Services Held August 3, 2012, for Jessie Johnnie

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Category: Obituaries

Created on Friday, 03 August 2012 16:12

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Cultural memorial services for Jessie Johnnie will be held 5 p.m. August 3, 2012, at Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi.  She will lie in state until Saturday, when she will continue her journey home to Hoonah for services there. A cultural memorial service will be Sunday at the Hoonah ANB Hall, and burial Monday.

Jessie died Aug. 1, 2012, at her home in Sitka. She was 79.

She was born Dec. 14, 1932, in Hoonah to James Clark Johnnie (Naax.adi, Raven Beaver of the Beaver/Halibut House) and Lily (Houston) Johnnie. She was born in her grandfather’s house, the Tux Hit (Tuk’deintaan, Snail House). She had three Tlingit names, Shgati, Kaach Kink, and Sikawulgeen from her Teikweidi grandfather, Yesbay Johnnie, her father’s father of the Brown Bear Den house (Xoots Kudi Hit). Jesie was from the Yellow Cedar House (Xaay Hit). She was raised traditionally by her five  grandmothers to carry the culture, songs and traditions for the next generation. She was traditionally married to John Andrew Young Jr., Kaaxaanook’, Luknax.adi on April 18, 1950, at age 16.

She moved to Sitka from her homeland of Hoonah to live among the Coho people and raise her family.

She worked at the cannery in Excursion Inlet in her early years and was proud to be one of the first women to run the Iron Chink. John Andrew Young Jr. owned four boats, and Jessie was a cook aboard the Necker Bay, Two Brothers, Patricia Mae and the Seafoam. 

After the passing of her husband in 1966 she moved to Spokane, Wash.,  to further her education and provide opportunity for her children. 

She attended Mt. Edgecumbe High School, Gonzaga University, and Spokane Community College. She coached basketball, softball, soccer – any sport that her kids were involved in. She hosted bingo nights at St. Aloysius in Spokane and fed the people her amazing food. She would hand sew the vestments for the Catholic priests; it seemed as though she could do anything.

Jessie was willing to try any endeavor that came cross her path. She worked at several nursing homes, and schools; at the Police Academy in Washington, the Thunderbird House in Seattle, and the Ernie Turner Center in Anchorage. She was an elder for the Rural Human Services Program. Later in life she committed her life to helping others learn a healthy lifestyle and incorporated traditional values to her teaching. She was a Traditional Substance Abuse Counselor, Tlingit language teacher, and served on many committees including SEARHC Elders Committee, STA Kayaani Commissioner Emeritus, Naming Committee and Culture Committee, and was a member of Alaska Native Brotherhood, and Skagway Traditional Council.

She took great joy in sharing her extensive knowledge of medicinal plants and herbs.

Jessie also cooked at numerous substance abuse centers throughout the United States, worked during the Exxon oil spill as a cook aboard the Navy ship USS Ogden, receiving the Purser Pin; the USS Mississippi, receiving the Star of David Pin; USS Juneau; and USS Ronald Reagan, receiving the Chaplain Pin, which she was very proud of.

Jessie received many awards in recognition of her dedication to helping the people. She was particularly proud of the honor of receiving the very first Edna Runningbear award in 2006, given by the Office of Victims and Crime for her advocacy for women and children.  

Jessie met many stars throughout her career: Steven Seagal and Vice President Dan Quayle, and Bing Crosby, who sought her out after smelling her bread cooking down the hallway at St. Aloysius. He returned day after day for more of her wonderful food. She was later a consultant for Seagal, and consultant for the production of “Ending Jim Crow: For the Rights of All.” 

Jessie was an amazing woman, and helped many people document their linage. She was wise beyond her years, and carried over 10,000 years of history within her mind, with the ability to recite it eloquently without flaw. She was a true historian for her people and the loss of her knowledge will be deeply felt. Jessie took pride in being a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother.  

She was preceded in death by: maternal grandparents Mary (Fulton) Houston and Frank Houston, and paternal grandparents Yesbay Johnnie and Maude (Atkinson) Johnnie, of Cape Fox B.C.; her parents James Clark Johnnie and Lily (Houston) Johnnie; siblings Charles Patrick Johnnie, Walter Jewel, Sarah Jackson (Johnnie) Elizabeth Johnnie I, Elizabeth (Johnnie, Sumdum) Murphy, Ralph Knudson, James Osbourne and Rusty Osbourne; and children, nieces, nephews and grandchildren Sherman Sumdum, David Young, Patricia Mae (Young) Caruso, Martha Mae Young, Susan Renee Sumdum, Helen (Sara) Sumdum, Charles Johnnie Sumdum, James Carl Marvin, Thomas Osbourne Jr., Charles P. Johnnie Jr., Lorraine Patterson, Shane Sumdum and John Andrew Caruso. 

Her sons are Christopher Sumdum, Duane (Ernestine) Grimm, John Andrew Young III, Charles Young, James Arstead, Herb Didrickson Sr., Chris Converse, Bart (Ginny) Meyer, Weston (Vicki) Cruz, Gerald (Becky Chavez) Bear, Nick Gonzales (Marilyn Balluta), Grant Davis, Larry Davis, Harold McKinley, David Voluck, Ernie Hillman and Miles Murphy III.

 Daughters are Tammy Young, Davina Young, Jill Nolan, Mary Rudolph, JJ Pate, Grace Villareal, Gladys Skeek, Bonita Kane, Janice (Sumdum) Bennett, Charlene (Donald) Austin, Renae (Quinn), Twila Murphy, Kathleen Parks,

Also surviving are aunts Deborah Dalton and Jenny Lindoff; and grandchildren  and great-grandchildren Anthony Young, Johanna Young,  Charles Young Sr., Davina Young, Michelle Bennett, Yvonne Bennett Skan, Vanessa Wilson, Charles Marvin, Benjamin Marvin, Ray Skan Jr., Alexandra Skan, Kiersten Skan, Torretto Abbott, Jonathan, Kaiden, Tl’asia, John Andrew Murphy, Jeff Osbourne, James Osbourne, Charla Bennett, Desirae Bennett, Elizabeth Davis, Sam Parks Jr., Cora Beth Wilson, Georgiann Wilson, Ed Wilson and Mona Brown.

Also, Ramona Caruso, James (Pam) Young, Jimi Young, Heather (Rich Didrickson) Powell, Stormy Powell, Jeremy Young, Adeana Piano, Chad Nolan, Megan Arstead, Jamie Arstead, Austin, Kiana Nolan, Nicole Caruso, Angie Ketah (Stuart), Chris Converse, Nick Gonzalas (Marilyn Balluta), Jean Sam-Kiunya( Jeff) , Eagle  Cruz, Gerald Bear, David Voluck, Bart (Ginny), Eric, Kevin Meyer, Stephen, Jeremy, Macklin, Tristen, Lilly, RJ, Sophie, Ava, Kayaani, Rawl, Olen, Diondre, Jaiden, Makiah, Vanessa Hattan, Daniel Tucker Ellingsen, James Paden, Tatiana, Sam Ticknor, Taryn Kiunya, Diondre Flett, Jeremy Young Jr, Stephen young, Macklin Young, Jaden, Miakha, Skinny (Jaclyn), Jeffrey, Mitchell (Kaitlyn) Young , Terry Cole (Theron), TJ Cole, Rich Cole, Katie Cole, Bill Cole, Ricardo (Kathy) Paden, Marcie (Barry) Allen, Christine Jewel, Anna Faye Jewel, Walter Jewel (Arlene) Sara Gillis, Inez Patterson, Jacob Cassandra, Patty Walker, Cassandra Gillis, Jennie Baldwin, John Nielson, Joe Howard and Woody Widmark.

Numerous tribal brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces and great-grandchildren also survive. 

“We know that we may have overlooked a few names, Jessie had such a big heart and loved so many people that we have tried our best to include those we could remember to the long list of family. Please accept our apologies if we have overlooked you in any way,” her family said. 

 The family gave a special thank you to Home Health Care nurses, Dr. Hunter and Dr. Friebush, and all those who helped Jessie remain healthy and comfortable.

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