Alaska School Yearbooks by County
Elizabeth Florence (Betty) Martin
Juneau resident Elizabeth Florence (Betty) Martin, 76, died Nov. 8, 2005, at Wildflower Court.
She was born Jan. 30, 1929, to John and Florence (Snyder) Martin at Queen's Hospital in Long Island, New York. She attended Catholic schools, graduating from "Mother Cebrini" High School in Westchester, New York. She entered the work world as a private secretary to several "giants" - Sony, Reynolds Metals and Standard Brands, all of New York.
She held a season pass to The Metropolitan Opera Company and danced professionally as a ballroom dancer at several of New York City's finest hotels, earning the gold medal in solo and competitive dancing from the Arthur Murray Dance School. She was also a very talented tailor/seamstress, earning a letter of commendation from the Singer Sewing Machine Company.
On May 4, 1957, she wed Lloyd Martin at the Blessed Sacrament Church and left the following year for Juneau. Arriving here, she continued on as secretary to the governor. Later, she worked for several superintendents of schools until her retirement in 1980, due to poor health. She suffered a massive stroke on March 1998, and lived at St. Ann's and Wildflower Court until her death.
She is survived by her husband, Lloyd; daughter, Fran Martin of Juneau; sister, Carol (Bill) Power and her children, of Anaconda, Mont.; also brothers-in-law, Leonard J. Martin and Michael Martin and their families, all of Washington State.
At Martin's request, there will be no funeral. Graveside services will be held April 18, 2006, at the Alaska Memorial Park. Donations may be made to Catholic charities or the charity of your choice.
Clifford Berg
Longtime Juneau resident Clifford Berg, 88, died on Nov. 11, 2005.
He was born in Juneau in 1917, to Hans and Amanda Berg.
He attended the Juneau High School, graduating in 1936. Clifford, president of Berg Construction Co. Inc., of Juneau, formed a partnership with his father in 1937. He and his wife Pat were married in 1938. Pat was also raised in Alaska, having lived in Kodiak, Latouche Island, Seward, Cordova and Kennecott before moving to Juneau.
He was a lieutenant in the Army Engineers and served in the South Pacific, Okinawa and the Philippines.
Since then, many of the roads, bridges, docks, airfields, buildings and water and sewer systems in Southeast are the result of his work. He put in the fill for construction of Juneau-Douglas High School; cut timber off the Mendenhall Peninsula to help planes landing at the airport; installed an airplane navigation system at Lena Point and did the original clearing for the Mendenhaven subdivision in 1960, when the Mendenhall Valley's main businesses were for farms; built the fire stations at the airport and Auke Bay; and helped remodel the airport in 1973.
He was a life member of the Elks, American Legion (57 years), a member of the Pioneers, Yacht Club and Juneau Golf Club, and past president of the Associated General Contractors.
He is survived by his wife, Pat of Juneau; sons, Jan (Mary) Berg of Glendale, Ariz., and Chris (Amy) Berg of Vancouver, Wash.; grandson, Dustin (Samantha) Berg of Nampa, Idaho; sisters, Sylvia Drowley of San Rafael, Calif., and Grace Schaible of Fairbanks; and six great-grandchildren.
Services will be held at the Elks Club at 3 p.m. on Dec. 4. Memorials can be made in his name at the Hospice and Home Care of Juneau, 419 Sixth St., Juneau, AK 99801.
Dorothy Ann (Nething) Swearingen
Longtime Juneau resident Dorothy Ann (Nething) Swearingen, 74, died Saturday, Nov. 19, 2005.
She was born April 2, 1931, to Esther and Edwin Nething in Valley City, N.D. She grew up in Wimbledon and Pingree, N.D. While living in Pingree, Dorothy met the love of her life, Jack Swearingen. They were married Aug. 5, 1950.
The Swearingens moved to Alaska in the early 1950s, first to Sitka, where they spent four years, and then to Juneau, where they resided for almost 50 years.
She worked for the Department of Public Safety for 20 years. In 1964, she began as a clerk typist in driver's licensing. In 1965, she became the first radio dispatcher to be hired in Juneau, and in 1967, she was Juneau's first police operations assistant. Dorothy retired from state service in 1984.
Family members said she loved her family. She and her husband made many trips to Ketchikan, Woodburn, Ore. and Jamestown, N.D., to visit family and friends. She enjoyed walking, listening to music and shopping. She also enjoyed spending time in her backyard planting flowers and mowing the lawn.
Her children remember her as a strong woman who was always there for them: "A woman with a beautiful smile and a wonderful sense of style."
She was preceded in death by her parents, Esther and Edwin; her husband, Jack; and her sister, Marien Gray.
She is survived by her daughter, Jacki Swearingen of Juneau; son, Rick (Barbara) Swearingen of Ketchikan; special friend, Pam Ely of Juneau; brothers, Edwin Nething of Woodburn, Ore., and David (Marge) Nething of Jamestown, N.D.; grandchildren, Daphne (Ty) Humphries and Eric Swearingen of Ketchikan; great-grandchildren, Shelby and James Humphries of Ketchikan, and Heather Sweeney of Camas, Wash.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Friends of the Flowers, c/o Parks and Recreation, 155 Seward St., Juneau, AK 99801, or the charity of your choice.
Idabelle Bryson
Longtime Juneau resident Idabelle Bryson, 84, died Nov. 15, 2005, at her home.
She was born to Mable and Harry Dobson on Nov. 6, 1921, in Hood River, Ore. Her parents met in 1920 in Juneau when Mable was a telephone operator and Harry was a time keeper at the Thane Mine. They married in Juneau and moved to Hood River, where his father, Joe Dobson, was a concrete layer for many of the sidewalks.
In June 1937, her mother moved back to Juneau to be near her parents, Walter and Ida Bathe. Mable brought her three daughters and her son, Lee Nance, with her for what she said was a summer vacation. Mable was hired as a night matron at the federal jail on Telephone Hill.
In 1941, Idabelle married George W. Bryson, who worked for the Federal Aviation Administration. They spent time on Annette Island and in McGrath. After his retirement, they moved to Juneau.
Her friends and family said that she "enjoyed a wonderful 68-year vacation in Juneau."
She was preceded in death by her husband and her sisters, Marian Bell and Florence Heppler.
She is survived by her son, Henry (Hank) Bryson of Newport, Ore.; her daughter, Bonnie Bryson of Tucson, Ariz.; two brothers, Lee Nance and his wife, Lois, of Hood River, Ore., and Russell Hopkins and his wife, Nancy, of Roseburg, Ore.; her sister-in-law, Mildred C. Tandy; her cousins, Jack and Marge Curtis of Portland, Ore.; her grandchildren, Mindy Bryson-Rowland and George H. Bryson; her friend, Barbara Reid Swanson; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A private memorial was held for the family. No other services are planned.
Joseph Weaver
Juneau resident Joseph Lewis Weaver, 76, died Nov. 23, 2005, in Juneau. Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 28 at the Juneau Pioneer Home.
He was born on Aug. 29, 1929, in Baldwin County, Ga. He earned his B.S. degree in 1954 and an education specialist degree in 1971 from the University of Georgia Athens. In 1968, he earned his master of education degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Teacher, principal and superintendent, he moved with his family from Georgia to Alaska in 1965. He and his wife, Wynelle, were educators in Barrow, Wainwright, Fairbanks and Kwigillingok. They also lived and worked on the Pribilof Islands and in St. Marys and Palmer. After the death of his wife, he lived in Anchorage and Juneau. He was a resident of Juneau for six years, from 1999 to 2005.
He is survived by his sons, William Weaver, Dr. Joseph Weaver, Glenn Weaver and Russell Weaver; sister, Annie Wright; brother, Sibley Weaver; and nine grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Juneau Pioneers' Home, 4675 Glacier Highway, Juneau, Alaska, 99801.
