Evelyn Alexander

Our beloved elder "Sitsu" Evelyn Alexander died peacefully to be with our Lord on Jan. 18, 2009, at the Denali Center in Fairbanks.   

Evelyn was born to Little Charlie and Agnes Charlie of Minto on Dec. 25, 1916, at Old Minto. Her father was raised in Rampart until he was 10 or 11 years old. Her siblings are Amelia, Gloria, Rosie, Bessie, Detoria, Linda and Miney.

Evelyn and her sisters grew up in Old Minto with their parents. They were taught many Native traditions such as their Athabaskan language, how to hunt and provide for one another and how to respect elders, animals and all creation.

Evelyn married Jim Alexander of Nenana in 1935. They were married by Bishop Bentley in Old Minto. Together they had two children and six adopted children -- James Jr., Floyd, Glenn, Florine, Esau (Paul Esau's brother), Vernon, Dolores (Melvin Charlie's sister) and Anna Marie (Fred Alexander's sister). They raised their children in Old Minto.

Evelyn attended school at Old Minto up to the second grade. Arthur Wright was her teacher, and she remembered doing mostly arithmetic. She said "I'm always for young people to have an education because I never had one."

During winter, they had to move to camp to hunt and trap. The family would go to Tatalina, Washington Creek and the Minto Flats. Since there were no boys in the family, her father taught her to trap, hunt and fish to provide for the family. She also would help her father build fish wheels and sleds. She also helped her mother make birch bark baskets.

Evelyn was always really active. She was a Sunday school teacher, volunteered in the Episcopal Church and was an avid dog musher and snowshoe racer, even well into her 60s. Before there were paid health aides in the villages, she was the first to volunteer as a health aide in Minto. She was taught to be a midwife from her mother, Agnes, who was a midwife. Evelyn delivered more than 67 babies out in the village of Minto and camps.

Evelyn enjoyed making birch bark baskets, going fishing, camping and hunting, doing bead work and making vests, slippers and gloves. She also enjoyed crocheting and knitting.

Evelyn is well known throughout Alaska. She has received many awards, among them: Doyon's 1998 Elder of the Year and AFN's 1999 Elder of the Year. She leaves behind a legacy of being a community leader, organizer and traditional teacher who was well known for her Native singing, dancing and composing. 

Grandma Evelyn is survived by her daughter, Florine, and son Glenn; her daughter-in-law Martha; grandchildren, Melinda, Charla, Joseph and David; great-grandchildren Preston, Evelyn, Tammy, Michaela and Eve; great-great-grandson Leon; sister Linda Charlie and brother-in-law Jonathan David; and many other nieces, nephews and grandchildren who all loved her very much.

Grandma Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband, Jim Alexander; her sons, James Jr. and Floyd; her adopted children, Esau, Vernon, Delores and Anna Marie; her parents, Agnes and Little Charlie; her sisters, Amelia, Gloria, Rosie, Bessie, Detoria and Miney; and brother-in-law Cerosky Charlie.     

Visitation will be at 12 p.m. followed by a service that begins at

1 p.m. today at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Fairbanks.

A final service will be held at

1 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 24, in Minto at the Minto Community Hall, followed by burial and a traditional potlatch.