Paddock, Constance H. (1920-2011) | Sealaska Heritage Institute Archives

Name: Paddock, Constance H. (1920-2011)

Historical Note: Constance ‘Connie’ Helen Harper (1920-2011) was born on June 18, 1920 on a small Tanana River island near Nenana, Alaska. She was part Athabaskan Indian. Connie was educated in the common schools of the area and in 1940 she was awarded a business scholarship to attend the Haskell Institute, Lawrence, Kansas, from where she later graduated with honors. After completing her studies at the Haskell Institute, Connie returned to Alaska and settled briefly at Juneau. There she met Thomas Oren Paddock (1913-1981) who she married in 1943, though Thomas spent the next two years in the Pacific working as a US Navy Seabee building marine installations. During this period in Juneau Connie worked as a secretary to the Welfare Director in the Alaska Office of Indian Affairs. After Thomas completed his military service, he and Connie moved to Tenekee Springs, Alaska in 1946 where Connie worked for the Federal Government completing census records for approximately five years. In 1951 Connie and her husband moved back to Juneau where Connie found work in the Alaska State Legislature as an Assistant Clerk, and Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives. She worked in this capacity for approximately 20 years until her retirement. During her life Connie was also involved in the Alaska Native Sisterhood and worked to secure lands for Alaska Native villages left out of ANCSA. She is also a Sealaska Corporation shareholder. She is the mother of three children, Maxine, Tom Jr., and Anna Louise. She passed away in March 2011 at the Sitka Pioneers Home.

Records or Manuscript Collections Created by Paddock, Constance H.