Guide to the Betty Jo and Bruce Staser family papers
1909-1985
Collection number: HMC-0232.
Creator:
Staser, Betty Jo.
Staser, Bruce I.
Title: Betty Jo and Bruce Staser family papers.
Dates: 1909-1985.
Volume of collection: 0.4 cubic feet.
Language of materials: Collection materials are in English.
Collection summary: Documents from longtime residents of Alaska.
Biographical note:
Betty Jo Thies was from California and moved to Alaska to attend the University of Alaska in 1943 where where she met Bruce Staser. They were married at West Point in 1944. She was later awarded the University of Alaska Distinguished Alumnus Award. Bruce Ingles Staser, son of Harry and Barbara Staser, was born in Anchorage, Alaska on October 27, 1919. He graduated from the University of Alaska and the United States Military Academy and obtained a Masters degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1960. He served in the United States Army from 1944 to 1973. After he retired, he became Adjutant General of the Alaska National Guard with the rank of Major General. He left that post in 1974 and became Executive Assistant to Mayor George Sullivan of Anchorage. From 1978 to 1982 he served as Director of Civil Defense in the Anchorage area.
Collection description:
This collection includes records relating to Bruce and Betty Jo Staser and their families, including correspondence and the contents of family photograph albums from both the Thies and Staser families. The collection also includes records concerning Bruce Staser’s work in Anchorage as Director of Civil Defense and his work as Executive Assistant to Mayor Sullivan. In addition, there are documents concerning his military service in Alaska and the Monarch Mine at Crow Creek. The collection also includes a biographical sketch of Betty Jo Staser compiled in application for the the Distinguished Alumnus Award presented to her by the University of Alaska. Most of the documents and photographs in the collection are copies.
Arrangement: The original order of collection materials is unknown. Collection materials are generally grouped by topic or type.
Digitized copies: Four photographs from the collection have been digitized and placed on Alaska’s Digital Archives. For information about obtaining digital copies, please contact Archives and Special Collections.
Rights note: Copyright for materials authored by Bruce and Betty Jo Staser is held by the Archives. Other materials in the collection may be under copyright not held by the Archives.
Preferred citation: Betty Jo and Bruce Staser papers, Archives and Special Collections, Consortium Library, University of Alaska Anchorage.
Separated materials: Bruce Staser’s masters thesis and a published volume on the E Company, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment and Task Force Frigid have been moved to the Rare Books collection.
Related materials: Additional related materials about the Staser family may be found in the Harry Staser family papers, HMC-0233.
Acquisition note: The originals in the collection were given to the Archives in 1981 and 1983. Most of this collection was loaned to the Archives for copying by Bruce Staser in 1981 and 1983.
Processing information: This collection was described prior to 1995. The finding aid was updated to meet current standard by Arlene Schmuland in 2018. Published materials were removed from the collection at that time.
Container list:
| Box/Folder | Description | Dates |
| 1/1 | Personal and military career records. Includes biographical sketches for Bruce and Betty Jo Staser, photograph of Major Staser, copy of MS diploma, and materials related to Bruce Staser’s service with the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, including a 78 rpm record. | 1946-1979? |
| 1/2 | Anchorage, Director of Civil Defense correspondence | 1978-1982 |
| 1/3 | Personal correspondence | 1969-1970 |
| 1/4 | Anchorage, Executive Assistant to the Mayor correspondence, reports, and speeches | 1976-1977 |
| 1/5 | Alaska, Adjutant General and Air National Guard correspondence and photographs | 1973-1974 |
| 1/6 | Girdwood, photographs and correspondence regarding the history of Crow Creek Mine. | 1956, 1985 |
| 1/7 | Copies of selected materials from the Thies family albums | 1909-1943 |
| 1/8 | Copies of selected materials from the Bruce Staser albums | 1919-1977 |