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Richard Frank
Richard Frank was a respected Athabascan Elder from Minto, Alaska. He was born in 1927 to Justin and Lucy Frank, during a time when a nomadic subsistence lifestyle was paramount for survival. His family moved across the lands of Rampart, Stevens Village and Minto. He grew up learning the skills and traditions of his ancestors. This early training set the path and philosophy that Richard followed throughout his life: a strong work ethic, a sense of place, service to his community, fierce independence, and a competitive spirit. Richard became involved in community projects at a young age; he participated in a local youth club, similar to the Boy Scouts, where he assisted the elders by cutting their wood, hunting for them, hauling their water, and helping the elders any way he could. At age 13, he chose to join the workforce and got a job with the Alaska Railroad working between Nenana and Cantwell. When Richard turned 18, he enlisted into the Army Air Corps and served in the Pacific theater during World War II. Here he learned to be an airplane mechanic, which he later applied to jobs with Wien Airlines and Boeing. He also worked on the riverboats on the Tanana and Yukon Rivers that hauled freight to remote communities. Having grown up mushing dogs, Richard applied this skill and interest into training and racing sled dogs. In the 1960s, Richard advocated for Native land rights and was highly involved in the Alaska Native land claims movement. During his lifetime, Richard Frank served as the Chief of the Minto Tribal Council, President of the Minto Village Corporation, and served on the Board of the Tanana Chiefs Conference. He passed away in 2012 at the age of 85. For more about Richard Frank, see his obituary in the Fairbanks Daily News Miner newspaper.