Josephine (“Josie”) Jacquot Sias

Josephine Jacquot was born on October 21, 1927, in Burwash Landing, Yukon. Her parents were Louis Jacquot, a French immigrant, and Mary Copper Joe, of the Southern Tutchone First Nation. Josie was the youngest in a family of three children. Josie grew up learning the ways of the land from her mother, and maintained a life-long passion for learning and teaching about all things in nature. Josie and her siblings were sent out for schooling to Whitehorse, France, and Vancouver, B.C.

At the age of twenty, while living in Steveston B.C., Josie met Frank Sias, and they married in 1948. They happily left city life behind and came north to build a life for themselves. They lived and worked in various Yukon locations, constructing and managing roadhouses. They became the parents of two children, Linda in 1950, and Douglas in 1952. Frank then hired on with the Haines-Fairbanks Pipeline, stationed first at Donjek Pump Station, Mile 1124, Alaska Highway.

In 1962, they transferred to the Pleasant Camp Pump Station, at 48 Mile on the Haines Road. This was to be home for the next eight years. Here they became an integral part of a small close-knit community. True to her caring and generous nature, Josie would spend time with the children in “camp” as it was called. Whether it was taking a small group off berry picking, planting a flower garden, or teaching the youngsters how to curl, Josie found pleasure in sharing her time and knowledge. Josie also taught the school kids square dancing, and their performance was the highlight of the annual Christmas concerts.

When the pipeline closed down in 1969, the

Sias family relocated to Silver City, which was returning near home for Josie. They settled near the historic remains of the old Silver City on the east end of beautiful Kluane Lake.

They were to spend the rest of their lives here, sharing their knowledge, skills, and wonderful life, in many ways. In 1974, they were put in charge of a Parks Canada Program called Conservation Group Corp., where a new group of sixteen Yukon teenagers, each summer, learned many outdoor and life skills. They were taught how to cut timber and build cabins, and cut and groom trails through the brush in the newly formed Kluane National Park. They learned how catch fish and cook them, while living in tents in the bush, all the while gaining a new perspective on life. Imagine the mentorship that took place around the evening campfires. Many of these youngsters became lifelong friends of Frank and Josie.

Josie also worked as an interpreter at the Kluane National Park, where she felt it was a privilege to be able to share the stories and traditions of her First Nation ancestors. She was recognized for her outstanding work in this area by being chosen to represent her region at the Canadian Polar Commission.

Frank and Josie opened a Bed & Breakfast at their home in Silver City in the early 1990s. It became a popular retreat and wellness venue for many Yukoners over the years. Their son Douglas and his wife Cecile took it over when they were ready to retire.

Josie was awarded a well-deserved Order of Canada in 2003, and the following wonderful citation.

Josie is dedicated to communicating her unique knowledge of the people, history, and geography of the Yukon. As a park interpreter, volunteer, and business woman, this elder of the Kluane First Nation has employed storytelling to keep alive the traditions of her ancestors. Widely respected for her leadership of the Parks Canada Youth Corps, she helped young people from various economic and cultural backgrounds to foster teamwork and mutual understanding. She also taught anglophone, francophone, and aboriginal students about their respective languages and cultures. In recognition of her outstanding leadership she was appointed to represent her people and her region at the Canadian Polar Commission.

And yet another honour in 2012 when Josie received Queen Elizabeth 11’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Josie passed away in August of 2012, two months before her eighty-fifth birthday. The outpouring of love and stories at Josie’s funeral in Burwash illustrated the impact she had on people from all walks of life.

During her lifetime, with an avid interest in all things in nature, Josie had amassed a wealth of material. She kept journals, took photos, and made collections. She left letters, recipes, and a large library. The family has generously donated this legacy to the Yukon Archives in memory of Josie.