Yukon who is who

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Otto Nordling (1909 - 1978)
	
Otto Nordling was born in Lulea, Sweden and arrived in Dawson with his parents and three [two?] brothers Oscar and Tory [or Tore] in 1914.((Walter R. Hamilton, //The Yukon Story.// Vancouver: Mitchell Press Ltd., 1964: 222.)) In 1914 he established a school at Gold Run Creek to enable himself and other miners to learn English.((Yukon Archives manuscript listing.)) He graduated from the Dawson High School.((Walter R. Hamilton, //The Yukon Story.// Vancouver: Mitchell Press Ltd., 1964: 222.)) Otto Nordling worked for nine years with the Bank of Montreal in Dawson and then worked for more years with the main branch of the bank in Vancouver.((Iris Warner, "Otto Nordling - Once a Yukoner, Always a Yukoner." //Whitehorse Star// (Whitehorse), 12 June 1978.)) 

Otto was involved in the junior board of trade in both Dawson and Mayo. As a member of the New Westminster Junior Board of Trade he assisted W.D. MacBride and others to form the Whitehorse Men's Council which later became the Board of Trade and then the Chamber of Commerce. In 1936, he was the secretary of the Dawson Hockey League and organized the first Dawson-Fairbanks Goodwill Tour. Otto resigned his position at the Bank of Montreal in 1938 and returned north to go into the insurance business.((Iris Warner, "Otto Nordling - Once a Yukoner, Always a Yukoner." //Whitehorse Star// (Whitehorse), 12 June 1978.))

He enlisted in the Canadian Army in Dawson in 1940 and became a corporal in the Royal Canadian Signal Corps stationed at Vancouver. From 1942-1944, he was at Work Point Barracks in Esquimalt and then, as staff sergeant, he was chief clerk at Prince Rupert. During that time, he persuaded Frank E. Woodside to set up branches of the B.C. Chamber of Mines in Dawson and later in Whitehorse.((Iris Warner, "Otto Nordling - Once a Yukoner, Always a Yukoner." //Whitehorse Star// (Whitehorse), 12 June 1978.))

In 1945, he married Captain Margery Langley, company commander in the CWAC with service in British Columbia and overseas. Following V.E. Day Otto volunteered for Pacific Duty and from August to November 1945 processed Canadian prisoners of war in the Philippines. After the war he was stationed at bases all across Canada.((Iris Warner, "Otto Nordling - Once a Yukoner, Always a Yukoner." //Whitehorse Star// (Whitehorse), 12 June 1978.))
	
Otto was an energetic promoter for the Yukon. In Ottawa, in 1951, he urged the adoption of the Yukon coat-of arms, officially presented to Governor-General Massey in Whitehorse in 1956. He helped to have the word "sourdough" appear in the new //Canadian Encyclopedia// and, with Margaret and Helen Ogilvie (granddaughters of William Ogilvie), formed the Ottawa Sourdough Club.((Iris Warner, "Otto Nordling - Once a Yukoner, Always a Yukoner." //Whitehorse Star// (Whitehorse), 12 June 1978.)) In 1959, he was elected vice-president of the International Sourdoughs.((Yukon Archives manuscript listing.)) Otto was aware and supported local causes as well and he and Thomas Brooks, Carcross poet, lobbied for a senior citizen's home in Whitehorse.((Iris Warner, "Otto Nordling - Once a Yukoner, Always a Yukoner." //Whitehorse Star// (Whitehorse), 12 June 1978.)) Otto was the instigator of Yukon grants for students going outside for further education. He was a frequent contributor to the //Whitehorse Star.//(("Otto Nordling Passed Away." //The Whitehorse Star// (Whitehorse), 9 June 1978.))