J. Gerald Williams; Tillie Greenewald Skaflestad; Herbert Lawson

J. Gerald Williams

(From the Anchorage Daily News May 14, 1992)

Mr. Williams was born April 8, 1907, in Fraser, Iowa, to Frank and Mary Halbert Williams. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1929 and a bachelor of law degree in 1941 from the University of Washington.

Mr. Williams was a schoolteacher in McGrath, Hoonah, Unga, Hope, Seldovia and Juneau, from 1930 to 1943. He served as U.S. commissioner in Hoonah, was an assistant U.S. attorney in Anchorage in 1942 and 1943, and had a private law practice in Anchorage from 1943 to 1948.

He was married to Harriet Ann Sey in 1930 in Douglas. She died in 1970, and he was remarried to Marcella Luedtke in 1971. He traveled around the states and enjoyed many trips to foreign countries with his wife.

Between 1949 and 1959, he served as the last territorial attorney general and the first state attorney general. Mr. Williams was a candidate for Alaska governor in 1958.

He died in May of 1992.

Matilda “Tillie” Greenwald Skaflestad

(From the Juneau Empire, 9 Aug 1993)

Tillie Greenwald was born November 18, 1915 in Juneau. She moved to Hoonah as a young child and attended school there.

She was of the T’akdeintaan clan, Tsal Xaan Hit (Mt. Fairweather [Snail] House. The primary crests are Raven and Kittywake.

She and her husband owned and operated a logging company and an apartment complex in Hoonah.

She died at home in Hoonah on August 6, 1993 following a brief illness.

Herbert Lawson

(The below is from the Juneau Empire, June 15, 2008 and the Sitka Sentinel, June 14, 2008)

Former Hoonah resident Herbert Lawson was born May 29, 1914, in Sitka, to John Lawson and Elizabeth (Church) Lawson. His Tlingit name was Shkooyeil and he was a Kiks.adi from Gagaan Hit (Sun House). His father was of the Chookeneidí Clan. His mother was from the Kiks.adi Clan. 

He was raised in Hoonah by his grandparents, Charles and Mary, and grew up during the Great Depression. He shared many stories of the times he "rode the rails" as a young man. His early career was spent purse seining. His career began in the days when much of the labor was done by hand.

He married Elizabeth Wilson in the late 1930s. Their marriage produced seven children.

Herbert eventually became a master painter. He retired in 1980 at which time he continued to enjoy traveling. He returned to Sitka in 1984, where he remained until his passing.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Elizabeth Lawson; sisters, Mary and Gertrude Lawson; daughter, Joann Lawson; and sons, Charles and Ronald Lawson. He was survived by his sons, Nels H. Lawson and wife, Sheila, Ralph Calvin Lawson and wife, Maria; Larry Lawson and daughter, Bernadine Shulze; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Per his wishes, he was cremated and some of his ashes were spread over the waters of Salisbury Sound. His remaining ashes were joined with the remains of his mother, grandfather, Charles Nelson and daughter.

A funeral service was held at 5 p.m. June 19 at Sitka Lutheran Church. Following the church service, some of his ashes were joined with his previously listed loved ones, and a reception was held at the Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall.

Herbert Lawson died peacefully in his sleep on June 7, 2008, at SEARHC Mount Edgecumbe Hospital. He was 94.