Patricia Roppel

Patricia Ann Roppel (April 5, 1938 – January 6, 2015) was historian, writer and educator who specialized in the history of Southeast Alaska. She had thirteen books and more than 100 articles published during her career.[1][2] Much of her work focused on the people and locations of that particular region, as well as the state's major industries, including mining, salmon fishing and hatcheries, and canning.[1] She was named "Alaska Historian of the Year" in both 1978 and 2006 in recognition of books released during those years.[1]

Roppel was born Patricia Snowden on April 5, 1938, in Ellensburg, Washington, to Richard and Helen Snowden.[3] She received a degree in home economics from Oregon State University.[3] Roppel moved from Washington to Alaska in 1959.[1] She originally worked as a home economics teacher at Ketchikan High School in Ketchikan, Alaska, from 1959 to 1965.[1][3] Roppel published her first article in 1965.[1]

Alaska Governor Jay Hammond appointed Roppel to the new Alaska Historical Commission in 1975.[3] The Commission oversaw the creation of a new high school textbook on the history of Alaska and advised state lawmakers on related issues.[3] She was reappointed for three terms on the Commission from 1975 until 1983.[3] In 1991, Governor Wally Hickel appointed Roppel to the Alaska Humanities Forum, a position she held until 1996.[3] She was reappointed to the Alaska Historical Commission in 2003 by Governor Tony Knowles.[3] She remained on the Commission until her death in 2015, including a tenure as Vice-Chair of the Commission from 2006 to 2008.[3]

Roppel and her husband originally lived in Ketchikan, Alaska.[3] They moved to Sitka, Alaska, in 1983, and to Wrangell, Alaska, in 1992.[1][3] Patricia Roppel died from cancer in Bellevue, Washington, on January 6, 2015, at the age of 76. She was survived by her husband of fifty-five years, Frank Roppel, and their two children, John and Cindy.[1]