Project Jukebox

Digital Branch of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Oral History Program

Project Jukebox Survey

Help us redesign the Project Jukebox website by taking a very short survey!

Sarah Simon

Sarah Simon

Sarah Simon was born in 1912 to Annie and Jimmy Koyukuk in Allakaket, Alaska. She grew up there and around Wiseman/Bettles. From a very young age, she was raised by her Aunt Big Susie, but Susie passed away when Sarah was 12, so she went back to her parents. Sarah grew up living the subsistence lifestyle, hunting and trapping with her father, and traveling to seasonal winter, spring, summer and fall camps to carry out specific subsistence activities. In the early 1930s, she married Lee Simon and they moved to Hughes, Alaska, where he worked at the Hog River gold mine. Sarah had polio as a young woman, which left her without the use of one leg, but this never slowed her down. She had five children of her own, raised a step-daughter, and adopted four children when she was in her late forties. For many years, she would spend all summer at fish camp near Hughes putting up fish for the winter for her large family and their dogs. She was proud of her healthy and active lifestyle and that she never smoked or drank alcohol. In addition to being a hard worker, Sarah also was known for her faith and wisdom, with people often asking for her prayers and advice. In 1969, Sarah and Lee moved back to Allakaket to be closer to her family. Lee passed way in 1989. Sarah passed away in 2008 at age 95. (Photo by Peggy Patterson.)

Date of Birth:
Apr 20, 1912
Date of Death:
Jan 29, 2008
Sarah Simon appears in the following new Jukebox projects: