Nan Hampton Obituary (1907 - 2010)

Nan Elizabeth (Reynolds) Hampton, who was born in the village of French Camp, California, on September 4, 1907, passed away in Oro Valley, Arizona on February 9, 2010. She was a descendant of William J. and Annie (Jack) Reynolds of French Camp, CA, William S. and Elizabeth (Delaney) Jack of French Camp, CA and Captain William S. and Caroline (Buttrick) Moss, originally of Peoria, Illinois. Nan resided and worked in French Camp until the advent of WWII. She then worked at the Ship Yards as a "Rosie the Riveter", became an Air Raid Warden and finally settled down working at the San Joaquin General Hospital. Her life has certainly been filled with excitement and accomplishments. While reading the San Francisco newspaper, she found an appeal for workers in the backcountry of Alaska with the Alaska Native Service. Nan responded with her references and was immediately sent a ship's ticket to Alaska and a Bush Pilot flight to the village of Bethel. Over several years she advanced to many different jobs and locations, as the Alaska Native Service became Alaska Public Health with statehood. As a medical secretary, Nan was assigned to work on the hospital ship, the M.S. Hygiene. This small craft carried a complete medical facility facility including x-ray, lab, dentistry and a small surgical unit. The ship was able to get into small ports and she would often be put ashore, go inland and visit ill Eskimos, sometimes traveling by dog sled. If bad weather set in, as it often does, she sometimes found herself spending the night in huts or igloos with native families. While she did work in many of Alaska's major cities, most of her duties were in the backcountry, which she preferred. Her last assignment was the position of Assistant Administrator of the most northerly hospital located at Point Barrow. As a result of her exposure to so much excitement and wild life, as well as living so close to the true native Eskimos, she became very sought after as an author of short stories. Since all of the true Wild Life publications were for men's magazines, she always signed her articles as N.E. Hampton and only the publishers knew that N.E. Hampton was really a petite, very feminine female. When Nan retired from public health, she returned to California and spent the next 29 years managing a R.V. park in San Jose, California. Finally, at the age of 99 years, she retired and moved to Tucson, Arizona to be near her son and his wife. While living in Oro Valley, Nan spent countless hours describing her amazing life in Alaska, much to the delight of fellow Clare Bridge residents and staff!