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PATRICIA LYNNE ERVIN
Patricia Lynne (Patterson) Ervin, 53, of Bothell, Wash., passed away on Feb. 3, 2003. She was born Oct. 30, 1949, in Miami, Fla., to Irvine and Helen Marie (Fillingim) Patterson. She spent the last year of her life in Bothell, and the previous 10 years in Palmer.
Ms. Ervin worked as a labor and delivery nurse for 21 years. She enjoyed traveling and had visited all 50 states. A very spontaneous woman, she had just learned to scuba dive and had won an award in the past for fencing.
She is survived by her sons, Patrick Ervin and fiancee Lavanda Davis of Portland, Ore., and Isaac Ervin and Crystal Ballard of Bellevue, Wash.; daughters, Dorothy Sorokolit and husband Robert of Ft. Worth, Texas, and Carrie Curtis and husband Kyle of Fairbanks; sister Monica Rauhauser and husband Greg of Rowlett, Texas; brother Danny Marks and wife Suzanne of Sterling, Conn.; three grandchildren, Ethan, Katie and Ianna; and numerous nieces and nephews. Ms. Ervin was preceded in death by her parents.
Funeral services will be held 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 8, at Rest Haven Funeral Home-Rockwall Chapel, with Dr. Aubrey Patterson officiating.
PETER ALLEN MANN
Palmer resident Peter Allen Mann, 49, died Nov., 27, 2002, at his home. A memorial service will be held Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. at Lazy Mountain Bible Church with Pastor Bob Lee officiating. His ashes will be interred at Woodside Cemetery in Excelsior, Minn. at a later date.
Mr. Mann was born Sept. 9, 1953, in New York City. He graduated from Minnetonka High School. Mr. Mann served in the U.S. Navy for eight years.
He received his first Good Conduct Award for period ending June 25, 1977, his second Good Conduct Award for period ending June 25, 1978.
He also received a Humanitarian Service Award, National Defense Service Medal and a Vietnam Service Medal.
Mr. Mann came to Alaska in 1982, where he lived in Anchorage for two years, Wasilla for one year and Palmer for the last 18 Years.
He was employed as the Chief Metallurgist for Elmendorf Air Force Base/Civil Service where he retired in 2001, after 19 years.
Mr. Mann's hobbies included hunting, fishing, knife making, marksman shooting and he especially enjoyed spending special time with his children.
His family wrote "When Pete was young he wanted to grow up and be a good neighbor, because of moving so much as a child in a military family. The most important thing in Pete's life was his family."
He is survived by his wife Jodie Mann; children Kris and Emily Mann of Minnesota, Jessica, Elliot and Louis Mann of Palmer; ex-wife Linda Larson of Minnesota; sister Ginger Heinzen of Hot Springs S.D. and brother Neil Mann of Wasilla.
Mr. Mann was preceded in death by his parents Neil and Lucile Mann.
Arrangements were handled by Kehl's Palmer Mortuary.
WALDO "SMITTY" SMITH
Long time Alaska resident Waldo "Smitty" Smith passed away Oct. 28, 2002, at the New Mexico Veterans' Center in Truth or Consequences, N.M. He was born June 3, 1926, in Seibert, Colo. and grew up in Steamboat Springs, Colo.
He came to Alaska in 1952, where he resided until the mid 1970's when he had to leave for health reasons.
After leaving Alaska, he came back many times to visit family and friends. While living in Alaska, he worked in the coal mines in the Valley and later in Healy, as well as on many road construction projects throughout the Valley.
He had been a member of the Palmer Moose Lodge and the Palmer Elks for many years.
He is survived by his brother Paul Smith of Cederedge, Colo., his son and daughter-in-law Michael and Betsy Smith of Fort Gibson, Okla., and daughters and sons-in-law Susan and Norman Jones and Janet and Peter Gallardo of Palmer.
He is also survived by eight grandchildren, Brendan, Bethany and Katie Smith, Julie and Michael Jones, Rebekah, Steven and Kimberly Gallardo. He will be greatly missed by his family and his friends.
DALE RAY VARNEY
Willow resident Dale Ray Varney, 75, died at home July 28, 2002. Public visitation will be at 2 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 4, at the Willow Community Center, Mile 70 Parks Hwy., followed by funeral services at 3 p.m. Burial, with military honors, will be at the Kashwitna Cemetery, Mile 75.5 Parks Hwy. A Celebration of Life will follow at the Willow Community Center.
Mr. Varney was born July 25, 1927, in Gendale, Ariz. and grew up on a farm in that area. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He received two Bronze Stars and was honorably discharged.
Mr. Varney came to Alaska in 1959 and homesteaded in the Montana Creek area then moved to the Hatcher Pass Road area in 1965.
He worked as a master mechanic in heavy equipment form Amchitka to Prudhoe Bay. He was a member of the Southern Baptist church in Glendale, Ariz., and the VFW Post in Talkeetna.
His family said, "His passion was people and humor. He never turned away people that were in need of help. You won't find a picture of Dale without a smile on his face. He is at peace with Jesus Christ his Lord. 'Tally Ho the Fox, Dale.'"
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Helen "Pacey" Varney; son Patrick Varney and his companion Janie Lea; daughter-in-law Barbara Crane; daughters an sons-in-law, Dala and Mike Conner, and Kelley and Randy Poppert; son and daughter-in-law Teddy and Debbie Norris; nephew Charley Chaney and his partner Mary Varner; grandchildren James Varney and his fiancee Yvonne Jennings, Mathew Varney, Luke, Colton and Kyle Conner, Amanda and Paul Norris; and Dale's grand-dog Blaze; sister and brother-in-law Avis and Weldon Chaney of Arizona; Rozella Smith of California and Odessa Varney of Arizona; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to any organization or charity of choice.
Arrangements were made by Valley Funeral Home.
JUDITH PATTERSON
Judith Patterson, 65, of Vineland died on Saturday, July 27, 2002, at the Gensis Millville Center. Born in Bridgeton, she was the daughter of Leonard and Vera Adler. Until moving back into the area two years ago she had lived in Alaska for the past 40 years. She spent 30 of those years working as a nurse's aide for the State of Alaska. She worked at the Pioneers' Home in Palmer. She also enjoyed reading, doing various crafts and planting and growing flowers.
She is survived by her daughter Joan Patterson of Palmer; sons, Jeffrey and his wife Jennifer of Kimper, Ky., and Jerome and his wife Thongma of Frederica, Del.; mother Vera Adler of Elmer, N.J.; brothers, Jim Adler and his wife Linda of Newfield, Frank Adler of Vineland and Leonard Adler of Mississippi.
Her father Leonard Adler and a son, John Patterson, predeceased her.
A memorial service was held July 31 at the Christy-Adams Funeral Home, at 111 S. Main St., Elmer, N.J.
ELEANOR MRAK
Mrs. Eleanor Mrak, 79, died June 13, 2002, peacefully in her sleep at her home in Palmer.
A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 19, at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Palmer. Father Leo Desso will officiate.
Mrs. Mrak was born in Wilkes-Barre, Penn. on Dec. 30, 1922, and came to Alaska in 1950 with her husband, Willy.
She worked as a bookkeeper for Mrak Coal Company and Herman Brothers Construction.
In 1978 she opened "Ellie's Gold Nugget Jewelry" store, where her husband made custom gold nugget jewelry. She retired in 1991.
Mrs. Mrak was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She spent her summers with her husband at their gold claims at Hatcher Pass.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Antonia and Louis Sagar, and her grandson, William Michael Mrak.
Survivors include her husband, William Mrak; son and daughter-in-law, Bill and Cheri Mrak; daughters and sons-in-law, Judy and Ron Aklestad, Karen and John Stuart, and Kim and Mark Crowl; sister, Mary Granus; brother, Frank Sagar; grandchildren, Ronald, Tom, Britt, Stacy, John, Christy, Tisa and Amber; and four great-grandchildren.
Memorial donations are suggested to be sent to the American Heart Association, 1057 West Fireweed Lane, Suite 206, Anchorage, AK 99503.
Arrangements were made by Kehl's Palmer Mortuary.
EDITH M. GERARD
Anchorage resident Edith "Millie" Gerard, 90, died April 28, 2002, in Providence Extended Care Center of Anchorage after a stroke.
A memorial service will be held in Rancho Bernardo, Calif., where she spent most of her retirement years. Her ashes will be placed with her husband in Oceanside, Calif.
Mrs. Gerard was born Jan. 15, 1912, in Los Angeles. She grew up in Pasadena and received an associate of arts degree from Pasadena City College.
Mrs. Gerard worked a short time at the phone company. She married James B. Gerard, who died in 1991. Most of their 54 years of married life were centered on activities and friends made at First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica, Calif.
Mrs. Gerard was a member of the P.E.O. service organization for many years. Retirement years were spent in Vista, Calif., where Mrs. Gerard and her husband, Jim, began traveling the world.
She moved to Anchorage in 1995 to be with her daughter and son-in-law.
Her daughter wrote: "Life was easy around Mom, she saw to it that we spent our time out experiencing life. Sit-down family meals and great holiday adventures are what I will remember most. Even in the throes of Alzheimer's, Mom was a lady -- always easygoing and good-natured."
Mrs. Gerard is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Carole and Dodd Shay of Wasilla; son and daughter-in-law, Kenneth and Sally Gerard of Poway, Calif.; son, Richard Gerard of Thousand Oaks, Calif.; and grandchildren, Sarah and Eddie Gerard.
Arrangements were made by Witzleben Family Funeral Home & Crematory.
GORDON E. WHITTIER
Wasilla resident Gordon E. Whittier, 80, died April 15, 2002, at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.
Mr. Whittier was born Feb. 3, 1922, in Mansfield, Ohio. He was a World War II veteran and had worked on the Ohio State Patrol before moving to Alaska in 1959. In Alaska he worked on the Anchorage City Police Department, as maintenance supervisor for Alaska Methodist University, maintenance supervisor for McLaughlin Youth Center, and worked for the state of Alaska at Anchorage International Airport.
He made many lifelong friends and was always willing to help someone out if they needed it.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 44 years, Eileen Whittier; and his daughter, Jill Carter.
Survivors include his son and daughter-in-law, Gordon M. and Diana Whittier of Victoria, Texas; daughter and son-in-law, Jo and Don Wright of Palmer; six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
At his request, no services will be held. He will be cremated and his ashes will be spread to join his wife's, as he requested.
Arrangements were made by Evergreen Memorial Chapel, 737 E St., Anchorage.
KARA LEE TAYLOR
Baby girl Kara Lee Taylor entered this world and returned to heaven on April 12, 2002. She is adored and remembered by her parents, Rick and Wendy Taylor, of Wasilla and by her two big brothers, Lane and Kade.
Kara leaves behind many loved ones, including her grandparents, Bob and Mary McCain of Willow, Max and Betty D. Taylor of Willow; and great-grandparents, Evan and Janette Hall of Anchorage, and Carolyn McCain of Willow. She is also survived by many uncles, aunts and cousins.
A graveside service will be held in her memory on Saturday, April 20, at 3 p.m. at Wasilla Aurora Cemetery. Bishop Doug Mason of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be officiating.
Arrangements were made by Valley Funeral Home & Crematory of Wasilla.
