LUTHERAN QUILTERS – Members of the Quilts for Comfort Group stand between pews draped with some of the 205 quilts they made, in the Sitka Lutheran Church Tuesday. The group made the quilts for five local non-profits and one in Anchorage. The remaining quilts are sent to Lutheran World Relief which  distributes them to places around the world in need, such as Ukraine, as part of Personal Care Kits. Pictured are, from left, Helen Cunningham, Kathleen Brandt,Vicki Swanson, Paulla Hardy, Kim Hunter, Linda Swanson and Sue Fleming.  (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)

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Daily Sitka Sentinel

Malcolm Miller

Services for Malcolm James “Jay” Miller, master Haida engraver and Northwest Coast wood carver, will be 2 p.m. Friday, July 10, at the Presbyterian Church in Petersburg. Pastor Robert Carter will officiate.

Jay died July 1 in Petersburg. He was 74.

He was born Sept. 16, 1940, in Haines, the son of Edith Marie Young and Malcolm Boyd Miller. His father was from Louisiana and was stationed in the U.S. Army at Ft. Seward in Haines, where he met Edith, who was attending school there but was from Kasaan originally.

Jay was of the Haida Tribe of Kasaan, and the Raven-Double Fin Killerwhale Clan.

He was very proud of his cultural background as well as of being adopted into the Tlingit Tribe under the Eagle Nest House group. He was given the name, Kaan Keek’ by his adopted sister, Elizabeth Basco. Great-great-grandparents were Charles and Mary Baronovich. Charles was a Marquis of Austria and his grandmother was the daughter of Chief Skowl of Kasaan.

Jay was raised in Haines by his grandmother, Lela Pryer, after both of his parents died at an early age.

Jay graduated from Haines High School in 1959. He was a member of the Haines High Glacier Bears basketball team. He lived in Sitka from 1972 to 1977.

He married Mary Katasse in Juneau on Nov. 21, 2001.

Jay was mostly known as a commercial fisherman of 30-plus years, fishing out of Sitka and Haines. He was most noted as a gillnetter fishing on his boat, the Judy Kay in Lynn Canal, until he retired from fishing in late 1990s.

He also was a carpenter and drywall worker.

His artwork can be seen around the state. He was most recently noted as a Blue Ribbon, Haida art engraver, and owned the business Dawn Eagle Engraving. He did this special artwork in partnership with his wife Mary Katasse-Miller, who helped inspire him to make masterpieces.

His jewelry was one of a kind, and have that certain sparkle that people always recognized.

He also was known for his big, loud laugh, his family said. “He laughed like he meant it!” 

Jay was a member of Sitka Tribe of Alaska, Tlingit and Haida, the Petersburg Presbyterian Church, and Kavilco Inc.

He loved his family very much, and will be greatly missed by them and by those who had the opportunity to meet and talk with him, which he loved to do, friends said.

He was preceded in death by both of his parents Malcolm and Edith; grandparents Felix and Lydia Young; stepmother Lillian Sheppard; uncle and aunt Milford and Lola Miller; wife Maria (Ackerman) Miller; aunts Agnes Swanson and Erma Lawrence; and son Eli Biggs.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Katasse-Miller, P.O. Box 1493, Petersburg, AK 99833; son Chuck (Dianna) Miller of Sitka, TraceeLynn (Leonard) Heumiller of Montrose, S.D., Elizabeth (Aaron) Stroud of Salem, S.D., Jim Sackett Jr. of Bethel, Jim (Sherry) Matthews of Kenai, Jeff (Victoria) Ackerman of Anchorage, Tanis S’eiltin of Bellingham, Wash., Ione Ackerman of Juneau, Tim (April) Ackerman Sr. of Haines, Sonny Grant of Anchorage and Faleene (Bert) Worrell of Hallsville, Texas.

His grandchildren are Jay, Michael, Edward, Naomi, CJ, Earl, Sharla, Eric, Marrissa, Madison, Layla, Aaron and Evan, and his great-grandchildren are Alina and Mary.

Pallbearers are Fred Haltiner, Brad Taylor, Jim Birch, Jim Ackerman, Jim Sackett Jr., Dr. Schnellbacher, Harry Jimmy, Dave Galanin, Bill Shayen, Leonard Heumiller, Herman Davis Sr., Wayne Alex, Aaron Stroud, Michael Conner, Wayne Price and David Light.

“On behalf of the Miller family, we would like to thank everyone who donated and expressed their condolences,” a spokesman said. “Gunalcheesh Ho Ho! Haaw’a! (Thank you from the bottom of our hearts).” 

 

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20 YEARS AGO

March 2004

Advertisement: Tea-Licious Tea House & Bakery 315 Lincoln Street Grand Opening! Freshly Baked Scones, Cakes & Pastries Innovative Salads, Soups & Sandwiches Harney & Sons Tea. Lunch * Afternoon Tea * Supper.

50 YEARS AGO

March 1974

Photo caption: National Republican Chairman George Bush takes a drink of water offered by Jan Craddick, Sitka delegate, during the Republican convention held here. Mrs. Craddick explained to Bush that the water was from Indian River, which means, according to local legend, that he will return.

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