Gastineau Channel Memories

Troutman, Sam and Hazel

Miriam Cameron

Hazel and Sam Paul Troutman came to Alaska in 1924, where they started their careers as day school teachers at Gambell on St. Lawrence Island. They also taught in Savoonga, Haines and Sitka, providing knowledge and inspiration for many young people.

Their son Marvin was born in Tacoma and daughter Miriam Troutman (Cameron) was born in 1925, at Gambell. She was delivered by Sam. They moved to Haines in 1937, to Sitka in 1941 and in 1944 to Auke Bay, when Sam came to the Juneau office of the Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs as a property clerk, advancing to procurement officer and head of his section where he remained until his retirement in 1959.

Sam was one of the seven founding members of the Presbyterian Church, Chapel by the Lake at Auke Bay. Hazel sang in the Chapel choir.

After Sam?s retirement from the BIA he spent the next 32 years selling real estate and gardening and hiking. He and Hazel wintered in Palm Springs for several years. Hazel died in August, 1978, and Sam on August 22, 1991, at Sitka.

	Sam and Hazel Troutman.