Daisy Northway

Daisy Northway is an Upper Tanana Athabascan who was born at Healy Lake, Alaska. She is the daughter of Ellen Felix Demit and Frank Felix. The family left Healy Lake in the late 1940s when Daisy was about five years old after an epidemic hit the community. They first lived at Big Gerstle and then, after her father died, at Dot Lake. Daisy grew up mostly living a subsistence lifestyle, and learned to bead and sew at a young age. As a teenager, she worked at the Fortymile Roadhouse when her mother also worked there. Eventually, she married Harold Northway and lived in the village of Northway. Daisy worked as the tribal administrator for the Northway Tribal Council for about ten years, even after moving to Tok in 1973, which meant an hour drive each way. Daisy and Harold Northway currently live in Tok, Alaska, and Daisy works on beading projects that she sells at local bazaars.