Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Aug 14/98) - One of Inuvik's founders has died.

Christine Gordon was born at Shingle Point on Aug. 31, 1933 and lived her childhood with her parents Johnny and Emma Aviugana at their Mackenzie Delta bush camp.

She married Stanley Gordon in Aklavik in April 1954 and the two had 12 children.

In 1958 they moved to the newly-created town of Inuvik where she lived until her death early this month.

She worked for some time at Birds Camp and at the Inuvik Sewing Centre.

Sewing was one of her favorite pastimes and she took great pride in her 28 grandchildren.

"She didn't like to see her children leave town even for a weekend or a day," said her youngest child, Tim.

"If we were going to go to a hockey tournament in Aklavik or Whitehorse for a baseball tournament, she'd always be sad to see us go because she'd be afraid, always afraid something bad would happen. That was how much she really loved us."

Although Christine had been sick for the past 11 years, she courageously fought to make the most of her life. The past two years of her life were spent as a patient in long term care.

She was always thankful to have visitors and was very happy when friends and family stopped by.

Her funeral was held Aug. 6 at the Inuvik Christian Assembly. It was followed by a long procession down Mackenzie Road and a feast.

"The church was jam packed," said Tim. "There are a lot of relatives in town. I can't even name all the relative who are here. From Aklavik and Paulatuk, from all over."

Her son-in-law Alex Elanik said he remembers a hard-working woman who looked after her family.

"She made people welcome to her place. She liked sewing and she had something that she's cooked all the time."

Christine is survived by her daughters Lorraine, Verna, Judy and Irene, her sons Philip, John, Gilbert, Garry and Tim, her sister Lena, her brothers Donald, Elias, Rudolf and 28 grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her husband Stanley, her parents Emma and Johnny Aviugana, her brothers Philip, Alex and Norman, her sisters Mary Ruth and Nora and her children Brian Bernice and Roderick.

She will be missed by many friends and family.