Nellie A. Moore

Dec 17, 1954 -

Jan 31, 2024

On Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, Alaska lost one of its most decorated and beloved Native journalists with the passing of Nellie A. Moore, also known by her Inupiaq name, Iriqtaq. Originally from Kotzebue, Nellie was the daughter of Ada and Ed Ward Sr. and the third of four siblings. Nellie's prolific career began when her father encouraged her passion for reading, writing and getting involved in her community. He then connected Nellie, at the age of 19, with professional writer Jane Pender, who became a lifelong mentor and friend. From this experience, Nellie started a local newspaper and in 1973 she served, initially, as a reporter and then as station manager for Kotzebue's KOTZ Radio. During her tenure, she covered public affairs, local news and some of the first Inupiat programming from the area. In 1983, Nellie joined the Northwest Arctic TV Center and produced video programs to preserve Inupiat knowledge, such as traditional healing practices, subsistence skills and profiles of Inupiat leaders. Copies of these programs are in museum collections in New Zealand, Canada, Norway, and Alaska. Educating and advocating for young Alaskans was a cornerstone of Nellie's work. In 1986, she co-produced six TV segments for Sesame Street, accurately depicting the Inupiat people from Kotzebue and Noatak. Nellie hosted and produced a five-part series on the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act that is still used to educate high school and university students. Nellie's dedication to journalism and her community garnered her numerous accolades. She received The Alaska Press Club's Public Service Award in 1984 and 1986; The Native American Journalism Association's Wassaja Award in 2001; and the University of Oregon's Ancil Payne Award for Ethics in Journalism in 2001. Nellie was best known for her nationwide coverage of Native American and Alaska Native news throughout her career, including co-founding award-winning Independent Native News with her husband, Greg. However, Nellie considered her greatest achievement to be the mentorship of dozens of young Alaska Native journalists. Throughout her 44-year journalism career, Nellie worked to inform, empower and connect others. She was not afraid to leave her mark on the world, which was epitomized in her traditional radio and television signoff: "I'm Nellie Moore." Nellie was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother who loved and supported her children and grandchildren. She also enjoyed sewing and gardening, specifically growing fireweed, African violets, bluebells and begonias. Nellie is survived by her siblings, Ed Ward Jr. and Lenora Ward; husband, Greg Moore; children, David Moore and Elizabeth Cravalho; and grandchildren, Blair, Dylan and Alika. A funeral is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, at the Kotzebue Friends' Church.