Alaska School Yearbooks by County
Mary Metzgar
Former Juneau resident Mary Simpkins Metzgar, 91, died March 29, 2005, in Edmonds, Wash.
She was born to George and Anne Simpkins on April 21, 1913, in Juneau. After graduating in 1931 from Juneau High School, she attended Marylhurst College in Oregon, the University of Washington and finished schooling at business college in Seattle.
In 1939, she married Edward H. Metzgar. They moved to Idaho and had three children. The couple worked side-by-side, operating and owning several businesses in Idaho, Washington and Alaska. The couple moved in the 1970s to Sun City, Ariz.
She enjoyed playing bridge, hosting family and friends and traveling. One of her last trips was to Rome, where she was in an audience with Pope John Paul II.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward H. Metzgar, and her son, John.
She is survived by her children, George (Wanda) of Boise, Idaho, and Jean Manzo of Edmonds, Wash.; five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
A memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. April 29, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Edmonds. Donations in her name may be made to charity of choice.
Robert Loren Peel
Juneau resident Robert (Bob) Loren Peel, 73, died June 17, 2005, at his home.
He was born May 15, 1932, in McPherson, Kan. He was the second of two sons born to Ruth and Henry E. Peel. He graduated from McPherson High School and received a bachelor's degree from McPherson College. In 1957, he received his master's degree in industrial arts education from Colorado State University, Greeley.
Prior to moving to Juneau in 1965, he spent 11 years in Topeka, Kan., as an educator, coach and member of the Naval Reserve. In Juneau, he taught industrial arts and construction trades at Juneau-Douglas High School until his retirement in 1980. He then entered the construction business as a builder of custom homes. His friends and co-workers say he "never stopped teaching and sharing his skills and talents with others."
He enjoyed football, woodworking, jet boats, time with friends, and spending summers at his get-away cabin on Chilkat Lake, which he constructed in 1983. His friends and family members say his "sense of humor will be missed and remembered by all. He was a great dad, grandpa and devoted husband."
He was preceded in death by his parents and older brother, Lawrence Peel.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Donna Peel of Juneau; his sons, Robert Laurus Peel and daughter-in-law Kristi of Juneau, and Douglas P. Peel and daughter-in-law Nancy of Juneau; his grandchildren, Kori Kuaana of Bend, Ore., Danielle Kuaana of Maui, Hawaii, and Peter Peel of Juneau; and his nephews, Kerry and Larry Alan Peel and their families of Colorado and New Mexico.
No funeral will be held at his request. His ashes will be placed in the family plot at the McPherson City Cemetery and at Chilkat Lake. A memorial service is planned for a future date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Juneau or cancer research.
Herbert Bast Gloege
Former Juneau resident Herbert "Herb" Bast Gloege died May 31, 2005, in Butte, Mont.
He was born March 29, 1913, in Helena, Mont., the youngest of five sons to Henry W. and Carolyn Ehrhardt Gloege. He grew up in Helena and graduated from Helena High School in 1931.
Throughout his life, he lived in many locations in the West. He moved in 1951 to Juneau. He worked as a building contractor and inspector for the city of Juneau.
He enjoyed the outdoors, hiking and fishing. He looked forward to the Gold Medal basketball tournament every year.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Kathleen M. Gloege of Butte, Mont.; his daughters, Barbara Rudio of Kodiak and Julie Rickard and her husband Donald of Lake Oswego, Ore.; five grandchildren including former Juneau resident Shawna Rudio and her husband Forrest Bowers of Dutch Harbor; and five great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
No services will be held per his request.
Elisabeth S. Hakkinen
Former longtime Haines resident Elisabeth S. "Lib" Hakkinen died Oct. 2, 2005, at the home of her son, Fred Hakkinen, in Canby, Ore.
She was born Jan. 11, 1914, in Skagway, the first child of Elisabeth Birkinbine Sheldon and Steve Sheldon of Haines. She graduated in 1930 from Haines High School. She attended San Bernardino Junior College in Southern California and Western College in Oxford, Ohio. She received her bachelor's of arts in 1935 with majors in education, biology and English.
She returned to Haines and taught school from 1935 until 1940. She married Sgt. Felix "Whitey" Hakkinen of Chilkoot Barracks. They lived in California, Oregon, Sitka and Juneau, before returning to Haines in 1950 to teach again. She also assisted her husband in running the grocery store, which they purchased from her father upon the death of her mother.
She served on the Haines City Council and the School Board. She was active in the Haines Women's Club, the PTA, the Presbyterian Church as an organist, and the Girl Scouts.
When the Hakkinens sold their store in 1970, she worked to fulfill her father's dream of building a museum to house his collection. Through the efforts of the Haines Women's Club, and the organizing of the Chilkat Valley Historical Society, the Sheldon Museum and Cultural Center was dedicated in 1979. She served as director and curator in a volunteer capacity from the museum's opening in 1979 until she and her husband moved to Oregon in 1995.
She wrote small books and pamphlets on the history of Haines and the Chilkat Valley, and a regular column "Musings from the Sheldon Museum" for the Chilkat Valley News in Haines. She started a local radio program on KHNS as a historical "Question of the Week." It is still being broadcast as the "Sheldon Museum Historical Talk."
She received numerous awards including Alaska's Mother of the Year in 1966; the Governor's Award from Gov. Jay Hammond in 1979; and the Evangeline Atwood Award from the Alaska Historical Society. She was the representative for Alaska on a National Committee for the Aging in Washington, D.C. in 1960 and was included in the Who's Who of American Women. She was adopted into the Eagle clan of the Tlingit nation.
A memorial service was Oct. 6 in Oregon. A Haines memorial will be Oct. 22. Donations in her name may be made to the Sheldon Museum, Box 269, Haines, 99827. Cards and condolences may be sent to Dr. Fred Hakkinen, 1026 N.W. Eighth Way, Canby, Ore., 97013.
Irene Nellie Johnson
Haines resident Irene Nellie Johnson died Oct. 9, 2005, in Seattle.
She was born to Emma and Peter Hoolis Sr. on Feb. 6, 1936, in Sitka. She belonged to the Keet Goshi Hit (Killerwhale Dorsal Fin House) in Klukwan of the Dakl'aweid (Killerwhale Clan) and her Tlingit name was Aaytinaa. She was Lukaax.di dachxn (Grandchild of the Raven Sockeye clan) from Haines.
She graduated from Mount Edgecumbe High School and then worked at the Mount Edgecumbe hospital for seven years. She moved her family to Haines and worked at the Haines Packing cannery.
She worked for 27 years at the Haines Food Center grocery as a checkout clerk.
She enjoyed playing bingo, eating and exercising at the senior center and visiting family and friends. She was a sports fan and enjoyed watching television on those lazy days. Her friends and family said that she had "a positive outlook on life and lived each day completely and fully."
She was preceded in death by her son, Lee E. Johnson; her grandparents, James and Elsie Kasko; her parents, Emma and Peter Hoolis Sr.; her uncles, Otto Kasko, John Kasko and Edwin Kasko; her aunt, Marty Kasko-Stewart; and her siblings, George Hoolis, Peter Hoolis, Elizabeth Hoolis, Laura Bean and Sandy.
She is survived by her four children, James E. Donnelly Jr., Roberta M. Donnelly, Judith A. Johnson and Lynne M. Johnson; her ten grandchildren, Aaron Donnelly, Darren Shorty, Justin Henricks, Kelly Johnson, Kevin Clayton, Lindsey Hoffman, Martha Morris, Nicole Clayton, LeeAnna Morris and Cheyenne Morris; her first husband, James Donnelly Sr.; her four sisters and two brothers, Ann Johnson, Marilyn Devoyd, Kathy Dennis, Sandy Chase, Elsie Didrickson, Ed Kasko and Ben Didrickson; her aunt, Ruth Kasko; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and close friends.
Donations in her memory may be sent in care of Lorraine Kasko, P.O. Box 69, Haines, 99827.
Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 16, at the Haines Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall. Lunch will follow the service.
