29.0°

Angoon and Juneau resident Delores Johanna (Albert) Jack died March 27, 2009, in Juneau, soon after being diagnosed with cancer. She was surrounded by her family.

She was born Oct, 2, 1948, in Angoon, to Johnnie and Hazel Albert. Her Tlingit names were Shee.itdei and Héendéijeewdunaak, and her church name was Natalia. She was from the Took'kha Hit of the Deisheetaan, and her ancestry was traced to the Shisk'i Hit of the Ghaanaxh.adee in Angoon.

She attended elementary school in Angoon and received the title of salutatorian in grade school. She graduated from Mount Edgecumbe High School in 1966.

She went on to further her education in North Dakota in nursing school. She returned to Alaska and held many jobs, including cannery worker in Chatham, data programmer, paralegal secretary, nightshift supervisor for the Permanent Fund. She also worked for the Honeywell Corporation in Seattle and the Alaska Copper & Brass Wright Co.

Her family said she was a devoted housewife and mother. She enjoyed doing beadwork, reading the Bible to her children and spending time with her family, whether it was to sit and sing karaoke, attend a family potluck or just hang out. She was humorous and witty, they said. She was gifted with writing poetry and won the Golden Poet Award, the Silver Poet Award twice, one of which was published, and traveled to Washington, D.C., to accept a national award for a poem in tribute to the Vietnam Veterans.

She is survived by her husband, Peter Jack Jr., of Angoon; children, Brian Lee Abbott of Juneau, Kurt Wilson and wife, Tina, of California, Abigail Jack, currently serving in the Navy in Iraq, Tamara Jack of Juneau, and Thomas Jack and wife, Michele, of Angoon; grandchildren, Timothy, Bradley, DeVonne, Demitri, Tina, Tyler, Kurt, Luke, Angel and Noah; great-grandchild, Angelina; siblings, Emmert Albert and wife, Georgia, Margaret Martin and husband, Al, Genevieve Guanzon, Johnny Albert, of Juneau, Charlotte McGuire, Arlene Albert, of Anchorage, William "Billy" Albert, Roberta Johnson, Victoria Johnson and husband, John, of Juneau, Adeline St. Clair, Johanna Brensdahl, Patricia Mills, Cyrus Peck, Ray Peck, Charles Bennett, George Bennett, Beverly Dugaqua and Fred Bennett; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceeded in death by her father and mother; aunts, Sophie Peck, Fannie John, Mable Fred, Margaret Fred; sisters, Carolee and Thelma Albert; brother, Johnnie Albert Jr.; late uncle, Matthew J. Fred Sr., Naashaadeihani clan leader, of Deisheetaan in Angoon; grandmother Esther Fred Kanosh, Shaachooka; and grandfather, John Fred, Kootla.aa.

A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m. today at the Tlingit & Haida Community Building in Juneau. Her remains will be taken to Angoon, where a memorial service will be held that evening at the Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall. A funeral will take place Friday, followed by a thank-you party.