LUTHERAN QUILTERS – Members of the Quilts for Comfort Group stand between pews draped with some of the 205 quilts they made, in the Sitka Lutheran Church Tuesday. The group made the quilts for five local non-profits and one in Anchorage. The remaining quilts are sent to Lutheran World Relief which distributes them to places around the world in need, such as Ukraine, as part of Personal Care Kits. Pictured are, from left, Helen Cunningham, Kathleen Brandt,Vicki Swanson, Paulla Hardy, Kim Hunter, Linda Swanson and Sue Fleming. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
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Daily Sitka Sentinel
Grace Berg Schaible
Grace Berg Schaible
Our aunt, Grace Berg Schaible, passed away in Fairbanks on June 9, 2017, at the age of 91.
In the days after her passing, much was written about her professional accomplishments and her contributions to Alaska. Rather than repeat that, we will share the family side of her life.
Grace was the youngest of three children of Hans and Mandis Berg of Juneau. She was born in 1925 in Tacoma, Washington, (to her lifelong chagrin), and arrived in Juneau when she was a few weeks old.
She graduated from Juneau High, and after working to earn college money she enrolled at the University of Alaska. She graduated in 1949 with a history degree.
After earning a master’s degree at George Washington University, Grace attended Yale Law School, graduating in 1959. She married Dr. Arthur Schaible of Fairbanks in New York on Christmas 1958, and moved to Fairbanks in 1959 to practice law. She passed the bar exam in 1960, becoming the first female attorney to be admitted to practice after statehood.
In addition to her professional law practice, Grace led a very active life. She and Arthur traveled extensively, starting with a honeymoon in Africa, and including multiple trips to Europe and Africa, taking the trans-Siberian railroad (during the Soviet era), and sailing on tramp steamers in the Pacific and Atlantic.
In the 1960s, Grace started raising Great Pyrenees show dogs. She had an extensive kennel at her cabin near Fairbanks, and in the winter the dogs took over most of her garage space. She raised several Champions and Grand Champions during the 1960s and ’70s.
After Arthur died in 1980, Grace continued to travel. She was on the first tourist ship to transit the Northwest Passage in 1984, and continued to travel extensively in the Arctic up to 2015, including making more than 60 trips to Svalbard to see polar bears.
During this time, she became a serious collector of Inuit and other Arctic and polar-bear themed art. She also traveled five times to the Canadian Arctic, twice to Antarctica, and took three trips down the mid-Atlantic ridge.
Grace had a lifelong love of classical music. She studied piano and organ during her childhood, becoming an accomplished pianist. She supported classical music programs throughout her life, including KUAC’s opera broadcast and the Sitka Summer Music Festival. She subscribed to the Seattle Opera, and traveled to New York and Europe to hear music.
Grace was a needlepoint fanatic. She hosted a lunchtime needlepoint session at her law firm starting in the 1980s. She made pillows, Christmas ornaments and stockings for family and friends, and provided “Crimson Bears” needlepoint coasters for her entire 50th high school reunion.
Beginning in the 1980s, Grace celebrated Christmas together with other family members. For several years, Grace spent Christmas in England, hosting family members during the holidays. Later, the holidays were spent in California at her sister’s home, with Grace bringing salmon and other Alaskan specialties for the occasion.
Grace was a lifelong philanthropist. Although she is recognized for her many gifts to the University of Alaska, she supported numerous other groups in Alaska and elsewhere. She was a strong supporter of the Literacy Council. She was active in the World Wildlife Fund and other organizations to support polar bear conservation.
Grace was preceded in death by her husband Arthur in 1980 and her older brother Clifford Berg in 2005. She is survived by her sister Sylvia (Berg) Drowley, and nephews Dave, Jeff and Cliff Drowley.
A memorial service will be held to celebrate Grace’s life at the Patty Center, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, at 5 p.m. on Monday, August 28, 2017.
The family asks that any donations in Grace’s memory be made to FMH Hospice, P.O. Box 71396, Fairbanks, Alaska 99707.
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20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Advertisement: Tea-Licious Tea House & Bakery 315 Lincoln Street Grand Opening! Freshly Baked Scones, Cakes & Pastries Innovative Salads, Soups & Sandwiches Harney & Sons Tea. Lunch * Afternoon Tea * Supper.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Photo caption: National Republican Chairman George Bush takes a drink of water offered by Jan Craddick, Sitka delegate, during the Republican convention held here. Mrs. Craddick explained to Bush that the water was from Indian River, which means, according to local legend, that he will return.