George Carteeti

George Carteeti Sr. was born on November 7, 1901 in Hoonah.  His Tlingit name was T'lon eesh, clan T’akdeintaan, Tsalxaan Hít (Mt. Fairweather House).  His father was also named George Carteeti and was born about 1857 in Hoonah and his mother Sophie Nichlas was born in 1877 in Sitka.  He was married to Mary Wright (born December 18, 1927 in Haines) in 1943.

His daughter Eunice Glover spoke highly of him.  “He went to Sheldon Jackson High School.  As an adult, he went to church every week and attended the Salvation Army and Presbyterian churches.  He was very involved.”  He was a carpenter, a strong member of the Alaska Native Brotherhood, and raised money to send Frank See to speak for the Natives.  “Dad died in 1968.  He did a lot of work on the ANB hall built and the ANS show hall.  He also built other houses.  He was mostly a fisherman, seining, and used to take his skiff up the Bay.”

He was also a foreman for the CCC doing forestry work.

“My Dad taught me how to bake when I was really young” said Eunice.  “He would invite his friends to try my baking.  One night when I had finished baking and it was midnight.  I couldn’t sleep and was cleaning up.  I was standing on a Mandarin Orange box over the sink, singing, when I looked behind me.  My Dad was there, smiling.  He tried to be a Mom to me.  He was good.  He had a good sense of humor.”

He passed away in September, 1968.