesto Flores, Lupe Flores, Michael Flores, Robert Eldon Druley, Crystal Nelson, Tiffany George, Erica George, Robert Johnson, Barbara, Patterson, and Amanda; and great-grandchildren: Quyanna Nelson, Jay Nelson, Royce Nelson, Trinity Nelson, Harmony Nelson, Lily Milton, Damien Milton, Robert Kaden Druley, Adeline Druley, Malikhi Talley, Sean Talley, and Jericho Baird.
Donations in memory of Beverly may be sent to the Gastineau Humane Society, 7705 Glacier Highway, Juneau, AK 99801-7974.
Michael See Sr.
Hoonah resident Michael Richard See Sr., K'alax heitl of Tlingit, died Sept. 10, 2009, in Hoonah. He was 62.
Born in Juneau and raised in Tenakee, he was born Sept. 17, 1946, a Shungukeidee, Thunderbird Clan of the NowTl'ee Yaw Ye Hit, House Lowered From Sun. He graduated from Mt. Edgecumbe High School in 1965. He was on the trampoline and wrestling team.
In 1965, he joined the National Guard in Fort Ord, Calif. He worked for Container Corporation of America in Portland, Ore., as an electrician and then maintenance foreman from 1965-1989. He became a police officer in Hoonah from 1989 to 1995, then worked for Southeast Stevedoring as a hatchman loading log ships. He was a commercial fisherman, charter boat captain and bear guard at Icy Strait Point. He received his 50-ton mariners license and was a harbor seal biosampling technician, certified diver and a sea otter tagger for the Department of Fish and Wildlife. He retired in 2009.
He served on the Board of Directors for Hoonah Indian Association and was chairman of The Customary and Traditional Use Committee and vice chair of the Education Committee. He was president of Tlingit and Haida Community Council of Hoonah, chairman of the Icy Straits Advisory Committee, chairman of the Hoonah Marine Mammal Commission, past board member of the Alaska Steller Sea Lion Commission, president of Inside Passage Electric Cooperative and president of the Alaska Native Brotherhood Camp 12.
"Mike was a strong advocate for tribal rights and did his best to help preserve the Tlingit way of life," his family wrote. "Anyone who new Mike probably heard a joke or two; he loved to make people laugh. Mike was a brilliant multi-dimensional caring man, always reading, learning, teaching, willing to lend a hand. He will truly be missed by those who loved him."
He is survived by his wife and best friend of nearly 13 years, Darlene See, Kaach.Aadi, X'aal kweidee-Landotter Clan; daughters, Theresa See, of Seattle, Wash., Monica See, of Tacoma, Wash., and Martina See, of Fairbanks; brothers, Juan Munoz, of Juneau, Louis Hartman, of Sitka, and Donald See, of Juneau; tribal mother, Anita Lafferty; aunts, Lillian Austin, Leona Williams and Marina Miller; his "Sonny Boys," Jake White Sr. and Jerry White Sr., both of Hoonah; and numerous relatives especially nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Frances See "Shukeen" and dad, Matthew Joseph; father, Fred Snyder, of Germany; uncles, Dr. Frank See, Harry, Ben, and George, Tom and David See; maternal grandparents, Lum See and Agnes "Augie" Hopkins; paternal grandmother, Halmit "Beanie" Snyder; tribal grandmother, Ida Kadashan; aunt, Laura Montero; sister, Silvia Montero; beloved son, Michael "mcghee" See Jr.; and cousins, Frank See Jr. and Cathy See.
Memorial services will take place at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at the Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall in Juneau and at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, at the ANB Hall in Hoonah.
Pallbearers are O.G. Schoonover, Owen James, David Sheakley and Mike Sheakley, David John Marvin, Willis Marvin, John Hillman, Raino Hill, Al Hill, Honary Pallbearers: Jake White Sr., Jerry White Sr., Kenny Grant, Adam Greenwald, Herman Davis, Franko Williams, Ron Williams, Kenny Schoonover, Bill Wilson, Norman Sarabia and Ray Wilson Sr.
His ashes will be spread in Tenakee. Cards and Donations may be sent to Veronica Dalton P.O. Box 407 Hoonah, AK, 99829.
Donna Hoepfner
Lifelong Juneau resident Donna Hoepfner died quietly on Dec. 21, 2009, in her home in Anacortes, Wash., with her husband at her side, following a courageous battle with cancer. She was 60.
Born March 18, 1949, she attended St. Ann's School and was a 1967 graduate of Juneau-Douglas High School. She also attended a design school in Seattle following her graduation. She began work at 14 and continued with a career with the state of Alaska. She considered her most important career to be her family.
She loved her garden, her dogs, Daisy, Mick and Max, her sewing, decorating and quiet walks on the beach. She loved the Juneau Fourth of July parade, sand castles on Douglas Beach and a wine and hotdog picnic out Thane Road.
Although she lived in Anacortes briefly, she had her favorite country fairs, flower markets and loved to go to oldies concerts in Seattle. She also loved traveling with her husband in their camper, her favorite place being San Francisco.
"Donna was a dear and loving daughter, wife, mother, sister, aunt and friend, who would make their day better when she could," her family wrote. "She understood that the best things in life were not things; they were her family and friends."
She was very grateful to the Anacortes Hospice and the nurses who cared for her at Island Hospital Cancer Care Center in Anacortes. She also was grateful to her neighbor, Lou Bergeson, who took on the care of Daisy, her favorite little pup, when she no longer could. Donna always had a soft spot for the puppy that spent too much time in the window, her little Daisy with a crooked smile. She was most grateful to lifelong friends Jane MacKinnon, Marcello and Nancy Quinto and Jack and Sue Woods.
She was preceded in death by her father, James G. Richardson; adoptive father, Dale G. Williams; mother, Nadine V. Price; grandfather, Vernon Metcalfe Sr.; uncle, Vern Metcalfe; and dearest grandmother, Hannah Daniels, who Donna unofficially adopted as a young child.
She is survived by her husband of 42 years, Peter Hoepfner; son, Christopher (Heather); grandson Kaiden; brother Jim Williams (Arbe); sisters Janet Rogozinski (Jacques) and Anne Williams; step-father Robert Price; nieces and nephews Kate, Abby and Samantha Williams, Helena, Jaime and Joel Rogozinski; and Metcalfe cousins Vernon Jr. (Mac), Kimberly, Peter, Patrice (Tissie), Kathleen (Teeny), James (Jake), Heather, John, Mark and their families.
Carmel D. Roberts
Former Ketchikan and Juneau resident Carmel D. "Punky" Roberts died Dec. 18, 2009, in Mount Vernon, Wash. She was 63.
Born Jan. 25, 1946, in Ketchikan, to Calvin and Mary Jessie Demmert Roberts, she attended school in Ketchikan and Sitka, graduating from Ketchikan High School. She later attended Ketchikan Community College.
In 1968, she accepted a position as a purchasing agent at Ketchikan General Hospital. In 1972, she began a career with the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, which was to span the next 27 years.
Her first assignment was in Juneau, where she was the first woman to hold a permanent appointment as a BIA superintendent in Alaska. She held that position until the BIA agency office in Juneau was closed. She then accepted a management analyst position with the BIA in Washington, D.C. Her last assignment was in Portland, Ore., where she retired in 1999.
An Alaska Native, she was a member of the Tlinget Tribe, Raven Clan, Dog Salmon House. She was a member of the Alaska Native Sisterhood, Sealaska Corp., Presbyterian Church, America Legion Auxiliary and the Moose Club. She enjoyed traveling, salmon fishing, bowling, skiing and especially being "Auntie Punky" to all of her many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Elaine Foley; brother, Calvin Roberts Jr.; nephews, Jeffery Foley and Zane Abbott.
She is survived by her sister, Sharon Foley and husband, Rich, of Ketchikan; brother-in-law, Mike Abbott, of Birdsview, Wash.; uncles, Ray Roberts, of Ketchikan, and Leo Woods, of Seattle, Wash.; and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, cousins and extended family throughout the 50 states.
"She will be missed by us all!" her family wrote.
Her family would like to acknowledge and thank all her friends in Mount Vernon, especially those at Mountain Glen retirement home for their caring assistance this past year.
Services will be held in Ketckikan at a date yet to be determined. Cremation arrangements were under the care of Kern Funeral Home.
Carmel was always there with a helping hand for family, friends and to those in need, her family said. In lieu of flowers, any donations should be made to local area food banks or homeless shelters.
Benny Lingle
Skagway resident Ben L. Lingle died peacefully in his sleep the morning of Dec. 13, 2009, at his home. He was 82.
Born Jan. 7, 1927, in Hudson, N.C., his mother and father moved the family to Ohio and then California when he was a young boy. He entered the U.S. Army before graduating from high school, serving with a railroad battalion in Korea. He later moved with his family to Skagway, where his father, mother and two siblings had settled. He finished high school and was initially employed by WP&YR as a chief mechanic.
About 1960, he began helping out at Skagway Hardware for the Dewar family, working part-time alongside Bea Hillery O'Daniel.
"I would like to buy this store," he told Bea one day. "Will you marry me?"
They eventually sealed the deal on June 9, 1961. This merger resulted in one of the biggest families in Skagway.
He ruled Skagway Hardware. He was famous for shouting down instructions in colorful language from the balcony, but would come downstairs and help customers with just about anything. Behind the scenes he was generous to those in need. The hardware business grew into the building next door, and they also bought a lumber yard across the alley. The day-to-day operation eventually was turned over to a son and grandson, but he was still president.
He also was fond of flying and in 1964 filled a valuable need, establishing Skagway Air Service with Eric Selmer and Gil Meroney. He eventually took over the business, running it with his son, Mike, for many of its 43 years. They also established offices in Juneau and Haines and flew to Gustavus as well. They retired the business in June 2007.
Benny and Bea never really retired. They were always on the go. They would drive their big motor home down to Mesa, Ariz., for the winters, and spend long summer weekends at their Carcross cabin or camping in the Yukon. This winter, they stayed home.
He was preceded in death by his older brother, Gus Lingle; sister, Mary Jane Hanousek; and beloved daughter, Robin Lingle, in 2007.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Bea Lingle; younger brother, Bob Lingle, of Midpines, Calif.; sons, Mike O'Daniel and wife, Sylvia, and John O'Daniel and wife, Janet, of Skagway; daughters, Kathleen O'Daniel and husband, Bob Deitrick, of Juneau, and Dorothy Brady and husband, Jeff, of Skagway; 16 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews and cousins; and the Skagway Hardware and Skagway Air extended family.
At his request, there was no memorial. The community gathered for traditional egg nog on Christmas Eve at Skagway Hardware, where they looked at family photos and shared memories.
