Susie Charlie

Susie Charlie was born March 16, 1928 at Old Minto. Her parents were Johnson Henry of Galena and Bella john of Kantishna. Susie's mother died when she was five years old, Laura Charlie, who was Chief Charlie's wife, then raised her. Susie brothers and sisters were Woodrow John, Andrew, Elsie, Ella, and Virginia.
Susie married Lige Charlie on March 16, 1947, in Nenana. Together they had ten children: Georgiann, Eric, Charlotte Faye, Lindberg, Renee, William, Lige Jr, Angie, Rodney, and Jennifer. She and Lige have raised three of there grandchildren, Kevin, Francine, and Bess. Today, they are still raising a grandchild, Carleen.

Susie speaks the Tanana Athabascan dialect. She went to school up to the fourth grade where she remembers just beginning to learn long fractions. She began her education in 1939 and had too quit school in 1946; at the time she was eighteen years old and was then to old for school. She never went to school for a full week, while attending school she had to help out older ladies with chores such as cutting wood and cleaning.

Past employment includes working at the BIA School as a school cook in 1969, then the village was moved in 1970. At that time Susie and Lige moved their family to Fairbanks for three years while Lige worked for the Highway Department. Susie also worked as a Fee Agent for ten years, helping people with paperwork. She then worked for the Senior Program doing cooking and kitchen help. In 1991 she began working for Tanana Chiefs as a cook in Old Minto. Health problems caused her to leave the job at Old Minto.
When asked what kind of special interests and hobbies Susie has, she replied, "Lots of things!" She is willing to meet with kids at anytime; she enjoys singing, dancing, hunting, fishing, camping, and berry picking among her many interests.
"I like to meet with kids. I'll go with kids anytime if they ask me, on trips, singing, dancing, fishing, sewing, anything that has to do with kids."

This biography courtesy of the Denakkanaaga Elder-Youth Conference, June 5-9, 2000

This page done by Jesse Charlie - Class of 2001 - Minto High School