A couple of years I went over to Sequim to spend some time with Mada Angell.
Her sister had passed away and in her mother’s items that Sharon had was an old Juneau High School senior yearbook that belonged to a fellow by the name of Art McKinnon. We tried all sorts of ways to locate him. We went through the yearbook, and I noticed that Ron Hildre was a much younger underclassman in it. I was in Juneau and ran into Ron and Kathy Hildre, and I asked Ron if he remembered him. He did not but Kathy sure did. She gave me the number for Bonnie Bryson whom she said was related to him. Mada called Bonnie and her former sister-in-law, Jill who lived near Mada, came and got the book.
Here is where the story takes and interesting turn. Art McKinnon was not the Art McKinnon related to the Brysons. There were three Art McKinnons all from Juneau and all related. The original Art McKinnon started Reliable Transfer. He and his first wife had a son that was not named Art, but he named his son Art and this was the one related to the Brysons. The original Art remarried and he and his wife had a son whom they named Art. It was this person who the yearbook belonged to.
Jill’s aunt and uncle were in that high school class and did know Art McKinnon. They got the yearbook back to him a week or so before he passed away. His wife told me that he enjoyed so much having the book and remembering his high school experience. I am so grateful to Kathy for her help because in the end, she made this happen.
Gail Sieberts
Anchorage
