Bessie Cooley Kèyishí (b. 1944)
	
Bessie Cooley was born in the Teslin Lake area to Bobby Thomas Jackson and Elizabeth Johnston Jackson. In the 1950s and 1960s, Bobby Jackson was a pillar of the Teslin Anglican church.((Old Log Church Museum, photo 2003.5.487.)) His mother lived in what is now called the Freddy and Nina Johnston House, restored by the Teslin Tlingit Council as a historic remnant of the Teslin Old Village. Bessie also lived in the house when she was young and remembers after a snowstorm that her father had to tunnel his way out from the house.((Michael Gates, “Heritage awards honour Yukoners.” //Yukon News// (Whitehorse), 1 March 2018.)) Bessie’s thesis “Life in a Tlingit Society” describes her upbringing.
	
Bessie has an Associate of Applied Science degree in Native languages Education and a BA in Native Studies from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.((“Member Profiles 2017-2018.” //Yukon Geographical Place Names Board, 2017-2018 Annual report.// 2018: 3.)) She completed her master’s degree (MA) in Indigenous Languages and Linguistics from Simon Fraser University in 2023.((Carmen Chin, “Lifelong Indigenous language advocate dedicates degree to Tlingit heritage.” Simon Fraser University 2023 website: Lifelong Indigenous language advocate dedicates degree to Tlingit heritage - SFU News - Simon Fraser University))
	
Bessie married Bonar Cooley in the early 1960s, and they worked together on a comprehensive genealogy for the Teslin Tlingit in the early 1970s.((“Bonar George Cooley.” //Yukon News,// 28 August 2020.)) She was an Inland Tlingit language instructor in Teslin for decades. In 2012, there were perhaps four fluent speakers of the language in the Yukon.((“Yukon First Nations learn new language teaching approach.” //CBC News,// 1 December 2012. 2021 website: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/yukon-first-nations-learn-language-teaching-approach-214237984.html.)) Bessie was appointed to the Yukon Geographical Places Names Board in September 2012.((//Yukon Geographical Place Names Board, 2012 - 2013 Annual report.//)) 

Bess Cooley was inducted into the Order of the Yukon in 2020 for her demonstrated excellence and achievement and her outstanding contributions to the social and cultural well-being of Yukon and its residents.((“Congratulations.” //Deslin Neek,// Issue 60, December 2020: 20.))