Stella Boss, Tanadhet ma (1930 – 2014)
Stella Boss was the eldest child of Bessie Crow of Hutchi and Dury Crow of Fort Selkirk. Her maternal grandparents were Hutchi Charlie and Lily Isaac and her paternal grandparents are Jim Crow and Nank’inyea. Stella met Ned Boss in 1950 and they were married in 1953 with Ned’s brother and his wife, Fred and Lydia Boss, bearing witness. Ned passed in 1959. Stella and her three children lived at Sleepy Hollow in Whitehorse and Stella worked for fourteen years at the Whitehorse General Hospital as part of the housekeeping staff. Then she went went to Kishwoot Hall for two years to upgrade her education. She started as a cook’s helper at Yukon Hall and worked there for nine years, gaining the love and respect of the students who remembered her generosity and warm laughter. In 1987, Stella took the Elders’ Care job at Munku and settled at Haines Junction where she later retired.1)
Stella Boss had a good memory and told stories according to her birth year. She was key in documenting the history of the Southern Tutchone people. She was fluent in Southern Tutchone and taught the language. She was a talented seamstress and beader and sold her artwork locally and in Haines, Alaska. She was the boss of her family and nurtured relations with each one of her extended family. She lived a tough and honourable life. 2)