VIOLA

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VIOLA

Nellie/Wm>Viola

Viola Cecelia Burdett Born in Morral, Ohio, April 2, 1902, and married to Charles A. Higgins (6/12/1886 – 3/5/1966), and died March 21, 1966.

Mother of Eva Mae(Kitty), Walter Lee, Charles (Bud), Charlotte, Charlene, Alta Ruth (Ruthie), Paul, Joseph (Joe), Reatha Ann, Cecelia Nell (Ceil)

Viola & Charles

Photos submitted by Reatha Cecelia Van Sant (Nellie/Wm>Viola>Charlene>
Reatha Cecelia "Ceil")

Viola & Charlie with their children (rear) Charlotte; L to R Reatha, Joe, Paul

Rita Faye Croughan CROUGHAN, Rita Faye, 47, of Tampa, passed away November 4, 2005. She is survived by her husband, Jerry; daughters, Sara, Christina and Jaimie; grand- children, Dylan and Cassiel; sisters, Cecilia, Rebecca, Tammy and Theresa; and a brother, Roy. She loved her family, especially her grandchildren, her friends and let's not forget about George Bush and Glen Beck. A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday (today) at Rose Hill Cemetery. Send online condolences to http://www.macdonaldfuneral.com
Published in the TBO.com on 11/10/2005.

Nellie/William>Viola>Reatha Ann>Rita Faye

Submitted by Lois Smith Miller April 2005
FAMILY CLICK HERE TO REQUEST CONTACT INFO FOR RACHEL

...

Just a quick note to let you know that when I went on line to get results for my National Board Exam - it said that I hold a certification as as Physician Assistant. This means I passed the Physician Assistant National Board Exam - Yea. I thank God for continuing to be with me through the process. Now I am waiting for the Alaska State Medical Board to expedite my application for licensing so I can start work. I wanted to share the good news with all of you.
Take Care and God Bless, Gail 11/4/2004

I will be taking my PA (Physician's Assistant) Board Exam soon and after taking the short practice test on the NCCPA website I am more concerned than ever.

Please keep me and the test in prayer. I know that all things are possible with God and I am going to need all his help and guidance to pull this one off.

Thank you for your prayers, Gail 10/24/2004

7-13-2004 Report From Gail Lucero (Viola/Charlie>Charlene>Gail)--Gil called me last night to tell me that Uncle Joe called and told him that Uncle Jr. passed away yesterday evening around 7pm Florida time. I will try to confirm this with Charlie (Viola/Charlie>Cecelia Nell> Charlie) by Wednesday and find out funeral details to try to get them to you by Wednesday night. I have a late night at my rotation tonight as the doctor is doing a 6 hour surgery that starts in the afternoon. It is good to be in touch with you again, but I wish it was for more uplifting reasons.

7-12-2004--Gil is in Angoon working at the lodge where we live and hopefully will be able to come see me sometime late in August. I have been offered a job and planned to take my boards in October. Sorry I have not been in touch sooner, but school assignments and rotations have kept me very busy, and I am trying to get as much done as soon as possible so I will not be too stressed during the end. Thanks for getting back to me and sorry to be the bearer of more bad news. Charlie (Cel and Jr's) youngest son is carrying on the tradition of his mom and going to church and trying to handle the details for everyone during this time of yet another great loss. I will be so happy to finish the program. It has been very difficult to be attached to the program while losing so many family members and friends. It has been two years of way too many losses. I am in Yakima in my Urology rotation and will be leaving here on July 31st to go to Spokane for my Women's Health rotation at Planned Parenthood. I graduate September 11, 2004 in Spokane.

7-11-2004--My Uncle Jr. is in the hospital with cancer, and the hospital is asking the family if they want him to stay in the hospital for care or to take him home. This is the husband of my Aunt Cel who died around Thanksgiving last year. Her son Charlie is trying to do what is right for his dad and will be talking with doctors tomorrow to decide what to do. Please keep Charlie and his wife Michelle and Charlie's brothers Doug and Bobby in prayer as they try to do what is best for their dad. Please keep all the family including the grandchildren and nieces, nephews, etc. in prayer during this very hard time. I appreciate all of your prayers. It is a hard time for all of us. Last year we lost 4 family members and I know that this must be almost unbelievable for the boys to be losing their dad so soon after losing their mom.
Thank you for your prayers. Gail

Dear Sara, From Philip (written 1/17/04)

Yes, I remember you. You are the young lady with the voice of an angel. Thanks for the beautiful song at your grandmother's funeral, Reatha Higgins Gass. Her grandmother was Nellie Belle Bryant Burdett. The family website is for all her children, grandchildren, etc., down the line, including you and all the Higgins family. Grandmother Nellie had twelve children and then ran out of steam. Her last two, numbers 13 & 14, died at childbirth. Your great grandmother, the beloved Viola, was number one and one of the strongest. She and Charlie did their part in perpetuating the family. I knew all of your great aunts and uncles, who are my first cousins in the Higgins family.
You will find the family website by going to www.bryburcon.com. That's short for the Bryant-Burdett family Connection. You are probably wondering who the Bryants are. That's your great-great grandmother, Nellie's maiden name. And I knew most of that family also. Guess that makes me real old. Go to the website and post it on your favorite places. When you click on Viola on the home page, you can scroll down a swarm of entries by different people in reverse chronological order.
This is not a professionally produced webpage. It's an assembly on impute from family members like you and me. The webmaster is your third cousin, Virginia Johns Bryant, who lives in the state of Washington. Scroll through the hours and hours of material contained there, if you can without getting dizzy. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or Virginia.
The Burdett Family Reunion is on the second November each year at Lowery Park. I will make sure your name is added to the family directory. As I work on it again this year, I may call you for additional information.
Love and Peace,
Philip DuBose, (third cousin)
PS My mother was Edna Burdett DuBose, your great-great aunt

Dear cousin Lois,
Things have not been good for us here -On November "13th", Bud (Nellie-Wm>Viola>Bud) had a stroke and the good news is with P-therapy & a lot of grit he is walking with a walker. The Stroke effected his swelling & center balance. He really has got to work real hard to keep up his strength. Then you may know-? He lost his sisters, Celia and Reatha about as week apart in November. Then on Dec. 12th his first daughter Billie went to be with her Jesus. These days are trying, but faith & love of family & our friends in church have have helped us over these times. We do hope God blessed you with the true spirit of Christmas.
Rachel and "Bud" 12-30-2003
( Yes I am sure they would be appreciative for printing the letter.I was looking over our book and he {Bud} will be 80 in March. Love You, LOIS)

REATHA ANN

When Reatha Ann and I and both our brothers and sisters all lived together as brother and sister during the hard times of World War Two, I recall one occasion when Reatha Ann and I were thinking about involving ourselves in some sort of childish mischief. Reatha Ann asked me in her childish innocence, "Can't God see us?" I had to admit that, "Yes he could." This pretty effectively stopped whatever childish prank we had in mind. Keep in mind that this was perhaps a four-year-old and a seven-year-old.
I'll ask Reatha Ann's question again today, "Can't God see us?' Isn't God aware of our hurt, our sense of loss? Can't He see our grief? When is enough finally enough? I wish we could talk to Reatha Ann and ask her this same question right now. Patience, family and friends, this is a simple dress rehearsal for the very joy and peace that Reatha Ann is already enjoying."For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face. Then, we shall know even also as we are known." Yes, God knows all about our grief. He gave us this ability to grieve as a way for us to cope until we can see better. Don't feel less than perfect about your tears. This is a God-given method to deal with grief and loss. Think about the reunion when we get to see Reatha Ann, Cecilia, Uncle Charlie, Aunt Viola, and all of the other family and friends who've gone on ahead of us.
Does God answer prayer? Oh yes! But you wouldn't believe the times I get told "No". "No, that's not good for you. No, you don't need that. No, I've got something better for you." "But Daadd!" Oh, I'm a whiner.
So, you feel like crying? So do I. I already have. This only means that we're human, a part of God's creation. God's children. We use this gift of grieving, then we get on with the business of living. In so many words, "Occupy until Christ returns."
I feel that I must also say a word or two about Reatha Ann and her sisters' love for their dad. My Uncle Charlie thought the sun literally rose and set right on top of his daughters' heads. This old Irishman had a quiet charm about him that could melt the hardest of hearts. I've heard him say to one of my sisters, "Oh darlin', you look more and more like your blessed mother every time I see ya'" But he also had a serious side about himself. He was the defender and protector of my mom's brothers and sisters when they were little children. And there was no one else either willing or able to handle this. No one else but Reatha Ann's dad, my uncle Charlie. He not only could, but he did.
And thank you so much for listening-Bill 12-20-2003

Reatha Ann Gass, daughter of Viola Higgins, granddaughter of Nellie Burdett, obituary appeared in today's (12/17/03) Tampa Tribune. "Gass, Reatha Ann, 63, of Tampa went home to be with the Lord on Dec 6, 2003. She will be remembered as a feisty woman with a big heart. She is survived by her husband, Roy Gass, Jr.; son, Roy Gass III and his wife Lisa Gass; daughters, Ruth Kafalas, Rebecca Mercer, Faye Croughan, Tammy Waters, and Teresa Quintero and husband Thomas; two brothers, Bud Higgins, and Joe Higgins; two sisters, Charlotte McFadden, and Ruth Vaughn; 11 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be Saturday, Dec 20, at the Open Bible Church at 7602 North Orleans in Tampa, at 1:00 p.m.

A very nice picture of our dear family member was also published. My personal condolences are hereby expressed to her immediate family along with those from the entire Bryburcon family. Reatha, you can now rest in peace. Peace also be with your family. Philip DuBose 12/17/03

CECELIA COOGLE
Eulogy by Bill Johns

When I was a young kid, barely seven years old, this little baby arrived from Ohio, still dressed in a snow suit and ready to wiggle her way into all of our hearts. This was at the height of World War II and times were very difficult for the entire country. There was rationing and shortages, and our wage earners, our fathers and brothers and uncles, were off fighting the war. But my brothers and sisters and I considered ourselves to be the luckiest kids alive. Here comes Alta Ruth and Paul and Joe and Reatha Ann, and Cecelia to live with us. Oh, Uncle Charlie and Aunt Viola came to live with us too; but, they were grownups. They didn't like doing all of those fun things like climbing trees and wallowing in the dirt and picking fights with each other. But the grown-ups could play alright. The accordion and the piano. We spent many a happy evening around the piano, singing our little hearts out. Uncle Charlie would watch all of this in bemused silence. I suspect he heartily approved of it all, too. And I never once heard him complain. About anything.
Just a few days ago, I was talking with Cecilia's son, Charles about how special Cecilia and her brothers and sisters and mom and dad were to my immediate family. I told him how extra special his grandfather, my uncle Charlie, had been to my mom. How my Uncle Charlie had defended and protected my mom and her brothers and sisters when they were little children. Charles told me how strange it was to hear me say this. Charles, himself, had recently been involved in something of a very similar nature. Now I can see Uncle Charlie's spirit living on in his grandson. And so will Cecilia's spirit live on in her children, and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. In keeping with the divine plan of our creator, Cecelia's body will now return to the earth, her soul to her creator, but her memory and the essence of her spirit, will linger always with us.
I'll borrow a few words from an old country ballad I first heard many years ago. "Cecilia didn't belong to us, not by a hundred thousand miles. God thought we needed a little sunshine in our lives, so he lent her to us for a while."
I'll now close with a poem for Cecilia and her family:

2003
"BLESSED ARE THEY THAT MOURN"
by William Johns

With the pain of childbirth we enter life
And in the pain of separation, leave.
Is naught but suffering our only lot,
And death the ultimate thief?

Our loved one's spirit forever released;
And should we wish their spirit back again;
Released by divine benevolence
From suffering loss, from suffering pain?

We must all answer this call to leave,
Same as the life of our loved one cut short,
From this mortal body, no stranger to pain,
And this earthly journey forever abort;

And take on an immortal spirit,
With no more loss, no further pain,
No more sickness, suffering, deprivation;
Divine freedom to forever gain.

'Tis only human to sense terrible emptiness;
So must we take comfort in this:
Divine the plan our creator designed,
For our loved-one's eternal bliss.

We're given the comfort of a loved one's life
As their spirit lingers always near;
'Twas the way their life was lived that caused
Their example on our consciousness seared

Thank Divine Providence our loved one was here;
The essence of their spirit lingers still,
To guide, to comfort, with the life well-lived,
To show us the way within The Creator's own will
END

Sunday, 11/30/03 From the Editor. I called Adams & Jennings Funeral Home today. Visitation is 2PM-4PM today, Sunday at the funeral home, 6900 North Nebraska, Tampa. Graveside service is to be 10AM Monday, tomorrow, at Garden of Memories Cemetery. Then I accessed the Obituaries on the Tampa Tribune website and found the following notice:

COOGLE, Cecelia N., 59, of Tampa passed away on November 23, 2003. She is survived by her husband of 45 years, Robert Coogle, Jr.; sons, Robert, III, Douglas and Charles; grandchildren, Robert, Dougie and Kayla Coogle and Jerry Budd; three sisters and two brothers. A graveside service will be held on Monday, Dec. 1, 10 a.m. at Garden Of Memories Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Sunday, Nov. 30 from 2-4 p.m. at the Adams & Jennings Chapel. Adams & Jennings Funeral Home "The Family Funeral Home" (813) 237-3345 http://www.adams-jennings.com
Published in the TBO.com on 11/29/2003.

Contacted Cecelia's sons and they still insist that the service will be graveside, Monday morning at Garden of Memories. 10:00 A.M. That's probably a 30 minute drive from Sligh And Nebraska to Lake Ave. in Garden of Memories. Hope we can prevent a mess over this one. That's: Go south from Sligh & Nebraska to Hillsboro Av. left or east to 40th Street and then south to Lake Av. Thence, left or east to Garden of Memories. Service to be on north or left side of Lake Av. (As memory serves) . Bill Johns 11-29-03 (Editor's Note: Suggest that you call Jennings and confirm times and places)

A CONVERSATION WITH RUTH HIGGINS VAUGHN 11-28-2003

Cel was a wonderful girl. She and I both went to church every Sunday, and I'm going to miss her so much. I was there right after she died, and I kissed her. Cel's husband is taking this really hard. I hope he can regain his strength and go on.

Viewing is Sunday 2PM-4PM, I think at Jennings Funeral Home. The funeral is at Jennings Funeral Home on the corner of Nebraska and Sligh Ave. Monday beginning at 10AM.

Reatha is staying with her daughters, Becky and Tammy, in St. Petersburg, and they are taking care of her. Bud is doing pretty good. He had a stroke, but they say it's a stroke that can be corrected. His speech is alright, but he's having trouble walking. He is 78, I think. Charlotte is doing better. She has been having a lot of sickness. Joe is doing really good. He's retired. I'll be 73 January 2, and I'm fine medically. If anybody wants to contact Joe or me for information, that will be alright.

Cecilia's visitation service will be Sunday, at Adams and Jennings funeral home on Nebraska Ave. in Tampa, FL from 2 - 4 P.M. Sorry about being unable to get the street address. The actual service will be graveside right near Aunt Viola's and Uncle Charlie's graves in Garden of Memories cemetery. Service to be conducted from 10:00 A.M. Monday until. This was all information available from Cecilia's son, Charles as of 3:10 this afternoon. (Wednesday 11-26-03) Bill Johns

11-24-2003Please keep my family in prayer, especially my uncle Jr., my cousins Bobby, Doug, and Charlie, their wives and my aunt Cel's grandchildren. After several weeks on life support her body began to shut down yesterday and they disconnected life support and she died. She was a Kind, Loving person and she will be missed greatly. Thank you ALL prayers are appreciated. It is especially difficult to be away from family during this time of loss. My aunt Reatha who has hemochromatosis and is in end stage liver failure is now at home with my cousin Tammy (the doctors has no further treatment to offer). We know that it is only a matter of time before we lose her too. My aunt Charlotte is recovering my her 4th surgery and we are praying that she will become strong and healing will take place.
Thanks, Gail

Here is an update on my aunt Cel. Please keep her in prayer and all our family. It is a difficult time. 2 aunties (aunt Reatha and aunt Cel) in ICU with very poor prognosis. We lost our great uncle Frank on Saturday, and our aunt Charlotte (Nellie/Wm>Viola>Charlotte) is still in recovery from surgery performed 2 weeks ago. Aunt Cel had her bladder, uterus, and appendix removed because of the cancer. She seemed to be doing well after the surgery, but then had a major heart attack. She is now in Critical Condition, and her chance for recovery is not good. She is also in St. Joseph, in ICU.
It is very difficult to see so much loss and suffering. I wish I could be in Florida, but as you know school responsibilities and requirements do not allow for it. Time away brings additional hardship in completing the program.
I have really enjoyed my Family Practice preceptorship and will be here at the SEARHC Medical Center in Juneau until the end of February.
It has been difficult to keep my mind on my work with the recent events in the family and I am looking forward to the week-end to take a breather and talk to family in Florida.
Love and Miss You, Gail 11-7-03

Also Aunt Cel in in the hospital - treatment for bladder cancer. (Nellie/Wm>Viola>Cecelia) Love and Miss You, Gail 11-5-03

FROM GAIL THARP LUCERO - I just received this email about my Aunt Reatha - please keep her and our family in prayer.

Email from my Cousin (Tammy) about my Aunt (Nellie/Wm>Viola>Reatha Ann)
"My mother is in the hospital and is not doing very well! The Doctors say she is not going to make it. She is only 63. So please pray for her and us, the family, as this is a very hard time for us all!. (It's her liver.)
Thanks, Tammy"

Dear Great-Granddaughter of Viola & Charles,
You wrote a very nice letter to Bryburcon.com about a week ago, and now the editor can not find it to publish it. A lot of strange happenings have occurred on the internet recently, and I can only conclude that the worm ate it. Please try agtain. We love hearing from the extended family far & wide across the US. Virginia 8-22-03

Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Hunter will be Celebrating their 60th Wedding Anniversary on November 15, 2003. They are going to renew their Wedding Vows.
Isn't that great!!!!!!! I still have not talked to them - I got a message from Debbie one of their daughters letting me know.
Packing and hoping to leave Spokane today.
Love, Gail 6/24/03

BY GAIL

The Technical Skills test was difficult, and there were no Physical Exam Findings to help me with my Diagnosis.

By the Grace of God and by his Guidance - I passed the test and give him all the Glory, Honor, and Praise. He has truly kept me during this year, and I know I would not be at this point in the road of the next journey had it not been for him.
In my hectic schedule and rush life - I have often forgotten my bible time and even neglected concentrated, focused prayer time - but he has never left me and has kept me each step of the way.

Praise God from Whom ALL Things Come
Thank you for the prayers you lift up for me - they are precious and valued more than words can express.

Now to finish packing and get ready to leave for home.
Love and God's Blessings, Gail 6-23-03

I was reading about Gail. I bet the Higgins family is proud of her.
I am very proud of her. Lois 6/21/03

THE FISH'S TAIL by Viola Burdett Higgins

...

From the Editor: My late husband, Clyde Baxter, once told me how his people back on the Missouri farm would put duck eggs with hens to hatch. All went well with the hen no wiser until the first time she took her "chicks" near the pond. Then the foster chicks would hightail it to the water and blissfully begin behaving like ducks while their hen mom would squawk and flap and have a cow up on the pond bank. I find myself thinking about the duck chicks every time I see another Bryant-Burdett blissfully behaving like a writer, probably with no understanding as to why the drive is there regardless of who hatched and raised her or him. The Fish's Tail is a reprint from Bryburcon.com First Edition, sent to us by Alta Ruth Higgins Vaughn, Viola's daughter.

UPDATE FROM GAIL JUNE 21, 2003

I have one more test to go on Mon June 23, for my classroom year. Then I will be working in clinics, sort of like an internship (clinical rotation) for a year. I'm packing up my Spokane apartment where I have been for ten months. Then I will be leaving on the Bellingham, Washington, ferry for Angoon. Later I will be back in Seattle for a week. Then I will do my first rotation in Juneau for six months. I will have six more one-month rotations after that. Then I will have a certificate from University of Washington as a Physician's Assistant. I'm dual enrolled in UW & U of Alaska. I'll get my Bachelors from UAA (Alaska). My graduation from UW will be in Sept 2004. After I get my PA I will work where I'm placed by the National Health Service Corps Scholarship program. Wherever they send me I will go for two years. If they want me to stay on after the two years I will have to decide if I want to do that or get a job somewhere else.

This last quarter I had my car steering wheel fall out into my lap. I had had some people work on my car, and they apparently didn't tighten the bolts up. It startled me, and I immediately put on my flashers. I was close to the school parking lot, so I pulled in there. A couple of friends were still in the classroom. They found an auto repair place. I looked at the car and noticed a couple of the bolts were loose, so I tightened one of them, and then the repair place put both back on tight.

Last week there was a fire in my apartment complex, and we all got evacuated at 2:30 AM, the night before a big final exam. I did ok on the exam.

Aunt Charlotte in Ohio has been very ill, but she is doing better. They are watching her until she gets better, and as soon as they feel she is better they will do another surgery. She is my mother's twin sister (Nellie/Wm>Viola> Charlotte & Charlene). I will call her tomorrow to see how she is doing. She is 76, will be 77 on July 2. Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Hunter are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary this year. They are having a party in November.

My daughter had a baby May 18, Marcel Isaac Cohen. She delivered a baby boy, gall bladder and an appendix. The doctors decided the baby was mature enough for delivery when they needed to remove her gall bladder. The people in Juneau are teasing her saying she had triplets. She is Vanessa, and her husband is Jesse.

Aunt Ceil (Cecelia Nell Higgins Coogle---Nellie/Wm>Viola>Cecelia Nell) underwent chemotherapy for bladder cancer. They will be doing surgery soon, and they may give her a prosthetic bladder.

I will send more updates. Love, Gail

Hi Everyone,
I just want to tell you how much reading this meant to me. It was like a walk down memory lane. I loved reading the nice things you said about my mom and dad (Charles and Viola Higgins).
I am visiting with my daughter, Jackie, and she showed me this website and all the nice things on it.
Thank you and God Bless You. Love,
Ruthie (Nellie/Wm>Viola>Alta Ruth)3-24-03

Who is this?

This photo is submitted by Reatha Cecelia "Ceil" Vansant who noted, "I believe I was given this photo by my Aunt Charlotte (Nellie/Wm>Viola>Charlotte). I believe she was our great-great-great grandmother on the Bryant side, Grandma Burdett's grandmother I think. I'm not really sure." Editor Note: I believe this lady must have been an ancestor of Uncle Charlie Higgins as she resembles the Higgins side of his & Aunt Viola's family.

BREMERTON, WASHINGTON JULY 27, 2002
GAIL THARPE-LUCERO CENTER (NELLIE/WM>VIOLA>CHARLENE>GAIL)
RIGHT IS VALERIE WIESE (NELLIE/WM>ALTA>GERRY>LAVIDA>VALERIE)

THE ALASKA STORY SEQUEL PART ONE

I am so sorry this took so long. I have been off line since August 24th.

Yes we do see the Northern Lights in Angoon and they are beautiful. Since we are overcast often we don't see them as often as the interior or north but when they are out it is fantastic to see.

In the summer we definitely have the Midnight Sun. It is my favorite thing about summer it gets daylight around 3:30am and does not get dark until about 1:30 or 2am. I like to Kayak in the summer and go camping and hiking.

When I lived in Juneau I did some cross country and downhill skiing but not in Angoon. It is dark in the winter - gets daylight around 9:30 or 10am and get dark around 3:00 or 3:30 pm. I was at work while it was daylight

I taught classes in the winter, and I had a youth choir that kept me pretty busy. I also did indoor things like make paper or do crafts.

I have never seen a dogsled race in person only on TV. The races take place in the interior and north. I live in Southeast Alaska.

I miss the sunshine and warm water swimming most about Florida and of course seeing family.

I like having all the daylight in the Summer and I like living in the wilderness where I can be on the water and see lots of animals. I also like living where there are fewer people - less crowded.

SEQUEL PART TWO

In the village I am a minority because the village is predominantly Tlingit Indian, some Athabascan Indians and a few Eskimo people. When I first moved there it was really hard because of my minority status but it improved over the years once people got use to me being there (18 years) but still some people just can't get past the prejudice - I guess sadly it is that way to some degree everywhere.

I have never treated Frostbite amazingly but when you do treat it you have to decide whether to rewarm or just medivac the patient out to the hospital. The rewarming process has to be very controlled or it will cause further damage.

On a day to day bases living near Canada or Russia does not impact us but we do have some contact with Canada if you decide to travel by road to the lower 48. We have to take a ferry to Juneau or Skagway and then drive through Canada. Gil and I have done that twice. There is Russian influence in Sitka and some of the natives are of the Russian Orthodox faith. So there is residual influence from when Russia claimed Alaska as its territory. Many natives that live in Alaska have relatives in Russia. Once some Russians came and visited the village. I had to work so I didn't get to met them but Gil spent time with them.

Alaska in similar to Washington State by the trees and some of the vegetation. Alaska has such a wide range of climates since it is such a large state that probably some areas of Alaska are more like Washington State than others. My personal experience is that Alaskans are friendlier.

It is very expensive to live in Alaska and medical care is less accessible than in the lower 48 for the most part. THE END

July 27, 2002, Bremerton, Washington
Gail Tharpe-Lucero from Angoon, Alaska, was the guest of honor at a potluck held at the Bryburcon.com headquarters. Attending were Gerry Johns Fay, Mike Fay, Lavida Arnold and companion, John; Valerie Wiese & her children Vince & Lindsay; Lloyd Baxter, Hillary Farnsworth and Virginia Baxter. Gail is attending the University of Washington, Seattle, where she is enrolled in a Physician's Assistant course. She was gracious in giving an interview concerning life in Alaska. Interview was "caught on tape" and will be transcribed and published on BBC.com.

THE ALASKA STORY PART ONE

Gail Lucero Interview 7/27/2002

Q-This is Gail Lucero who lives in Alaska. She is Charlene Folks' daughter. Charlene was one of Aunt Viola's twin daughters. Gail is visiting here in Bremerton, Washington. Today is the 27th of July, 2002, and we're going to be asking her some questions about her life in Alaska. We need to start with what kind of work you do.

A-Up until recently when I started to school I was a community health practitioner. It's a program that's real specific to rural Alaska. It was developed originally to train people to give tuberculosis medications to patients in the villages where there wasn't any medical care, and once they realized that they could do that they decided that they could train the practitioners in other skills, and so it developed into a program where now you go through some specific training where you do patient care for patients that are in small rural communities in Alaska that get very sparse medical care, and the doctor only comes out periodically. For our particular village the doctor comes out once every two months. So, in the meantime, if the patient gets sick or injured, or there's an emergency the practitioners who are at the clinic - I was one of the four - handle whatever the problem is and either treat the problem and talk to the doctor and has him make a decision.

Q-Then the decision for treatment is likely to be what if you can't treat the patient?

A-If I can't treat them in the village, then they're going to be shipped out either immediately if it's urgent or emergent so they get to be Medivac'ed out with the Medicac team that either flies in by float plane and picks them up. Or, if the float planes can't fly because they can't fly at night or in certain weather then if the Coast Guard can get in …then the Coast Guard comes in and picks them up , and they get Medicac'ed out immediately. If it's not an urgent or emergent thing then they plan for a transport the next available flight or ferry for them to go to Sitka, and they take care of it there.

Q-And the program that you're in at the University of Washington right now is Physician Assistant?

A-The Physician's Assistant Program…basically a lot of what we do (now) to help Practitioners are the same types of things that PA's do, but they have a deeper level of training as far as the academic part, and they're also allowed to do more treatment types of things than we are. So, this program will expand my skills, expand my knowledge and allow me to provide better services.

Q-What's the difference between a PA and a Nurse Practitioner?

A-Actually Nurse Practitioners and PA's basically do the same thing, but Nurse Practitioners were developed kinda under a grandfather thing where…a PA has a sponsoring physician, and they're working directly under that sponsoring physician, and he needs to OK standing orders and treatments for patients. A Nurse Practitioner can actually prescribe medications and do diagnosis. Even though they usually do work directly with a sponsoring physician they can do that without their direction. So, that's the main difference. They really do predominantly the same kind of skills and diagnostic things and patient care. They both do…kinda like the old family practice doctor did. They do that level of care, and anything over and above that is referred to a physician. Also, some PA's do specialties, like they work in OB/GYN or in surgery or emergency medicine. The field and the role is expanding.

Q-So, they're making more layers between doctor and nurse and patient?

A-Yes, to take on new responsibilities depending on where their interest is.

PART TWO

Q-You were talking about the clinic that you work in. From what you were telling me earlier you're living in a town where there are 650 people?

A-Yes, it's a little native village, predominantly Tlingit Indian, and there are 650 people, relatively isolated. It's called Admiralty Island, and the community is Angoon. Admiralty Island is a national monument in Alaska. We call it the Brown Bear Capital of the World because there's more brown bears or grizzly bears per capita than any other place in the world. There are more bears there than people.

Q-Are you scared of bears?

A-No, not really. They come into our yard often and most of the time they really don't bother anything. We don't have garbage outside in our yard, so they never stay in our yard. They just kinda go through and keep going. The reason they come through is because there is a lot of garbage in different people's yards, and they come through to check the garbage cans or check out the garbage to eat. Really…I've lived there for over eighteen years, and the couple very minor incidents that we've had…the people who had a scratch…they were trying to pet the bears. That's how they got injured, and they were very minor injuries. It's real important to respect their space and not to try to challenge them. They're very powerful and very fast. For the most part they keep their space. The dump bears are a little more a concern for you because they're not afraid of people, but most of the bears that live out in the wild, they want to be away from people as much as people are concerned about them. We have very few incidents.

Q-Are there any other animals that are seen regularly?

A-Well, in the little village that we're in we have tremendous population of eagles, otters, killer whales. Sometimes the big humpback whales will come right up in front of the property that we stay on. There's marten, mink, ermine, seals, sea lions. Of course, all different kinds of fish. Fishing is really popular there. Different species of salmon, cutthroats up in some of the lakes, halibut fishing and a lot of bottom fishing like cod and rock fish. So there's a lot of sea life there. It's a pretty incredible place as far as wildlife. You see it pretty frequently. We have ptarmagin…all different kinds of animals.

Q-What kind of injuries do you normally treat?

A-As far as injuries we get a lot of basketball injuries. Basketball is very popular. A place where in the winter time there's a lot of ice and snow…sometimes, not always. People will get aggressive about basketball, so sometimes you may get lacerations of the cheek, or someone's twisted their ankle or their knee, or you might get a broken bone. Sometimes head injuries from being pushed down and having their head hit while they're playing basketball. Of course you can get those same type injuries from other stuff too. Then we have people cutting fish, sometimes they will cut their hand. We take fishing hooks out of people. That happens quite a bit during the summer when there are tourists there. Also, sometimes the commercial fishing fleets will come in when they have somebody with an injury. So, muscular skeletal injuries, cuts, sometimes head injuries. Just about anything you see in a larger population, but less frequently because the population's smaller. Accidents…automobile accidents.

PART THREE

Q-You mentioned when we were talking last night that…we were talking about… …other types of injuries…

A-As I was saying, the same types of injuries you see in a large city, but I would say that our motor vehicle accident injuries are less severe because we have such a small amount of road…a total of about five miles of road. From town to the ferry terminal is probably 2.5 miles, and that includes the roads that are through the neighborhoods. So we don't have a lot of road. It's typically the same kind of injuries, and then we have illnesses like ear infections and bronchitis, sometimes pneumonia, cancers, some terminal cancers, emphysema, lots of diabetes, hypertension, heart problems…the same thing you see in the cities. Those types of lifestyle health problems have sort of been new to the small, rural communities in Alaska because they didn't have the Western diet until more recently, and their natural diets are a lot more healthy. Now that they've started eating western foods, processed foods, lots of sugar, white flour, that kind of stuff we're seeing a much greater rate of those types of problems. There's alcoholism that causes some problems as well.

Q-What's the school population?

A-From kindergarten to high school there's probably 160 to 170 students total. In Head Start there's usually ten to twenty Head Start students. So it's a real small population. Graduation classes usually run from around six to maybe a dozen. We have a class coming up in three years that will be twenty. That will be our largest graduating class. We just had a baby from that year..

Q-Do you know what the teacher's salary is in Alaska?

A-I'm not sure what their salary is. I know that it is higher than most places in the lower forty-eight because it's hard to keep teachers out in the isolated communities. It can be very difficult to be a teacher in some of the communities. Not a lot of support system, which I'm sure is true here too, but it's different kind of thing. There are some really rough schools. We don't have problems, thank god, like people bringing guns and knives to school, but there is some violence occasionally. Sometimes you'll have a group that really doesn't have those kinds of problems, but then another year you'll have a group that has a lot of problems. . What you get a lot, and I don't think it's unique to our community. But you get…a lot of the time parents are not supportive of the teachers, so when they're not supportive they come in, and it's hard to accept that their children may be doing something that they shouldn't be doing, so they blame it on the teacher. That's not uncommon, but when you couple it with being isolated, not having a family support system, and all the other things, having big changes in your life, that can be very difficult. So we have a big turnover of teachers.

PART FOUR

Q-That answers my question, about whether I'm going to take my teaching credentials and go to Alaska with them.

A-Substitutes usually don't have as much of a problem, because I guess they're not permanent, so they don't have as high expectations, but they do, really…one thing you have to remember is it's a very impoverished area, so there aren't a lot of jobs. So there is a lot of unemployment, and there are a lot of poverty level incomes, and people who don't make a lot of money are seeing teachers who make a lot of money. Their thing is the teachers ought to do more. They're making a lot of money, so they ought to spend their off hours doing things with the kids. So, there's not a lot of gratification for things the teachers do over and above the call of duty because these people are poor, and they see a group of people who are making a lot of money. They're able to travel and do things they want to do. When you live in an area that has a lot of poverty there's a lot of jealousy for people who do have things and jobs. Sometimes people don't celebrate each others' accomplishments because of that.

Q-I need to know why you landed in Alaska after growing up in Florida.

A-I had decided that I wanted to make a change, and a friend of mine I had been a roommate with, her name was Sheila. She had moved to Alaska a few years before, and I was talking to her on the phone telling her I was going to make a move. She said, "You know, Gail, I know you, and I know you would love Alaska. Why don't you come up, and you can stay with us until you get a job and a place to stay?" I thought about it, and I decided it seemed like a good idea. I moved, and I stayed with her and her husband for several months before I found a job and a place to stay. I lived in Juneau for a couple of years and then got offered a job in the Aleutians for a year. While I was in Juneau I met my husband, and we were dating. Then he had visited me out in the Aleutians, and while I was in the Aleutians I went down to meet his family. He asked me to marry him and consider moving to Angoon where he lived. I did, and I've been in Angoon ever since…over eighteen years.

Q-So, I guess that means it's not a terrible experience, and you really enjoy it there.

A- Oh no, it's a very beautiful place, and there's a lot of history and culture there. When I first came there a lot of the elders were still alive. I got to learn a lot about the culture and to be able to be close to them. I really value that. Every place has its bad points, and every place has its good points. No matter where you are you're going to see hurt and suffering and pain, things that you don't like. No matter where you are, if you're willing to, you're going to see good and things to touch your heart and move you. There are times when it's really hard to be there and times when I think how fortunate I have been to be there and how much I've gained by being there. Who knows what I'll do when I get out of school, but hopefully I'll be going back. I think it's really valuable to be immersed in a culture that's really different to yours. It teaches you a lot about who you are too. I'm appreciative of what I've learned although some of it may have been tough.

THE END

AUNT VIOLA AND UNCLE CHARLIE HIGGINS

by Lois Smith Miller

I first met Aunt Viola and Uncle Charlie in August of 1942 when Grandma took me to Ohio. They were so hospitable and charming I felt like I was home. They made over me like they had known me all my life. That first afternoon we were there they gave Alta Ruth (Ruthie, their daughter) the money to go to Lake Side Park (an amusement park). Now, I had never been to an amusement park without an adult, so I was already sort of nervous. The first thing Ruthie wanted me to do was go on a roller coaster which I had never seen. I watched it, and I just didn't want to go on it. Ruthie finally talked me into riding it. I felt like I was going to fall out, but I did ride it three times. I just closed my eyes when we went down the 90-foot drop.

Aunt Viola talked about playing the piano, and she wanted us to go to the church with her. She didn't have a piano at the time. Charlene (one of Aunt Viola's twins) and I were best friends until she passed away. Charlene had come to Florida in 1942 to help Aunt Alta, as Virginia was really sick. Daddy and Mama kept them (Alta and Virginia) at our house until Charlene got there. Then, when Ronnie Smith (Isabelle and Dolphus' son and Lois' brother) was born, Charlene came to our house to help Mama. We became good friends. She stayed at our house for four months and then went back to Ohio. She was like my sister.

The second day I was in Ohio Charlene came over to Aunt Viola's and talked Grandma into letting me go to her apartment. Charlotte (Charlene's twin) lived with her. Their boyfriends came over (Charlotte was dating Hunter then). After a few hours they started wrestling and cutting up. This was new to me. Then Charlene's boyfriend acted like he was going to push her out the window, and I got scared. I went outside and sat on a porch, thinking. I wanted to get back to Grandma, and I didn't know how to get there.

PART TWO

I went upstairs, and Charlene and Charlotte were still cutting up. I asked Charlene if she would take me back to Aunt Viola's after awhile. She said, "I thought you were going to spend the night." I told her no, I wanted to go back to Grandma. She didn't answer me and started cutting up. I went back outside, and I thought, "We caught the streetcar by Aunt Viola's and to off by Charlene's and Charlotte's, so if I walk down the street car tracks I could find Aunt Viola and Grandma."

I took off walking down the streetcar track. I didn't realize how far it was. It took me two or three hours. I started getting blisters on my feet and heels because of my new shoes. About halfway there I got into the black section of town, and some little girl tried to get into a fight with me. I told her I was taught not to fight, but if she wanted to hit me, go ahead. She looked at me like I was crazy and ran off.

I finally got to Aunt Viola's, and she and Uncle Charlie were amazed that I had walked that far. My toes and heels were bleeding. Uncle Charlie told me to sit down, and he would doctor my toes. He got a warm wash pan of water and sat on the floor and bathed my feet. He said, "You poor darlin'. You've had a rough day. Those girls should have watched you better." He kept bathing my toes until they quit bleeding. Then he patted them dry and put medicine on them and my heels and bandaged each one. He was easy and didn't hurt me at all. The next morning he did the same thing and that night. By the time we got ready to leave for Dayton and go to Fostoria my feet were well. Uncle Charlie loved and cared for everyone, and everyone loved him. He was a sweet man.

When we went to church with Aunt Viola I was amazed at the way she played the piano, especially when Grandma told me she only had three lessons. They both were very good people, and I loved them both.

Charlotte and Charlene came the next day to find out where I went. They said they thought I had gone to bed. There was a shorter way to walk back, but what did I know?
...TO BE CONTINUED