Living history

May Carter honored on 90th birthday

Aug. 23, 2005

DARRELL L. BREESE\Frontiersman reporter

WASILLA - May Carter was carrying on like a young school girl, laughing and smiling as friends and family wished her a happy birthday Sunday. But none of them dared tell her to act her age.

Carter, of Wasilla, celebrated her 90th birthday in a party at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Born Aug. 25, 1915, in Montana, the little girl who was once afraid of Indians, moved to Alaska in 1940 with her husband Pat. Upon arriving in the Matanuska-Susitna valleys they purchased a mile long stretch of property on Lake Lucille for $900.

Together they raised three daughters and a son. Pat died 13 years ago, and May still lives in the family home on the lake.

Most of her 17 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild attended the celebration, along with members of the community.

In 1944 she was sworn in as the United States Territorial Commissioner and Magistrate for the area. While serving as commissioner, on Feb. 18, 1953, she performed the wedding ceremony for Joe and Vi Redington in Wasilla.

She also served as the postmaster for Wasilla for 29 years, retiring in 1973.

Well-wishers shared stories of the role May played in the early history of Wasilla. Her daughter Helen Carney told of the family living off potatoes and rabbits the first year they lived here.

Others told of Carter being instrumental in establishing Wasilla's first school board, helping construct the first fire department and issuing them their driver's license and permit when they were teenagers.

She also played a key

roll in the establishment

of Sacred Heart Church

and the Bishop's Attic in Palmer.

LeRoi Heaven, who worked at the post office with her, shared a story of delivering the mail in the middle of a snowstorm with Carter riding along making the bulk of the deliveries.

"She was my supervisor and didn't think twice about getting involved," Heaven said. "The next year a guy came out from Anchorage for the ride-along, and he wanted nothing to do with making the deliveries."

Carter sat for a while with Redington and 88-year-old Pat Hjellen. The conversation was filled with laughter as the three Valley pioneers recalled the good old days and exchanged stories about their grandchildren.

"She is a wonderful woman," Margaret Heaven said of the birthday girl. "She is the most honest, fair and straightforward person I know. She is a big part of Wasilla's history. I am excited to be part of celebrating her 90th birthday."

Contact Darrell L. Breese at 352-2267 or at darrell.breese@ frontiersman.com