Martina Oscar

Lifelong Alaskan Martina "Paniiquk" Oscar, 78, died peacefully Jan. 28, 2008, in Anchorage of natural causes.
Visitation will be at 10 a.m. Thursday with services at 11 a.m. at Witzleben Family Funeral Homes & Crematory. The Rev. George Sonray will officiate. Burial will take place afterward at Anchorage Memorial Park Cementary.
Martina was born May 21, 1929, in Newtok, to Lucy Sims. She married Jimmy Oscar of Tununak in 1942. They had eight children; five died before the family moved to Bethel in the early 1950s. They had five more children and separated in 1964. Martina moved to Anchorage in 1984.
Her family wrote: "Martina was a loving and caring sister, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She was an Eskimo doll maker and basket weaver, some of which are displayed at the Anchorage Museum. She enjoyed sewing, bead working, fish camping, berry picking, bingo, playing cards, ice fishing and car rides. She always smiled at everyone when she saw anyone walk into her path. Her smiles and appearances will be deeply missed."
Martina is survived by her daughters and their companions, Sophie Shuler and Andy Waldron of Anchorage and Maria Guinn and Kent Fisk of Boise, Idaho; daughter and son-in-law, Minnie and Dusty Stirling of Anchorage; son and daughter-in-law, Paul and Rita Oscar of Bethel; son, George Leo Oscar of Anchorage; two nieces; three nephews; 13 granddaughters; 11 grandsons; seven great- granddaughters; 14 great-grandsons; best friend, Mary Lake of Anchorage; and many relatives and friends in Newtok, Tooksok Bay, Tununak, Bethel and Anchorage.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Lucy McGee; stepfather, Peter McGee; brothers, Simon and Charlie Sims; sister, Cecilia Sims; husband, Jimmy Oscar Sr.; son, Jimmy Oscar Jr.; and daughters, Teresa "Angukak" Fisk and Eva Wanda Oscar.