Bessie Josephine Strong was born in a cowboy line shack in Humboldt County on May 28, 1912. She passed away peacefully in her home at age 98 on August 21, 2010. Bessie, her brother Jerry and sister Carmita were abandoned by their mother, Bessie (Barrett) Strong, at an early age. Their father Charles Nelson "Chip" Strong, being a cowboy, raised them as best as he could. Bessie found herself mothering her brother and sister through much of her childhood in foster homes, cowboy bunk houses and on the Hoopa Indian Reservation. They were taken in and raised by the widow Nancy Bell "Grammy" MacGowan and her family. Clyde MacGowan, Grammy's son, had three children, Jim, Leslie Gene and Lyrle, from a previous marriage. Bessie and Clyde were married in Eureka. They had three more children together, Clyde, Jack and Nancy Bell. Jim developed muscular dystrophy, Leslie Gene came down with polio and Bessie raised this combined family. During the depression, Clyde could not find work so Bessie would hunt robins and cotton tail rabbits for food, pooling their resources with friends and neighbors, while Clyde looked for work. In 1942, Bessie and her family moved to San Francisco so they could find work and provide for and educate their children. She worked as a grocery clerk for most of her career. In 1969 Bessie retired to a cabin on Azalea Drive, up French Creek, in Scott Valley. She became an active member of a number of local civic clubs, including American Field Service (AFS), Etna Enthusiasts where she was involved in the creation of the swimming pool in Etna, and Evening Star, Chapter #10 of the Order of the Eastern Star of Etna, CA. In all these groups, Bessie was always welcome on the food committee. Bessie married Bert Davis in 1979 and traveled to Alaska to reunite with her brother Jerry and his family. While in Alaska, Bessie was recognized as an Honorary Raven by the Tlingit Tribe. Bessie is survived by her sons, Clyde MacGowan of Alameda, Jack MacGowan of Etna, and daughter Nancy MacGowan of Etna, as well as grandchildren Scott MacGowan of Honolulu, Hawaii, Jennifer Erickson of Newport Beach, Ginger MacGowan of Yreka, Robert MacGowan-Perry of Oakland, Heather Millar of San Francisco, Karen Stookey of Ventura, and Sonia Stringer of Eureka. She is also survived by numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by husbands Clyde and Bert, as well as children Jim, Leslie Gene, and Lyrle.

Graveside services were held at the Etna Cemetary on Saturday, August 28, 2010 at 11 a.m. Girdner Funeral Chapel handled the arrangements.

Published in San Francisco Chronicle from September 12 to
September 13, 2010