Daily Sitka Sentinel

Mabel Elsie Moy

Mabel Elsie Moy

Mabel Elsie Moy, 93, of Sitka, died peacefully at home Aug. 11, 2017, at 3:15 p.m. with her granddaughter Tamsyn at her side.
Mabel was born Feb. 14, 1924, in Hoonah to Henry Moy (born Moy Gee Pong) and May Molly (Brown) Moy. Mabel was Tlingit, Chinese and Russian. She was a granddaughter of Paul Brown, Kaagwaantaan, Eagle, of the Kook Hit (Box House). Mabel was Tlingit of Lituya Bay, Yeil (Raven), T’akdeintaan, Sea Pigeon of the Kaa Shaayi Hit (Severed Head House). Her Tlingit name was Shk’ik. She was named after the shaman who was there at the beginning and who was the Hit S’aati (the Housemaster of the family).
When Mabel was 14 she was required by law to attend boarding school in Sitka, so her parents moved to be near her. Pretty much every time the family drove by the campus on Jeff Davis Street, Mabel would sing the Sheldon Jackson school song or tell a story about her high school years.
She fell in love at SJS and married Alton Ike Cropley right after graduation. Ike’s Tlingit name was Kich. He was Eagle, a Kaagwaantaan of the Box House. Married for 23 years, they had six children. Mabel said she would have liked to have had lots more children, it was what she had always wanted. When her teachers tried to talk her into going to college, she said, no way! It wasn’t for her.
Mabel and Ike took in many foster children over the years and when one little one in particular pulled at their heart strings, they adopted Patti. 
When their marriage ended in 1964, Mabel worked full time to support the family, putting others before herself until finally retiring in 1985.
Over the years she owned a second-hand store; had the first gas pumps outside of town at her grocery store on Sawmill Creek Road; and worked in restaurants in Sitka, Pelican and Elfin Cove (Harbor Café, Dock Shack, The Jade Room and many more). Later, she owned two restaurants: Mabel’s Drive In, on Sawmill Creek Road and Moy’s Café, 303 Lincoln Street by St. Michael’s Cathedral.
Mabel was a loving and caring wife, mother, grandma, sister, aunt, and dear friend. She took joy in life, loved travel and music, and would often show her happiness in dance.
She would say that every day was a bonus. She liked to be busy, loved going to garage sales, had a quest for learning, and a talent for doing many things. She was interested in politics, building, baking, sewing, beading, crafts, painting, processing traditional foods, fishing, cooking – and if ever she was given a fish she would say with a big smile, “Thank you! It’s my favorite kind of fish.”
She was an inspiration, a hard worker, a fish buyer, a business woman who drove in a demolition derby, and traveled alone in her late 40’s to several countries in Asia. Her lively spirit, strength, sense of humor and contagious smile will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved her.
She was especially proud of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and was an advocate for education. She loved cats and dogs; and loved to talk about how she trained some of her dogs to walk on a treadmill (way before the Dog Whisperer); to fetch their can of dog food at dinner time; and to play catch and throw with a basketball.
Mabel was the last Moy of her generation and was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers and their spouses, George, Clarence and  Esther, Walter and  Virginia, Henry and  Peggy, and Patrick; sisters and  spouses Agnes Moy, Marietta and  Harvey Williams Sr., Alice, Joan Derenoff; sons Alton Isaac “Sonny” Cropley and  Walter Henry “Wally” Cropley; and granddaughter Morgan Rowan Daniels (born Rachel Marie Cropley).
Mabel is survived by her brother-in-law Nick Derenoff; children Delores “Laurie” Cropley of Wasilla, Alton “Sonny” (Jo) Cropley of Sitka, Michael Cropley of Tennessee, Patti (Bill) Crossen of Montana; stepson Craig Keener of Wisconsin; and stepdaughter Kathy (Dorman) McGraw of Washington.
Also surviving are her caregivers: daughter Alice “Abby” Cropley, her husband Alvin Rezek and  her granddaughter Tamsyn Cropley of Sitka; grandchildren Patrick Hill, Walter (Jenni) Hotch-Hill, Paul (Livvy) Hill, Raino Hill Jr., Chris (Fawn) Cropley, Tyler (Becky) Cropley, Megan Cropley, Michelle (Tim) Bruce, Alicia (Clyde) Pasterski and Nicole Carson.
Her great-grandchildren Evelina and  Hunter Daniels, Cassandra and  Kristopher Hill, Vernon Hill, Paul, Sky and  Kalyaan Hill, Russell and  Auriella Hill, Christopher and Michael Cropley, McKenna Cropley and  Myla Pittser, Isabella and  Sophia Bruce, Jamen Carson, Kacen and  Karsynn Fairclough, and Avalon Papenbrock; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends who were dear to Mabel’s heart also survive.
Alvin, Abby and  Tamsyn gave special thanks to Terri Weatherman: Ruth Thomas; Buzz Brown; Sheri Mayo;  Virgil, Bel and  Esther Liberty; Lon and  Sue Carson; Gary, Jerry, Martha and  Royce; and Vicki (Pearson) Allen for their years of prayers, support, help and friendship during Mabel’s illness. “Thank you, Alaska Alzheimer’s Foundation, Braveheart, Senior Center and  Meals on Wheels program, Center for Community and the staff at Sitka Home Health,” they said.
“Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, cards and  remembrances during this time.”
At her request, Mabel has been cremated and  no funeral services will be held. She used to say, “I just don’t like funerals and I’d rather have flowers when I’m here to enjoy them. Just tell people to go do something fun, visit someone who is alive, eat something good and  don’t worry. Be happy.”
Cards sharing memories of friendship with Mabel and condolences can be sent to: Alice Cropley, 2010 Kainulainen Drive, Sitka, AK 99835.