Fort McPherson (Feb 17/03) - Gwich'in elder Lucy Vaneltsi will be remembered as an inspiration to all who knew her.

She died after a brief illness on Feb. 1, a little more than two months after her 100th birthday celebration in Inuvik on Nov. 30.

Gwich'in elder Lucy Vaneltsi celebrated her 100th birthday at the Inuvik Regional Hospital in December, surrounded by family and friends. - NNSL file photo

Lucy didn't have an easy life, but never let it get her down.

She lost her mother just after she was born and many other family members died from flu epidemics and other illnesses while she was growing up.

History repeated itself throughout Lucy's life. Her husband Abraham died of tuberculosis in 1954, leaving her to raise the family all by herself. She also lost several of her own children over the years.

Lucy did all the hunting, trapping, cooking, fishing and sewing to ensure her family survived.

In an interview with News/North in December, her daughter Ruth Carrol, the youngest of four surviving siblings, said her mother never gave up.

"Like most women in this area, she had to work hard..." said Carrol.

And for that, she received a certificate of recognition from Prime Minister Jean Chretien and a giant plaque from Queen Elizabeth II on her birthday.

Mary Teya said Lucy had an unrelenting strength that everyone admired.

"She was really active in her culture and traditional way of life," said Teya. "She used to even move up into the mountains with her family by dog team."

Also a devoted Christian woman of Anglican faith, Lucy was proud to share her religious knowledge with everyone. She also devoted much of her time to the Anglican Church Ladies' Auxiliary.

"She knew a lot about the Bible and she prayed all the time. She knew a lot of the hymns and she was always singing loud so that everybody heard her," said Teya.

Teya said Lucy's warm smiling face will never be forgotten by those who knew her.

"She was always happy and joking and telling stories so I know that a lot of people are going to miss her," she said.