Lilli Jane Sweetsir

1936 - 2015

Heaven gained another angel when our mom, grandmother, sister, aunt, friend and wife went to be with the Lord. Lilli passed away peacefully May 2, 2015, at her daughter's home in Fairbanks, surrounded by loving family, after a long valiant health battle. 
Lilli was born to Mary (Pitka) Peters and Howard Shade on Sept. 16, 1936, in Ruby. Howard died when she was less than a month old, and later, Paul Peters raised her as his own. Whenever life permitted, she attended school in Ruby, followed by high school at Mt. Edgecumbe in Sitka. Lilli was proud of hard work, starting early in childhood at home, then babysitting and working at the Model Café in Fairbanks and ANMC in Anchorage. 
Lilli met William "Bill" Dozette when she was 16. He later won her hand in marriage in 1959. They moved from Fairbanks to Anchorage after the earthquake in 1964, bought a new home, settled into city life and Bill started a business. Years passed; Lilli yearned to be back on the Yukon, living a lifestyle only one who has been there and done it could know. She packed up with their children and moved back home to Ruby in 1972. Not long afterwards, in 1976, she married her childhood friend, Terence "Terry" Sweetsir, and together lived their Alaska dream. 
Lilli played as hard as she worked, living for excitement and challenge. She loved dog racing, (running brother Harold Greenway and good friend, Willie Keyes' teams in the North American in early years, and later her brother Emmitt's team in the Fur Rendezvous and Ruby Spring Carnivals), bowling with girlfriends, and dancing, especially jitterbugging. She got a kick out of her nickname, "Yukon Lil," and if you knew her, it was a true fit. 
She enjoyed challenges and was known to beat many men in arm-wrestling, a skill brother Harold would boast about. But the sight of a mouse was a different story. She'd dance around, cursing, screaming and running scared. What a sight to see! She loved foot racing - barefoot. During Ruby's Fourth of July Celebrations, she'd smile, kick off her shoes and win. Another enjoyment was playing the guitar and singing. She, Terry and friends enjoyed many hours playing Hank Williams, Kitty Wells and Earnest Tubb tunes to name a few. Lilli never had a boring day in her life.
She loved hunting moose, fishing, trapping, picking berries or anything outdoors at her fish camp on the Yukon or cabins at 7 Mile and Andrew Gulch along the Poorman Highway. She prided herself in re-learning and teaching her Athabascan language and traditional skills to her family. Lilli especially enjoyed feeding people. She was an awesome cook, known to have an open door, showing hospitality to anyone who came through it. Lilli also was known to put her family first, sacrificing whatever it took to keep them warm and fed. She was the best mother and grandmother anyone could ask for.
After years working as the city clerk and construction camps cook, Lilli became the cook at MAK School, where she was dubbed the Best Cook of all time, a legend in her student's eyes. Lilli served on the city of Ruby, Ruby Tribe and Dineega Corporation B.O.Ds. She was a leader, with a strong voice, determination and an iron will to succeed in whatever she set out to do. Some of our fondest memories are of her opening a hamburger stand, "Yukon Lil's." Lil's hamburgers were famous along the Yukon. Lastly, Lilli loved to crochet; it gave her great joy to give her doilies as gifts.
Everyone loved Lilli; she was straightforward, had a heart of gold, a wonderful sense of humor, a quick wit and was full of laughter. Her memories will live forever in our hearts, and we are better people for all she taught us. We are grateful to her doctors and nurses for their attentive care in recent years and hospice during her last days. 
Lilli found comfort and strength believing in God, as a member of the Catholic Church. She was laid to rest in peace on May 6, after a funeral Mass at St. Peter in Chains Catholic Church in Ruby. 
Lilli's parents, Howard Shade, Mary and Paul Peters; siblings Leonard, Bernard and Loretta Peters, Harold Greenway, son Mark Dozette, and favorite aunt Madeline Notti preceded her in death.
Lilli is survived by her loving husband, Terence Sweetsir; aunt May Speck, children Luis "Peppi" Dozette (Amber), William K. Dozette (Katherine), LaVerne Schäfer (Gerhard), Nina Dozette, Alicia Kangas (Randy) and Theresa Sweetsir, grandchildren Mark Dozette (Janet), Jerel Dozette (Darlene), Marie Cleaver (Clifford), William J. and Heather Dozette, Christian and Cheyenna Schäfer, Katelyn and Chad Kangas, Desmond Edwin and Alex Mendoza, great-grandchildren Gracie, Chace, Karissa, Camden, Kamea, Kimber, Elias, Anaya and Elena, siblings Emmitt, Sr. (Edna), Heinie, Joseph, Sarah, Mary, Peggy, and Debbie, brothers- and sisters-in-law Pat, Russ (Agnes), Mike, Cindy, Julie and Linda, cousins Orie, Spud, Bev, Emil, Nora and Franklin, special friends Ginger and Jay, nieces and nephews, and many other relatives and friends throughout Alaska and all over the world. 
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