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In memory of
Agnes Sarah Samuelson
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In lieu of flowers
In lieu of flowers, consider a gift to Bristol Bay Native Corporation Education Foundation.
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Agnes's obituary
May 17, 1930 – January 25, 2021
On January 25, 2021, lifelong Alaskan Agnes Sarah Samuelson passed to the spirit world at her Wasilla home from cancer.
Agnes was born at home, May 17, 1930 in Dillingham, Alaska to Adolph and Agnes (nee: Supsook, Neucklavok) Peterson. She attended grade school in Dillingham, and often recounted that great day when the new teacher finally unlocked the library and actually allowed students access to use the school library. It opened up worlds of history, culture, and ideas the students had never imagined – science fiction was her favorite!
As Dillingham lacked a high school, besides summertime cannery work, Agnes worked as a nanny and housekeeper in Anchorage, Palmer, and Seattle during her attempt to gain a high school diploma.
While employed as a switchboard operator in Seward, Alaska, Agnes met her future husband James L. Samuelson. They were married two weeks later on December 31, 1951.
After a few years in Seward and Chugiak, she and her family moved to Dillingham. With community effort, Agnes, her husband and a handful of others were finally able to achieve their High School Diploma goal through the GED program.
After statehood, her husband Jim filled one of the original Alaska 13 Deputy Magistrate positions. During his tenure, he assisted a number of people like Agnes that had an unrecorded home birth through the legal process to obtain a State of Alaska birth certificate. Over 30 years later, the US Department of State rejected her passport application - because her husband was the authorizing signer on her birth certificate! With assistance from the Honorable Senator Ted Stevens who directed attention to the Alaska State Seal on her birth certificate validating the document, her passport was promptly issued.
Upon moving to Chugiak for better educational opportunities for their four children, Agnes worked various positions with the Chugiak and Eagle River Post Offices, at ANMC in accounting, and as a Teamster with the Trans-Alaska Pipeline construction.
About the age of 47, Agnes was devastated with a diagnosis of macular degeneration and told to prepare to become blind, as there were no treatments known. She took to the library and researched macular degeneration. Within 2 years, Agnes amazed her eye doctor as the nutritional supplements researched had “arrested” and prevented any further loss of eyesight! The loss was extensive enough to hamper heavy reading or close handiwork and did cause her to quit her favorite career, accounting but she was still capable. Prior to retiring at 75 years old, she held positions as a switchboard operator at API, SOA fee agent in Soldotna and Seward, oil spill worker with the Exxon Valdez cleanup, fish processor at Seward’s Smokin Alaska, Costco food demonstrator, and floor clerk with JBER Base Exchange.
Crossword puzzles, cryptograms, power walking, and dancing (at the Mt. Edgecumbe High School Reunions, and at the Time Out Lounge – especially to her favorite song, “Pretty Woman”) were some of her favorite pastimes.
Family states “I can’t” was tantamount to foul language in her opinion and she would say “then learn how”, and if you ever expressed “I’m bored” - that meant you needed more work!
Friends and family have expressed sorrow at the loss of the pretty woman with the beautiful smile, and many are missing those telephone conversations about the “good ole days” that brought much laughter and reminiscing of pre Covid-19 times.
Agnes was an original shareholder of the Choggiung Ltd, and Bristol Bay Native Corporation, and a member of American Legion Post 35, AmVets Post 2, and a lifelong widow member of the Palmer Elks.
The first child of a blended family of six children: Mary Ann, Patrick, Thomas, and Paul Neucklavok, Ruth (Peterson) Ferguson, and Ann (Peterson) Smith, Agnes had five additional siblings: Hilda (Tittle), Adolph “Pete”, Greta, Elsie, and Dorothy Peterson. All eleven of her siblings, husband James L., son Kelly E., and daughter Jeri preceded her in death.
Agnes is survived by son James C Samuelson, daughter Greta Pridham; grandchildren Greta Reid, Ross Eskilida, Kelly J Samuelson, Richard Walker, Jerome Walker, Keith Walker, and James Coven; eleven great-grandchildren; and great-great granddaughter “Nummy-Nums” Zay’Laah; brother-in-law Jack Ferguson, close nephews Ed (Rose) Smith and Eric (Mary) Samuelson, and numerous nephews and nieces.
This summer, a Celebration of Life will be held for Agnes at Ptarmigan Creek. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Agnes’ honor to the Bristol Bay Native Corporation Education Foundation at 111 West 16th Ave Ste 400, Anchorage, AK 99501.
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In lieu of flowers
In lieu of flowers, consider a gift to Bristol Bay Native Corporation Education Foundation.
In lieu of flowers
In lieu of flowers, consider a gift to Bristol Bay Native Corporation Education Foundation.
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Created with love by
Greta Pridham (Agnes's daughter).
