Princess Sophia victims remembered at sinking anniversary in Evergreen Cemetery
- Laurie Craig
- 23 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Those gathering include a relative of a passenger from the 1918 sinking and a historian who has made 200 dives at the shipwreck site
By Laurie Craig
Juneau Independent
This is the part of the final installment of a three-part series about the 1918 wreck of the Canadian Steamship Princess Sophia on Vanderbilt Reef. The sinking remains the West Coast’s greatest loss of life in a maritime disaster.
At noon on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, the Rev. Gordon Blue, pastor of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, conducted an annual commemorative service for the victims of the Princess Sophia shipwreck in 1918.
The ship sank in a raging storm from its grounded location atop Vanderbilt Reef where the ship had perched for 40 hours in hope the storm would abate, and the more than 350 passengers and crew could be safely evacuated. That time never came. The ship sank killing all on board.
Sinking of the Sophia series
Part One
• 1918 autumn events reveal community resilience leading up to disaster
Part Two
• ‘For God’s sake hurry, the water is coming into my room,’ final radio dispatch pleads
Part Three
• A futile search for survivors and ongoing efforts to remember those who perished
• Princess Sophia victims remembered at sinking anniversary in Evergreen Cemetery
Twenty-five people honored the Princess Sophia dead on Saturday. In addition to prayers for the victims and their families, the 46 names of those buried in downtown’s Evergreen Cemetery were read aloud by Katy Giorgio who produced an opera about the sinking that debuted on the centennial in 2018. The production by Juneau’s Orpheus Project took four years for Giorgio and others to create. That immersion in the tragic story left her emotionally drained at the time and still affects her years later. Tears rolled down her cheeks on Saturday as she relived the losses while slowly reading aloud the names of the dead buried nearby.
The ceremony was held at the large double gravesite of Princess Sophia victims Walter Harper and his wife Frances Wells Harper. He was an Athabascan-Irish guide, mountain climber and translator for Episcopal Archdeacon Hudson Stuck. Stuck and Harper traveled around Alaska for several years performing missionary work. Together they were part of the first successful ascent of Denali where Harper was given the honor of being the first man to stand on North America’s tallest peak. Harper and his wife had been married only five weeks when they boarded the Princess Sophia in Skagway to travel Outside for Walter’s medical missionary training.
The Harpers’ grave is covered with a large, age-darkened marble marker. The engraved lettering has faded from years of Southeast Alaska weather. A few years ago relatives of the Harpers added a engraved metal frame around the perimeter that clarifies the names and details that are difficult to read due to moss and deterioration. Sue Millard was wiping the grave frame clear of spruce needles and forest debris as people arrived for the ceremony at noon.
Among the gatherers were many people who were keenly interested in the sad historic sinking. Maxine Paddock Richert, a maternal relative of Walter’s, stood with others at the solemn reading. Annette Smith, a well known local diver, researcher and lecturer of Princess Sophia history also attended. She has made 200 dives on the sunken wreck over 28 years. Her most recent dive was a month ago.
Episcopal Reverend Mark Boesser started the anniversary services several years ago. There is no memorial for the Sophia disaster in the cemetery. A statue of a possible survivor dog has been erected at Tee Harbor.
• Contact Laurie Craig at lauriec@juneauindependent.com.
