There’s a charming anecdote about Nan’s mink coat and Sitka. The time is the 1950s, the place is Sitka, that funny old town in Alaska. This was told me by Mildred Moore, who moved to Sitka in 1947. Her husband was the famous orthopedist, Dr. Phil Moore, sent to run the Orthopedic Department at the Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital. Mildred was a joy who also always had the latest news of town. Nan’s husband was Chuck Petersen, a high-line fisherman. He had inherited the Sitka Bazaar, a successful women’s clothing store, from his mother. Nan ran that. They both did well and Chuck dazzled Sitka one year by buying Nan a full-length mink coat. She was average size and looked marvelous in the luxurious coat.
Someone important was coming to town and the wife (most likely in those male-oriented days when the wife just accompanied), asked Nan if she could borrow the coat. Generous Nan happily complied and the wife made an impact.
That started it. From then on, when it was called for, Nan’s mink coat would grace the woman greeting the important visitor.So, if your memory goes that far back, and you visited Sitka during the winter in your impressive role, you might recall the smartly dressed woman in the mink coat. If you weren’t there, you might see if you can find a photograph.

Enjoy.
Dee