Lucy Panik Obruk
Lucy Panik Obruk was born on August 9, 1949 to Verne and Eleanor Eutuk. Her mother Eleanor passed away while she was an infant. Sergie and Esther Obruk were blessed to have and raise her. They raised and loved her as their own. Throughout her life, Lucy was always healthy until her battle with cancer. Even then, she surpassed her doctor’s expectations and handled chemo/radiation treatments and emergency surgery better than expected. She passed on October 28, 2020 surrounded by her family and friends.
Lucy first attended high school at Mt. Edgecumbe and graduated from Nome-Beltz.
Over the years, she worked many different positions including: Firefighter, sandbagger, translator of Eskimo stories, bilingual teacher substitute, bingo attendant, election judge for the State of Alaska and all the local entities, pull-tab attendant for the Shishmaref Emergency Services and then for the I.R.A. Gaming Department.
In her younger years, Lucy would often check fishnets with a scow. She enjoyed camping and loved to pick salmon and black berries. She took great care of her parents Sergie and Esther until their passing. She kept both their houses clean and made sure that they had a cooked meal daily.
During the Christmas week she always got gifts for all of her family and friends that raced. She made sure not to leave anyone out; she even gave gifts to the grandchildren of her friends. Lucy enjoyed participating in the racing events and nightly Eskimo games. She would foot race, snow machine race and snowshoe race when she was younger. She enjoyed dog racing as an elder, thank you to Daniel Olanna for giving her that opportunity, she used to say “lotsa fun” when she’s done. Then Fourth of July she would also 3-legged race and egg toss, always with the same comment “lotsa fun.”
Lucy took great pride in her family and enjoyed attending family gatherings. If family members needed help and if she could help, she was there. Many of her nieces and nephews along with their children came to her for moral support or if they needed a listening ear. She was there, never turning anyone away. She understood the importance of education for her children. When they were young, she would dress them and amaq them to school while they slept. Then, when they got older she would make sure they got up and went to school. All three of her children got diplomas.
Lucy was a caring, loving person who was always young at heart. When she was a teenager, during movie nights at her house you would have to look for her because she would be sitting among the young ones watching movies. If it were a scary movie, she would be the one holding a pillow in front of her. We have a lot of fun memories with her. While waiting for appointments or passing through Nome, she would stay up in the living room enjoying her great granddaughters at Matthew and Vanessa’s place. She would interact with them every chance she got, from reading books to playing with them. She loved all her grandchildren dearly, her grandson Andrew was her heart. She would always say, “My heart, my love.”
Lucy is survived by her children: Eleanor & John (Elsa, Winfred, Brian, Delbert, Kane & Daniel), Susie & Mick (Andrew) and Sergie “Mimic” Obruk. Brothers & sisters: Winfred Obruk, Delbert Obruk, Grace & John Pullock, Tommy & Vivian Obruk, Florence Iyatunguk, Nora Kuzuguk and Frances & Frank. Nieces & nephews: Charles & Lisa Pullock, Clyde & Fallon Pullock & family, family of Johanna Hickerson, Dennis Pullock. The family of Angela Mike, Esther & Andrew Nayokpuk & family, Annie Obruk & family, JoAnne Obruk, Sergie Obruk II, Kristy & Jonathan Davis & family, Thomas Obruk. Crystal & Chris Kalerak & family, Randall, Bobbi & family, D.J., Mattie & family, Rebecca & family, Tiffany Jones, Pauline Iyatunguk & family, Esther Iyatunguk & family, Nora Iyatunguk & family, Verne & Daisy & family.
Richard & Stephanie Kuzuguk & family, Leonard Sr. & Anna Kuzuguk & family, Helen Sockpick & family, Jeanette & Robert Iyatunguk Sr. & family, Kevin Kuzuguk, Jenny Kuzuguk & family, Florence Kuzuguk & family, Nellie & William Olanna & family, Berta Kuzuguk & family, Gertrude Scott & family, Verne Ongtowasruk, Merwin Eutuk and Leslie Eutuk. Ellen Pootoogooluk, Diane Pootoogooluk & family, Robert Pootoogooluk, Gloria, Warren & family, Jennifer Demir & family, Ruth Moses & family, Kara & Stanley Tocktoo & family, Charlene Ningealook & family and Thomas Pootoogooluk & family. Many great nieces & nephews who called her Grandma Lu and four great grandchildren: Jaysen, Jayde, Florence & Oran.
Lucy is preceded in death by her parents Sergie and Esther Obruk along with seven siblings that died in their early years, Verne and Rosie Eutuk and their son Leonard, Eleanor Eutuk. Aunts: Nellie Weyiouanna and Lucy Outwater. In-laws: Christina Obruk, Daniel Iyatunguk, and Bert Kuzuguk. Nieces and nephews: Johanna Hickerson , Kevin Pullock, Angela Mike and Gilford Iyatunguk, Alfred Kuzuguk, Bert & Nora Kuzuguk’s twins. Cousins: Alvin Sr. and Anna Pootoogooluk, Harvey and Bertha Pootoogooluk, Helen Pootoogooluk, Gilbert Pootoogooluk, JoAnne Pootoogooluk, Alvin Pootoogooluk Jr. Evelyn Calvert, Alfred Pootoogooluk, Jordan Pootoogooluk and Devan Pootoogooluk.
We would like to thank everyone from all over that prayed for her and our families, the ones who brought over food, came to visit and sing for Mom during her last days, and anyone we have accidently forgotten to mention.
