LA CONNER — A nationally known Upper Skagit Tribe elder died Friday morning, leaving behind the legacy of her preserved language and culture.

Vi Hilbert, who died at age 90 of natural causes, dedicated much of her life documenting and translating the Lushootseed culture and language. Lushootseed is the language of the Northwest tribes, which Hilbert called “the first people of this land.”

“My mother believed there was nothing she couldn’t do,” said her only daughter, Lois Schluter, 70, of Bow. “She had incredible energy.”

Born in Skagit County, Hilbert was one of eight children — the only to survive past the age of 3. As a child, she was sent to boarding school, where she was punished for speaking her native language, Lushootseed, which she later dedicated herself to saving.

At 5-foot-2, she plowed through life with dedication and ambition, working in everything from hair salons to restaurants and teaching at the university level, her daughter said.

In 1967, she met linguist Thom Hess, sparking a partnership bound by the passion of the Lushootseed language. The two delved into the regional language and culture, writing a number of books together, including a dictionary. She also translated a collection of traditional Lushootseed stories.

“She was an outgoing, regal, adventurous woman who was really on a mission to preserve the culture of our people,” said her 48-year-old grandson, Jay Samson, who lives on the Nooksack Reservation near Everson.

Hilbert eventually taught language courses at the University of Washington.

Hilbert died peacefully knowing that her ancestors and relatives “would greet her on the other side ... and be really delighted to see her,” Samson said. “It was sad, but it was also part of the natural flow of life.”

There will be a wake for Hilbert at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 26, and a funeral service at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 27, both at the Upper Skagit gym.

• Tahlia Ganser can be reached at 360-416-2148 or at .