Grace Berg Schaible
Encyclopedia
Grace Berg Schaible was the first female state's attorney general. She served as Alaska's attorney general from 1987 to 1989.
, Norway
. Her mother, Mandis, hailed from a village near Lindesberg
, Sweden
. Both arrived in the United States separately in 1910. When her mother was seven month pregnant, she left the Alaska Territory and moved to Tacoma, Washington
, where Berg was born on November 28, 1925. While still a babe in arms, she returned with her mother to Alaska. Although her parents were conservative Republicans
, she would be a lifelong Democrat
.
She attended public schools in Juneau
and graduated from high school in May 1943. Rather than immediately enroll in college, she took time off to work. She would alternate between work and academic pursuits until she finished her studies at Yale Law School
in January 1959.
Berg married the widowed Arthur Schaible on Christmas Day, 1958 at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church
in New York City. He was a prominent physician in Alaska and head of the Alaska Native Health Services Hospital in Tanana
.
before taking the bar exam in October 1959. Beginning in 1960, she practiced law for the firm, eventually becoming a partner. For nine years she simultaneously served as general counsel for Artic Slope Regional Corporation.
In 1987, she became Alaska's attorney general, the first female attorney general of any state. She served in that capacity until 1989. Other positions she's held include chair of the Alaska Permanent Fund
, the first female to do so.
In 2009, Schaible was inducted into the inaugural class of the Alaska Women's Hall of Fame.
Background
Grace L. Berg was the product of immigrant parents. Her father, Hans A. Berg, was from Otteren (near Davik), NordfjordNordfjord
Nordfjord is a fjord and a traditional district in the northern part of Sogn og Fjordane county in Western Norway. The district comprises the municipalities of Selje, Vågsøy, Bremanger, Eid, Gloppen, Hornindal, and Stryn. Nordfjord covers an area of and is home to a population of approximately...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Her mother, Mandis, hailed from a village near Lindesberg
Lindesberg Municipality
Lindesberg Municipality is a municipality in Örebro County in central Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Lindesberg....
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Both arrived in the United States separately in 1910. When her mother was seven month pregnant, she left the Alaska Territory and moved to Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, where Berg was born on November 28, 1925. While still a babe in arms, she returned with her mother to Alaska. Although her parents were conservative Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, she would be a lifelong Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
She attended public schools in Juneau
Juneau, Alaska
The City and Borough of Juneau is a unified municipality located on the Gastineau Channel in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Alaska. It has been the capital of Alaska since 1906, when the government of the then-District of Alaska was moved from Sitka as dictated by the U.S. Congress in 1900...
and graduated from high school in May 1943. Rather than immediately enroll in college, she took time off to work. She would alternate between work and academic pursuits until she finished her studies at Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
in January 1959.
Berg married the widowed Arthur Schaible on Christmas Day, 1958 at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church
Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church
The Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church is a large congregation of the Presbyterian Church . The church was founded in 1808 as the Cedar Street Presbyterian Church and has been located on Fifth Avenue at 55th Street in midtown Manhattan since 1875. It has approximately 3,250 members from a variety...
in New York City. He was a prominent physician in Alaska and head of the Alaska Native Health Services Hospital in Tanana
Tanana, Alaska
Tanana is a city in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. At the 2000 census the population was 308. It is formerly known as Clachotin...
.
Career
After graduating from law school, Schaible clerked for the law firm of McNealy, Merdes, Camarot and Fitzgerald in FairbanksFairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks is a home rule city in and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state behind Anchorage...
before taking the bar exam in October 1959. Beginning in 1960, she practiced law for the firm, eventually becoming a partner. For nine years she simultaneously served as general counsel for Artic Slope Regional Corporation.
In 1987, she became Alaska's attorney general, the first female attorney general of any state. She served in that capacity until 1989. Other positions she's held include chair of the Alaska Permanent Fund
Alaska Permanent Fund
The Alaska Permanent Fund is a constitutionally established permanent fund, managed by a semi-independent corporation, established by Alaska in 1976, primarily by the efforts of then Governor Jay Hammond...
, the first female to do so.
In 2009, Schaible was inducted into the inaugural class of the Alaska Women's Hall of Fame.