Hannah Solomon

1908 - 2011

Our beloved mom, grandma, great-grandma, great-great-grandma, sister, auntie and friend to many, Hannah Solomon, peacefully went home to join her heavenly family Friday, Sept. 16, 2011, surrounded by her loving family at her home in Fairbanks. At the time of her passing, she was three weeks short of celebrating her 103rd birthday.
She was born Oct. 10, 1908, in the village of Old Rampart, near the border of Canada. At the time of her birth, word went out that there was a baby available for adoption. Her adoptive parents were Mardow and Eliza. While Mardow paddled a canoe up the Porcupine River to pick her up, Eliza went to the preacher and asked him to teach her how to raise a baby. They were an old couple who never had a child and didn't know how to care for a baby.
Throughout her life she lived a subsistence lifestyle following the traditions of the Gwich'in Athabascans of the Yukon Flats area. She learned beadworking skills from her mother, Eliza, which she mastered as she grew up. She told stories of working on beadwork by the dim light of an oil lamp, sometimes washing and reusing the beads from older worn pieces of beadwork. She did this during both World War I and World War II because of shortages of sewing supplies. She was always willing to share and teach anyone interested in learning to sew beads, skins and furs. There are grandchildren who learned from her and you can see her influence in their work today.
Her works have been collected and admired by many and are in museums in Alaska and the Lower 48, including the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Locally, the University of Alaska Museum of the North displays the babystrap she beaded for her first son, the late Rev. Mardow Solomon Sr., as well as one she made for her last son, the late Peter Nidachi Solomon. The Doyon Limited office building; Rasmuson Museum in Anchorage; Alaska Native Medical Center; and many other businesses and private collectors have items she made.
As a child, grandma attended St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Fort Yukon where she met and knew the first bishop of the church, Hudson Stuck. From this solid beginning, grandma was a lifelong faithful member of the church, later attending St. Matthew's in Fairbanks. In the last years of her life, she wasn't able to leave her home so lay ministers from St. Matthew's would bring church to her every Sunday including Holy Communion.
She was married to Paul Solomon Sr. for 46 years and helped raise his four children plus 14 children of their own as well as many foster children.
While living in Fort Yukon, she was active in many civic duties. She helped incorporate the city of Fort Yukon, was elected the first woman mayor, was involved with the Native village council, helped organize the school board, was involved with Native politics during land claims by attending the first Alaska Federation of Natives meeting and was elected to the first board of directors for GwichyaaZhee Corp.
After moving to Fairbanks in the 1960s, there was no organization to help Alaskan Natives. She met Poldine and Bill Carlo and with them she was one of the founding members of the Fairbanks Native Association and was honored by FNA when they named a building after her. From that time to today, Poldine and Hannah always considered each other sisters. When FNA began, she also worked as a social worker helping in every way she could with the Native population of Fairbanks. She also enjoyed playing bingo for many years where she met many people who continued to be close friends even after she wasn't able to make it to the bingo halls.
She was honored through the years with the following: Pioneer of the Month from the Fairbanks North Star Borough, the Episcopal Society of St. Simeon and St. Anna, Elder of the Year in Fort Yukon, Doyon Shareholder of the Year and by then-Gov. Tony Knowles with Artist of the Year.
Grandma Hannah was preceded in death by her husband of 46 years, Paul; her parents; sons, Sambo, Charlie Crow, Mardow, Paul (Cha'chuk), Jonathan Sr., Grafton, Noah, Peter and Billy Boy; daughters, Charlotte and Julia Peter; sons-in-laws, Bill Adams and Robert Stevens; and daughters-in-law, Barbara, Olive, Kathy and Geraldine. We're sure her best friend, Gumbear, a black Lab adopted from the animal shelter, welcomed her home in heaven.
Surviving are her children, Hannah Adams and family, Regina (Les) Varner and family, Belva Ansaknok and family, Daisy Stevens and family, Vernon Sr. and family, Ronnie and Franklin, Mardow Sr.'s family, Jonathan Sr.'s family, Noah's family, Paul Jr.'s family and Peter's family; grandchildren too numerous to name; the descendants of Julia Peter; and a large extended family in Interior Alaska, Canada and the Lower 48.
Visitation with the family will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 22, at Sacred Heart Cathedral. The service will begin at 1 p.m.
A traditional potlatch will follow at 5 p.m. in the Chief David Salmon Tribal Hall.
A final service and burial will be in Fort Yukon on Saturday, Sept. 24. A potlatch also will be held there. Her final resting place will be next to her beloved husband in the Hudson Stuck Memorial Cemetery.
Grandma Hannah's family would like to express great gratitude to all who have offered their love and support during this difficult time. Mahsi' chooshalaknaii.
Arrangements were entrusted to Chapel of Chimes Funeral Home.