Aqeftapaaggaq Rena Jennifer Booshu
Aqeftapaaggaq Rena Jennifer, aka Aqet, was born September 18, 1969 in Nome, AK to Bruce and Rhoda Boolowon. Anxiously awaiting were her older siblings Elden, Seymour and Rhona. Rena lost her baby status to her sisters Reva, then Mary, brother Shannon and finally Shawn.
Rena graduated high school from Gambell High School in 1989. During high school she was a basketball star and an honor student. She went to college at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She took a break from school and in 1993 she married David A. Booshu and together they had three beautiful children Lonny, Emery and Kalynna.
She was a health aide for years where she discovered her love of health and healing; healing herself and others. In 2001, she moved to Nome with her family. She was a Medical Coder, Quality Assurance for VHS, a volunteer EMT and Phlebotomist for NSHC many years. She earned her Associates of Applied Science in Community Health in 2007 from the Northwest Community College/UAF.
Rena and David raised three champion wrestlers. She was a “Mama Bear”’ for the Nanooks. She was very active with fundraisers, chaperoning and helping at wrestling meets, whether it be cooking or scoring. Rena was a great cook. She hunted, cut, stored and cooked traditional St Lawrence Island foods. She would often ask if her loved ones and friends were hungry and invite them over to eat. She was taught by her mother and mother-in-law. She cared so much for everyone. She considered her great nieces and nephews as her grandchildren, too. She named three of them Qayutaq, Ulaaghnarraggaq and in memory Amaaghaq.
Aqet is survived by her husband, children Itek, Pangus and Areka; parents Ekaaya and Isikwha, father-in-law Wilbur Tuusaq, siblings Seymour, Bunnie and Wawiita, Ukaaq and kids, Yayu and Qam, Rocky, Uncle Dexter I, Rosemary and Denny family, Ruby and kids, Clinton B. and kids. Many nephews, nieces, great nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, cousins.
She is preceded in death by her mother-in-law Alyne Taqaanga, siblings Elden B., Shannon B., nephews Bobby B., Shannon A., grandparents Lewis B. and (Samuel I) Mary B.; Ina (Ilene) and Harold K., uncles Gerard, Ben, aunts Marjorie, Donna, Rachel, Ila, Judy; sister-in-law Karen B. Rena passed away with her loved ones by her side on Friday, August 6, 2021. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
The family would like to thank the community of Gambell, Native Village of Gambell, Norton Sound Health Corporation, Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, Chapel of Chimes, Ryan W, Lily and Chelsea M, Joy S., George K., Elizabeth D., Danielle S., Orlan G., George M., Carolyn, Jenna, Lisa A, Aaron I, Carmel, Yimi, Petu, Krystal H, Delia O, and to all who supported us in any way, shape, or form that we may have forgotten.
