Mary Jane Fate was a visionary leader and influential advocate who dedicated her life to creating opportunities for Alaska Native people. Mary Jane’s accomplishments are too numerous to list and include co-founding the Fairbanks Native Association, co-founding the Breast Cancer Detection Center, co-chairing the Alaska Federation of Natives, serving as president and board member of Rampart Village Corporation, Baan O Yeel Kon, and serving on the Alaska Airlines board of directors for 25 years. Mary Jane was one of the original lobbyists for the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which created Alaska Native Corporations and conveyed 40 million acres of land to Alaska Natives.
We at Doyon Foundation are honored to have a scholarship in her name: The Mary Jane and Hugh Fate, Jr. Leadership Fund was established by their daughter, Jennifer Fate, in 2017 to honor her parents’ accomplishments for the betterment of the Doyon people. The scholarship supports students who contribute to the social or economic well-being of the Alaska Native community – following in Mary Jane’s inspiring footsteps. We are pleased that this scholarship will carry forward Mary Jane’s incredible legacy to future generations.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to Mary Jane’s husband, Hugh “Bud” Fate, and her daughter, our board president, Jennifer, as well as all of her family and friends.