BEVERLY HORN -- MEMORY ETERNAL Just got word that Kodiak matriarch, Beverly Horn, passed on. I wrote at least two articles on her. The last one was several years ago when she was Grand Marshal in the Crab Festival parade. I must credit Beverly Horn with instilling me with a greater love of Kodiak history and, along with Garynell Hatcher, the need to get involved with the Kodiak Historical Society (I was on the board several years ago.) Beverly did amazing things for this community. She will be missed. Memory eternal. here is a story I wrote as possiblity for an upcoming book. Yes, as usual, its LONG... but how can you be brief when writing about these wonderful Kodiak oldtimers. Beverly Horn -- Learning Kodiak History Over a Cup of Chai As the young bride tromped down the muddy street of Kodiak she wondered how on earth she could live here. “There were board walks, the newlywed recalled 50 years later. There were lots of men and lots of dogs and no place to live.” Her husband, Lou Horn, loved Kodiak. He worked on the island during the early years of World War II, which had ended several years ago. He wanted to come back to fish salmon. He convinced his new wife, Beverly, to try living in Kodiak, at least for the summer. They would spend the rest of the year in California. Sounded fair enough. Even if their stay was going to be just for a season, they would need a house to live in. Houses were hard to come by in Kodiak. After a temporary living arrangement, the Horns finally settled into a house owned by Frederick and Frevonia Sargent, parents of Lous friend, Edward Sargent. Beverly and Frevonia got along beautifully. “She was so good to me,” Beverly remembered. “She just took me under her wing. She was a really warm person, and very motherly, because she had a big family and she missed her girls who had moved away. Beverly was also warmly received by the Russian babushkas who joined Fevronia for chai (tea) at the Sargent house. Fevronia held Beverly spellbound as she told stories about Kodiaks history. She needed to go no farther than her husband’s family to find a good story. Frederick’s father, Frederick Sargent, Sr., was an entrepreneur from New Hampshire who moved to Alaska just in time to witness the change of guard following its sale, by Russia, to the United States. Fevronia was often interviewed by visitors because of her wealth of knowledge. Through the kindness of Fevronia and other Kodiak neighbors, the Horns decided to live in Kodiak year round. “We wanted to raise our family here, Beverly told me. We always felt welcomed. We became part of the life here. The people took us in.” During a boat strike when supplies such as flour, sugar and coffee were sparse, people told the Horns to let them know if they needed anything. They were friendly and nice.” Beverly wanted to give back to the community that took her family in. Once her kids became more independent, she busied herself with volunteer work. She became director of the St. James the Fisherman Altar Guild; she got on the school board and was later appointed to the State Board of Education. She started volunteering at the Baranov Museum in the early 1970s. Later she was hired as the collections curator. When she retired, her daughter, Ellen Lester, took over. Incidentally, Ellen also inherited her mother’s position as director of the St. James altar guild. In 1982 Beverly was named Beta Sigma Phi’s Woman of the Year. In 2000 Beverly was asked to fill a position on the Kodiak Historical Society board of directors left vacant by the death of Corinne Wilson, Fevronias daughter. Through her service to the Kodiak Historical Society, Beverly wanted to show tourists and locals that the museum was a treasure. Erected in 1808, it is the oldest of four remaining structures built during the Russian American period in the United States and the oldest building in the state Beverly enjoyed showing museum visitors the rich displays of artifacts, art work and furniture spanning three epochs and three cultures. Stone lamps, ivory needles and baskets, a 26-foot Alutiiq three-holed bidarka represented the Alutiiq culture; an 1849 Russian chart of Kodiak, a replica of the Russian Imperial crest, and a case of Russian Orthodox icons and prayer books, trading beads and coins highlighted the Russian American corner. The American section featured a sitting room and kitchen depicting domestic life in Kodiak and Afognak in the late 1880s and early 1900s. The display, which had a very Russian flavor, featured some of the Sargent furniture. Beverly was proud to be a part of an institution which showed what life was like in Old Kodiak. “We want local people to be proud of the museum and take part in it, she said. Beverly knew that once people got wind of Kodiaks exciting, colorful history, they would want to learn more, just as she did while drinking chai with matriarch Fevronia Sargent. Photo of Beverly with daughter, Ellen Lester, Margaret Hall, Laura Resoff and her daughter, Fran Powell, Dottie Holms. The great ladies of St. James...Taken at anniversary in 2011.
Posted on: Wed, 15 Oct 2014 04:47:33 +0000
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