[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 95 (Wednesday, June 29, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S4219]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                REMEMBERING DR. WALTER A. SOBOLEFF, SR.

 Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, today I wish to memorialize Dr. 
Walter A. Soboleff, Sr., who died at his home on May 22, 2011. During a 
life which spanned more than 102 years, Dr. Soboleff was revered as one 
of Alaska's greatest teachers. A Presbyterian minister, Tlingit scholar 
and elder, his quiet wisdom, wry humor, and loving leadership bridged 
cultures to change attitudes and lives.
  Born November 14, 1908, in Killisnoo, AK, to a Tlingit mother and the 
son of a Russian Orthodox priest, Walter was a member of the Yeil 
moiety, Raven; L'eeneidi clan, Dog Salmon; and Aanx'aakhittaan House. 
His Tlingit names included T'aaw Chan and Kaajaakwti.
  From fifth grade through high school, Dr. Soboleff emerged as an 
academic talent at Sheldon Jackson, a Presbyterian mission school in 
Sitka, AK. Though baptized by his Russian Orthodox grandfather, his 
experience at Sheldon Jackson led him to the Presbyterian ministry. Few 
Alaska Natives had access to college in the 1930s, but Dr. Soboleff was 
hungry to learn. He attended a term at Oregon State University, fished 
commercially, and worked the canneries before receiving a full 
scholarship to the theological seminary at the University of Dubuque, 
Iowa. He completed his graduate degree there in 1940.
  With many offers to fill pulpits around the country, Dr. Soboleff 
chose to return to Alaska. As the first ordained Alaska Native, he led 
Juneau's Memorial Presbyterian Church, a struggling mission to the 
Tlingits. For many at that time, an integrated church was 
inconceivable, but Dr. Soboleff's inspired fusion of Tlingit and 
Christian spirituality attracted a diverse and growing congregation. 
His teachings were so resonant that part of his service was broadcast 
on the radio, and he even had a weekly news program which was broadcast 
in the Tlingit language.
  Although Memorial Church closed in 1962, Dr. Soboleff maintained his 
spirit, relocating his ministry to the mission boats Anna Jackman and 
Princeton Hall. On them, he traveled southeast Alaska to serve remote 
villages, logging camps, and lighthouse stations.
  A man who walked his talk, Dr. Soboleff was an activist of quiet 
strength who dedicated himself to humanitarian service and the 
preservation of his culture. He exemplified caring, understanding, and 
mutual respect. When denied housing because he and his wife Genevieve 
were Native, and when the Presbyterians closed his church without 
explanation, he chose the high road and subsequently opened doors. He 
responded to conflict with benevolence and racial bias with equanimity, 
and his unexpected kindness softened difficult situations to invite 
open relationships and understanding.
  A worker rather than a joiner, Dr. Soboleff belonged to many diverse 
organizations, all dedicated to human understanding and, for him, the 
preservation of his culture.
  As a member of the Alaska Native Brotherhood, he served in all 
offices including seven terms as grand president. Through ANB he worked 
to empower Alaska Natives and develop collaborations with other 
organizations to shape antidiscrimination and land claims legislation. 
After passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in 1971, Dr. 
Soboleff served as a director of the Sealaska Corporation, president of 
Kootznoowoo, Inc., and chair of the Sealaska Heritage Institute's Board 
of Trustees.
  As a member of the Lions Club, he helped to found the Gold Medal 
Basketball Tournament, an event which continues to unite southeast 
Alaska communities in sport.
  As a member of the Alaska National Guard, he served 20 years as 
chaplain and retired as a lieutenant colonel.
  In recognition of his many outstanding achievements, the University 
of Dubuque awarded Dr. Soboleff an honorary doctorate in divinity in 
1952; the University of Alaska would follow suit with an honorary 
doctorate of humanities in 1968.
  Widely recognized as one who understood the value of education, Dr. 
Soboleff was appointed by Governor Walter J. Hickel to the State board 
of education. The first Alaska Native to serve, he became chair in 
1967. In 1970, he became the first director of Native Studies at UAF. 
There, he taught Tlingit history, language, and literature. Fluent both 
in Tlingit and English, he translated stories to revive the Tlingit 
language and restore his people's pride in themselves and their 
heritage. Cross-cultural understanding and human respect were so 
important to Dr. Soboleff, that he stayed active until the end of his 
long life, addressing a rally against domestic violence just weeks 
before his death. His presence and his words, as always, made a 
difference.
  To Dr. Soboleff's four children, Janet, Sasha, Walter, and Ross, and 
to his extended family, we send deep condolences along with joy for the 
gift of his longevity. While Alaska has lost one of the greatest of her 
leaders, the teachings of Walter A. Soboleff have shaped how we view 
ourselves and how we treat one another. Those touched by his spirit 
have been changed for the better, and his legacy lives on.

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