Daily Sitka Sentinel

Services Set in Yakutat For Lowell Petersen, 75

Lowell Severen Petersen

Lowell Severen Petersen, of Yakutat, set his net for the last time on March 22, 2019. He passed away at Anchorage where he had traveled to cheer on his granddaughter Sanora Bell, a star player for the Mt. Edgecumbe High Braves, who were in final state competition in Anchorage.
Lowell, who had himself played basketball for MEHS, was 75.
Of Tlingit and Norwegian heritage, Lowell was born May 14, 1943, in Yakutat.
His life reflects a deep love of his people and his community. He recently was elected mayor of the City and Borough of Yakutat. He was honored for serving on the Yakutat Assembly for more than 25 years, and was a longtime member of the Planning And Zoning Commission.
He was a lifetime member of the Alaska Native Brotherhood Camp 13.
Lowell was a founding president of his village corporation, Yak-Tat Kwaan Inc., founded under the Alaska Native Land Claims Settlement Act of 1971. He was the longest serving president of Yak-Tat Kwaan Inc., holding the office in different terms.
He was one of the founders of Koncor Forest Products, an international forest products marketing company that provided a major revenue base for all the partner villages. Under Lowell’s leadership, dividends exceeding $100 per share ($10,000 per 100) were distributed to shareholders.
His positions of Native leadership lead to very close and long-lasting friendship with Alaska Native leaders and members of Congress and the U.S. Senate as well as members of the state Legislature.
His greatest love in industry and business was fishing for salmon, from his childhood until his final days. He fished with his father and mother, his aunt Mary Thomas and Uncle William and brother Jim Thomas, on the Lost River known as belonging to the great TeiKweidi Chief, Kardeetoo.
He branched out into commercial harvesting of Dungeness crab, so rich at one time in the Gulf of Alaska outside Yakutat. His 36-foot boat, the Cynthia L, made impressive deliveries, next to the large 78-foot crab boats from Washington. Of late he had been troll fishing for salmon on his little troller Doctors Orders.
But what filled his heart, was the arrival of his daughters, Cynthia (1977) and Louise (1980) – hence the name of his fishing vessel, Cynthia L(ouise). He fussed over them to the extent of making sure they had a beautiful home filled with exciting furnishings. And in more recent times, his granddaughters Karrina Bell and Sanora Bell filled his entire being. He finally got the boy he wanted in Dylan Severen Petersen, who is now 12 and was a “sidekick” to his Pappa in all the fisheries, including halibut.
Lowell S. Petersen was preceded in death by his father, Ben Petersen; his mother, Louise Kardeetoo Petersen; brother Edwin Kardeetoo; his Aunt Mother Mary Kardeetoo Thomas; Uncle William Thomas; sister Kathryn Bessie Bremner; and grandmother Jennie Kardeetoo and grandfather Jim Kardeetoo.
He is survived by his daughters, Cynthia L. Petersen and Louise R. Petersen; son Little Billy Williams; his grandchildren Karrina Bell, Sanora Bell, Dylan Severen Petersen; his brother Jim Thomas; and the Owl House, the G’ilNeiX Kwaan.
His relatives and nieces and nephews are extensive in Alaska and in other states.
Lowell will be returned to Yakutat where the Alaska Native Brother memorial service will be held at the Yakutat ANB Hall 7 p.m. Friday, March 29.
The funeral service will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, March 30, at the Yakutat ANB Hall. This will be followed by a traditional dinner at the ANB Hall.