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John Charles Borge
Anchorage resident John Charles Borge, 77, died peacefully Feb. 24 at Alaska Regional Hospital encircled by family members.
Borge was born in Tiverton in Devon, England on March 17, 1930. Borge retired from the Royal Navy as a chief petty officer. He and his family settled in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1960, where he worked in the computer industry.
In 1981, Borge immigrated to the United States and became a citizen in 1986. He worked for Alascom’s computer department, traveling throughout the state. Later, he worked for the Anchorage School District’s data processing department, retiring in 1996.
Borge’s family wrote, “John was a gentleman who was truly a gentle man. He had a cheerful and charming manner, and he was loved and loving.”
Borge is survived by his wife, Barbara Brown; daughter and son-in-law Kay Borge and Ilan Ben Ezra (grandchildren Fiona and Julia) of Montreal, Quebec, Canada; daughter Carol Borge; son Ian Borge; and son and daughter-in-law Peter and Christina Borge (grandchildren Kyle, Dylan, and Tyler John), all of Anchorage. He is also survived by his loving stepchildren, Kerry Brown of Jerusalem; John Brown and Debbie Haynes (grandchildren Jamie, Ayla, and Leisl) of Wasilla; and Shannon Brown Cochran (grandchildren Shane and Haley) of Anchorage; and his siblings Jean Wise, Doreen Anderson, Norman Cundy-Borge, and Jim Cundy-Borge and other extended family members here and abroad.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 29 at Faith Christian Community Church in Anchorage. A private family graveside service will be held at the Valley Memorial Cemetery in Palmer on Saturday.
In Borge’s memory, donations may be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/hm_lls ), 1311 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605.
Valley Funeral Homes and Crematory of Wasilla and Palmer assisted the Family.
Maxine Dorothy DeVilbiss
On Feb. 7, 2009 pioneer, mother and author, Maxine Dorothy DeVilbiss, passed away in her Palmer home after a struggle with cancer. She died eight days short of her 85th birthday. She was born Feb. 15, 1924 in Foreston, Minn. Maxine arrived in Palmer with her husband Ralph and three children, Larry, Ray and Susan to initially work at Victory Bible Camp and then Lazy Mountain Children’s Home. They finally settled on their own homestead on Wolverine Creek in 1956. She mothered her own children and fostered about 40 other Native children
before she and Ralph adopted Brian and Billy from Korea.
Maxine was a a quiet but active force and founding member of Lazy Mountain Bible Church. For many years she managed the prayer chain — first a phone bank and then an extensive e mail chain. For many years hers was the voice that answered the Crisis Pregnancy Center hot line. She also recorded books for the blind from her living room.
The first book Maxine wrote was, “Billy’s Story” — a 35 year journey with autism. Her second book was “Homesteading in Alaska” — the story of Wolverine Farm. The final days of her journey to Glory can be found at maxinedevilbiss.blogspot.com.
Maxine was preceded in death by her husband Ralph, her older sister Grace Swanson and her daughter Susan Herr.
Maxine is survived by her older sister Francis Kerns in Yakima, Wash.; her sons, Larry, Ray, Brian and Billy; 11 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
There will be a celebration of life at Lazy Mountain Bible Church on Feb. 16 at 1 p.m.
Arrangements were entrusted to the Cremation Society of Alaska.
Mark Erickson
Mark Alan Erickson, born Oct. 26, 1965, left us far too early to live with his Father in Heaven on Jan. 20, 2009 at the age of 43. Mark was a loving father, son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend. His big heart and witty sense of humor will be dearly missed by the many whose lives he touched.
He leaves behind his four children, Sarah Nadine, Kristopher Alan, Kyli Vay and Nanci Marquanne all of Anchorage; his parents Vern and Joan Erickson; sister, Lori and Chuck Caraway with Darin and Jordan from Spokane, Wash.; sister, Cheri and Matt Jones with Mackenna and Benton from Clackamas, Ore.; his brother, Joe Erickson with Courtney, Emilie, Jeremiah, Hannah and Hope from Beaverton, Ore., as well as countless family and friends throughout Washington, Oregon, Montana, Minnesota, Colorado and Alaska where he has lived for the past 23 years.
Preceding Mark in passing were his mother’s parents, Joe and Vay Collison from Spokane; his father’s parents, Lloyd and Gladys Erickson from Whitefish, Mont., and a sister, Lisa Beth, at birth.
Mark was a paramedic who worked as an EMS Battalion Chief for Matanuska Susitna Borough, Central Mat-Su Fire Department in Wasilla. Mark loved those he worked with and was loved and respected by all those who worked with him.
Those in the EMS and Fire Service knew him as “Griz” both because his grizzly bear appearance and his ability to provide care and comfort to those in need much like that of a teddy bear.
He was blessed to have many good friends in Alaska that loved him and supported him in many ways, and he leaves behind a number of especially good friends in Gene Wiseman, Ross Crawford and Henry Schreiber. Mark considered himself very lucky to have such good friends in this life.
As we mourn his loss here on earth, we also celebrate his life and the time when we will be together again.
In lieu of flowers, Mark’s request was for contributions to be made to a charity donation account in Mark’s name being overseen by Gene Wiseman at Wells Fargo Bank.
A Celebration of Life is scheduled to take place at Station 61 (101 W. Swanson Ave. in Wasilla) at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
A procession will begin at 1 p.m. in downtown Wasilla and a potlatch will follow the celebration.
Bryce “Anthony” Caden Woods
Bryce “Anthony” Caden Woods, age 9, passed away at his residence in Wasilla on Jan. 1, 2009. Anthony was a lifelong Alaskan, born in Palmer, who lived first on a family homestead in the Bush near Skwentna, then in Wasilla. Anthony was a third-grader at Knik Elementary School with a ready, friendly smile, and a special, gentle love for animals. He loved having fun, and antagonizing his brother, and was well-loved by his family, and the community.
The family states, “The brightest stars are taken first. Anthony is survived in his passing by his mother, Jennifer, his brother Noble Cedar Vincent, and Mike and Vikki Stewart of Duvall, Wash. He will be missed by the Knik-Goosebay community, as well as too many friends to mention. A memorial service will be held at Knik Elementary School in Wasilla on Saturday at 3 p.m. Memorial Donations may be made through Wells Fargo to the Dione Stevens Memorial Fund for Bryce Anthony Woods, acct#6529283894. Arrangements were made by Cremation Society of Alaska.
Kathleen Newbury
Kathleen (Kay) Newbury, 87, passed away Jan. 17 at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. She was born June 7, 1921 in Porterville, Calif., to Adrian and Eileen Elliot. Her father was a rancher so she spent her growing years on various citrus ranches in the San Joaquin Valley along her brother and sisters. Kay attended elementary school in Lemon Cove, high school in Woodlake and junior college in Visalia, all in California. Following graduation from junior college she ventured to Los Angeles to work; her very first official employment was with the Los Angeles office of the FBI. It was while in Los Angeles that Kay met her husband-to-be, Edward S.E. (Newby) Newbury. They were wed in Fairbury, Neb., in December 1944, where she embarked on her new life as an Air Force Wife.
Through Newby’s various postings they lived in Hawaii, South Carolina, Missouri, Virginia, San Rafael, Calif., and Oklahoma City. During a tour in Ramstein, Germany they were blessed with the adoption of two children, 3-week-old Lisa, and 1-year-old Kelly. This new family returned to the States so Newby could pursue his career in the Air Force. Kay, in the meantime, was adjusting to her new role as a mother in addition to serving as a senior officer’s wife with all its attendant responsibilities. Newby’s final assignment was at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage. He elected to retire at the completion of that tour in 1970. They chose to remain in Alaska even though they both were born and raised in California. They found a charming log cabin in the woods near Palmer for their first civilian home in 30 years. The children completed their schooling in Palmer and went on to follow their own life paths, Kelly in the Navy and Lisa as a wife and mother.
Luckily for Kay, the six-sided one-room cabin morphed into a comfortable home with elegant views of Pioneer Peak. They enjoyed life in this setting, building a new circle of friends and finding new pursuits very different from their experiences in the Air Force. Sadly, Newby was stricken with cancer and passed away in 1984. Kay found herself in a new occupation as an administrative assistant to Fred and Sara Machetanz, a role she thoroughly enjoyed until they both passed on. She became quite the expert at describing Fred’s paintings, recalling the inspiration for and particular order in which he completed each one.
Kay is survived by her son Kelly and his wife Debi, daughter Lisa and husband Greg Dellinger, sister Margaret Elliot of Yorba, Calif., two grandchildren, and six nieces and nephews.
Arrangements were with Kehl’s Palmer Mortuary.
Wenter D. Harvey
Wenter Harvey, 93, of Turner Ore., died of age related causes at the Marian Estates on Jan. 6.
Wenter was born in Hamburg, Iowa, March 9, 1916 to parents Maude and Henry Harvey. He married Mary Evelyn Adams Dec. 29, 1940 while attending Pacific Bible Seminary where they both received bachelor degrees.
They pioneered the first Church in Wasilla Alaska in 1945 as missionaries and then returned to the “Lower 48” (Oregon) in 1965. Wenter is survived by his loving wife of 68 years, a daughter Donna, a son Ken, three grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
The memorial service was conducted by D.H. Shearer at the Turner Christian Church on Jan 10. Memorial gifts are requested to be sent to Turner Retirement Homes, P.O. Box 58, Turner, Ore., 97392.
Mark Erickson
Mark Alan Erickson, born Oct. 26, 1965, left us far too early to live with his Father in Heaven on Jan. 20 at the age of 43. Mark was a loving father, son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend. His big heart and witty sense of humor will be dearly missed by the many whose lives he touched.
He leaves behind his four children, Sarah Nadine, Kristopher Alan, Kyli Vay and Nanci Marquanne all of Anchorage; his parents Vern and Joan Erickson; sister, Lori and Chuck Caraway with Darin and Jordan from Spokane, Wash.; sister, Cheri and Matt Jones with Mackenna and Benton from Clackamas, Ore.; his brother, Joe Erickson with Courtney, Emilie, Jeremiah, Hannah and Hope from Beaverton, Ore., as well as countless family and friends throughout Washington, Oregon, Montana, Minnesota, Colorado and Alaska where he has lived for the past 23 years.
Preceding Mark in passing were his mother’s parents, Joe and Vay Collison from Spokane; his father’s parents, Lloyd and Gladys Erickson from Whitefish, Mont., and a sister, Lisa Beth, at birth.
Mark was a paramedic who worked as an EMS Battalion Chief for Matanuska Susitna Borough, Central Mat-Su Fire Department in Wasilla. Mark loved those he worked with and was loved and respected by all those who worked with him.
Those in the EMS and Fire Service knew him as “Griz” both because his grizzly bear appearance and his ability to provide care and comfort to those in need much like that of a teddy bear.
He was blessed to have many good friends in Alaska that loved him and supported him in many ways, and he leaves behind a number of especially good friends in Gene Wiseman, Ross Crawford and Henry Schreiber. Mark considered himself very lucky to have such good friends in this life.
As we mourn his loss here on earth, we also celebrate his life and the time when we will be together again.
In lieu of flowers, Mark’s request was for contributions to be made to a charity donation account in Mark’s name being overseen by Gene Wiseman at Wells Fargo Bank.
A Celebration of Life is scheduled to take place at Station 61 (101 W. Swanson Ave. in Wasilla) at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
A procession will begin at 1 p.m. in downtown Wasilla and a potlatch will follow the celebration.
Frederick Russell Brown
Frederick Russell Brown, 69, died, Jan. 7 in Anchorage. He was born Jan. 19, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating from high school, he entered the Navy, remaining on active duty until his retirement in 1976. After his retirement from the Navy, Frederick moved to Anchorage in 1976 and upon finding employment with the state, his wife, Donna, and family joined him 1977 and settled in Wasilla.
Frederick became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1987. He devoted much of his time to his faith as part of the Wasilla congregation. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening and was a great cook. A neighbor described him as the big scary neighbor next door with a heart of gold, as he was blustery but with a sense of humor. Frederick’s children have described him as a big teddy bear, as long as you didn’t poke him in the butt. He was and a real character, yet he was “just my papa” to them.
Frederick Russell Brown is survived by his wife, Donna, of Wasilla; children, Michelle LaHue, of Tenn., Kathleen Brown, Frederick Russell Brown III, Darlene Brown, Robert Brown and Teresa Brown all of Wasilla; grandchildren, Valerie and Daniel LaHue of Tenn., Sadie Harrell-Brown and Travis Brown of Alaska. Frederick is also survived by his sister, Ernestine McCabe of Wash. Frederick was preceded in death by his parents, one sister and one brother.
Memorial donations may be made to the nearest Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The Brown family appreciates all the love and support from the brothers and sisters in The Kingdom Hall statewide and from those in the community who knew Frederick.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Valley Funeral Home-Wasilla.
William Daniel Straight
William Daniel Straight, 87, died Jan. 19 at his home inSutton.
was born in Sundance, Wyo., Jan. 4, 1922. He worked in construction and was a big-game guide.
He is survived by his daughters Barbara Straight, Jacque Moslander, Cindy Shafer, his hunting buddy and nephew Charley Reynolds, granddaughters Jennifer and Ashley, grandsons Paul and Kenny, great-grandchildren Cheyenne, Sierra, Walker, Colton, Cordell and Quintin, brother Lyle Straight. And 16 other grandchildren, numerous other great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews.
William was preceded in death by one daughter, two sons, parents, three sisters and seven brothers.
A public Celebration of Life will be held at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 205 W. Arctic Ave., in Palmer at noon on Saturday.
Arrangements are with kehl’s Palmer Mortuary.
Robert L. McInelly
Robert L. McInelly, known to his friends and family as Bobby, died unexpectedly on Jan. 6. He was born Aug. 21, 1966 in LaMesa, Calif., to LaVar LaDell and Mary Jane (Rudloff) McInelly.
Bobby arrived in Alaska in 1992, settling on the Kenai Peninsula and over the years lived in a number of different communities, most recently in Willow. Bobby owned a construction business prior to moving in Alaska.
Bobby was passionate about life and love and dreamed of owning a Harley. He was a single father to his son, Robert McInelly Jr., whom he loved very much.
Bobby enjoyed spending time with his family and friends and being outdoors. His hobbies involved hunting and fishing. He was a talented artist with a great sense of humor. Bobby was generous and loving to those he cared about. His future plans included getting married and building a home with his fiancee Jessica and having a family. He believed in God and looked forward to having a future with his fiancé and her daughter who he planned to adopt.
He was loved very much and will be missed more than words can say.
Bobby was survived by his son, Robert McInelly, Jr., of Willow and his fiancee Jessica.
A gathering of family and friends was held Jan. 13 at Valley Funeral Home.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Valley Funeral Home - Wasilla.
Barbara Bratzler Cripe
Mrs. Barbara Bratzler Cripe, 75, died at her home in Palmer, Jan. 2. She was born April 25, 1933 in Paris, Ill., to Edgar Jennings and Ruth Isabella (Morris) Bratzler.
Barbara became a military wife when she married Jack Cripe. For 21 years she supported Jack in his Naval career. They arrived in Alaska for the first time April 4, 1969, settling at Kodiak. Being a military wife and then later when Jack retired and became an Alaska State Trooper, Barbara became a strong and independent wife and mother to their three daughters. Along the way, she enjoyed her time when they were stationed in Southern California in the San Diego and Long Beach areas. Then in November of 1997 they settled into Palmer, making their home there.
Barbara loved a good bargain and enjoyed finding them as she would shop the thrift stores. Also she was eclectic in her hobbies, collecting silver dollars and all the newly issued state quarters.
Barbara Bratzler Cripe is survived by her husband, Jack Cripe of Palmer, daughters; Paula Cripe Casey, of Seward, L. Michelle Deeter and Jody Beth Jones both of Anchorage, and grandchildren; Cory Dallas Reed, Seanne Popp, Angela Watts all of Anchorage, Keenan Williams of Ft. Richardson, Taylor Reed, Teegen Jones and McKinzie Jones all of Anchorage, and sister; Joan Phillips of Seattle. She was preceded in death by her daughter Chris Tina, sister, Betty Chandler of Seattle, and brother, Bob Bratzler of Paris, Ill., and parents; Edgar and Ruth Bratzler.
Arrangements were handled by Valley Funeral Home - Palmer.
