A cozy home, professional work and a loving husband, what more could a woman want? In 1975, at the age of 55, when most people her age were preparing for retirement, Wilma Knox wanted more.
Wilma and her husband, Bob, had enjoyed 25 years together. They owned a modest home in Anchorage and both were accomplished journalists. They had a happy, comfortable and independent life, but they’d been unable to put aside enough money for retirement.
When a niece spoke to her about well-paying jobs on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Wilma realized that this was her chance to secure a comfortable retirement and provide health insurance for the future. But what could a middle-aged, female journalist do on a huge, male-dominated construction job? Being a secretary was out of the question. The answer she got from a friend was completely unexpected—a security guard!
And so began one of the big adventures of Wilma’s life. She could not have known that the experience would change her life—for better and for worse.
Four Years Below Zero is Wilma’s very personal story of her experience working on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, a construction project that has often been compared in size and scope to the building of the Panama Canal. Wilma understood the significance that this project would have in women’s struggle for job equality and also for the future of the entire state of Alaska. She kept meticulous notes and took lots of photos.
After she retired, Wilma spent several years collecting material from her letters and journals with the intention of publishing her recollections. Unfortunately, she was unable to finish the manuscript due to illness. Prior to her death in 2015, Bob made a promise to complete the book for her and, with the help of two long-time friends, he did. Four Years Below Zero is the result.
Wilma and her husband, Bob, had enjoyed 25 years together. They owned a modest home in Anchorage and both were accomplished journalists. They had a happy, comfortable and independent life, but they’d been unable to put aside enough money for retirement.
When a niece spoke to her about well-paying jobs on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Wilma realized that this was her chance to secure a comfortable retirement and provide health insurance for the future. But what could a middle-aged, female journalist do on a huge, male-dominated construction job? Being a secretary was out of the question. The answer she got from a friend was completely unexpected—a security guard!
And so began one of the big adventures of Wilma’s life. She could not have known that the experience would change her life—for better and for worse.
Four Years Below Zero is Wilma’s very personal story of her experience working on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, a construction project that has often been compared in size and scope to the building of the Panama Canal. Wilma understood the significance that this project would have in women’s struggle for job equality and also for the future of the entire state of Alaska. She kept meticulous notes and took lots of photos.
After she retired, Wilma spent several years collecting material from her letters and journals with the intention of publishing her recollections. Unfortunately, she was unable to finish the manuscript due to illness. Prior to her death in 2015, Bob made a promise to complete the book for her and, with the help of two long-time friends, he did. Four Years Below Zero is the result.
