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David Harold Chatterton
David Harold Chatterton, 72, died Oct. 30, 2011, at his home in Palmer surrounded by his family.
He was born Sept. 12, 1939, in Stillwater, Minn., the son of Harold and Jane (Kearney) Chatterton.
A visitation for family and friends is from 5 to 7 p.m., Nov. 7 at Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel, 1015 S. Check St., Wasilla, with a rosary at 7 p.m. at the funeral home. A Mass of Christian Burial is at 11 a.m., Nov. 8, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 1200 N. Bogard Road, Wasilla. Burial with military honors will follow the services at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Wasilla.
David worked for the state of Alaska as an administrative officer for the Department of Corrections and also served his country in the Alaska Air National Guard and Army National Guard. He retired after 26 years.
He and his wife, Sandra, lived all over Alaska, which included Anchorage, Nome, Palmer and Wasilla. He enjoyed being in the outdoors and enjoyed motorcycle riding, cross-country skiing — which he enjoyed with his wife — bowling, traveling and camping, hunting and fishing. He also enjoyed singing in the choir at church.
David was active in the community and belonged to the AMVETS and Knights of Columbus at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. He also was active at the Wasilla Food Pantry with his wife, where they enjoyed volunteering to help those in our community who needed help.
His family said his faith meant a lot to him, which helped him throughout his life. His family and friends were No. 1 in his life, and he really enjoyed all the times he shared with his family and friends. He was active with his children in their activities, which included sports. He also enjoyed his animals, especially his dogs and horses.
David is survived by his wife, Sandra Chatterton of Palmer; sons, Christopher Chatterton and Arina of Ukraine, and Gregory Chatterton and wife Heidi of Anchorage; sister, Mary Ann Collins and her husband Michael of Minn.; and stepmother, Patricia Chatterton of Arizona. He is also survived by six grandchildren, Larrisa, Vincent, Isabelle, Jackson, Phillip and Isaac; brothers-in-law, Joe and John Runk, and James Runk and family; aunt, Kay Kelly of Minn.; and many nieces and nephews. David is also survived by a host of friends and his constant companion, El Grande.
David was preceded in death by his parents, Harold “Bud” and Jane Chatterton; and sister-in-law, Sharon.
Memorials may be made to Wasilla Food Pantry, c/o Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 501 Bogard Road, Wasilla, AK 99654; Mat-Su Homecare and Hospice, 950 E. Bogard Road Suite 132, Wasilla, AK 99654; and Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska, P.O. Box 4406, Palmer, AK 99645.
Arrangements were entrusted to Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel and Crematory of Wasilla.
Wanda Smith
Wanda Smith, 84, died at her home in Wasilla on Oct. 25, 2011.
She was born April 18, 1927, in Arkansas, the daughter of Bert and Lela (Rosson) Ross.
A celebration of life service will be held in the spring for Wanda, with burial in Arkansas at a later date.
Wanda worked for the state of Alaska before her retirement, enjoyed belonging to the TOPS ladies group and was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. She also enjoyed belonging to a special group of friends called the Ya Ya’s, where she enjoyed belly dancing with her friends. Wanda enjoyed the beauty here in Alaska and lived here for more than 55 years.
Her family will remember her as a loving mother and sister who her daughter Sandy said was a wonderful, caring person who loved being “Queen of Everything” and will be dearly loved and missed.
Wanda is survived by her daughter, Sandra and son-in-law Lee Bray of Anchorage; and sister, Ruth Martwig of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur “Jack” Smith.
Arrangements were entrusted to Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel and Crematory of Wasilla.
Francis Lynn Twigg
Talkeetna resident Francis Lynn Twigg, 89, died at his home Oct. 28, 2011, with his beloved wife and family at his side.
A celebration of life in honor of Francis is from 1 to 5 p.m., Nov. 6, with Ed Craver officiating at Sheldon Community Arts Hangar, 22249 S. D Street, Talkeetna.
Francis was born Sept. 12, 1922, in Fife Lake, Mich., to Claude and Fannie (Doherty) Twigg.
“Twigg was an ‘old-timer’ of Talkeetna, Alaska arriving in 1950, ” his family wrote. “He was well-known and respected for his humble wisdom regarding survival in this life that included flying, trapping and hunting.”
Twigg learned the ways of the wilderness surrounding him and respected its beauty and bounty. He occasionally found himself at a piano in one of Talkeetna’s establishments, such as the Fairview Inn, playing honky-tonk music and dancing with all the pretty ladies of the community. His favorite dance partner, however, was his wife, Connie, whom he referred to as his “buddy.”
Twigg served in World War II in locations such as northern Africa and Italy. He was a scout who led mule trains across the Italian mountains and fought in the battles of North Appennines Po Valley Rome, Italy. Twigg also witnessed the public hanging of Mussolini and his girlfriend.
Twigg is an icon for the community of Talkeetna and the last of the “old-timers” of his era, which included the likes of his best friend Don Sheldon, pilot Cliff Hudson and miners and trappers Rocky Cummings and Jim Beaver. Twigg will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.
“We will all be looking for him further up the creek, ” his family and friends said.
Preceding him in death were his parents, Claude and Geraldine Twigg; brothers, Dale, Alan and Rex Twigg; and sons, David and Lonnie Feeley.
Surviving are his wife, Constance Marie Twigg of Talkeetna; brother, Wayne Twigg of Pontiac, Mich.; daughter, Connie Richardson of Texas; son, Vye Feeley of Talkeetna; daughter, Duronda Twigg of Trapper Creek; grandson, Joshua Feeley of Talkeetna; and numerous other grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
Arrangements were by Valley Funeral Home.
Jenifer Vial
Willow resident Jenifer Vial, 60, died Sept. 20, 2011, surrounded by family at Providence Hospital in Anchorage.
Vial was born Nov. 21, 1950, in Bridgeport, Neb., to Ruby and Leo Dean. Jenifer came to Alaska in 1957 with her mother, Ruby. She graduated from East High School in 1970. She married Michael L. Vial on April 28, 1979, in Anchorage. Michael and Jenifer moved from Anchorage to Willow in 1987.
A celebration of life service in honor of Jenifer is at 2 p.m., Nov. 12 at the Willow United Methodist Church, Mile 67.5 of the Parks Highway, with Pastor Dan Lush and Jean Bruscia officiating.
Jenifer worked for VF Grace from 1970 to 1985 where she met her husband, Michael. She was a vital part of the family orientated gold mining business in Candle from 1980 to 2000. She did whatever was necessary, from bookkeeping and cooking to cleaning gold and raising kids. From 1997 to 2001, Jenifer delivered mail from the Willow Post Office. Jenifer is remembered for her kind heart and willingness to go the extra mile for her customers.
One of Jenifer’s biggest achievements in life was having her four children. She spent years supporting and encouraging them. Jenifer was a constant figure in her children’s lives. She helped with homework and volunteered with school sports and activities. She was a second mom to so many of her children’s friends. She became known as “Willow Mom” for her determination to get teammates and classmates to and from school functions.
Some of Jenifer’s favorite hobbies were fishing in Homer, speed boating, watching her son race stock cars and helping her husband restore their 1957 Chevy. She was an avid reader and more then anything, she loved spending time with her family. She was the happiest during family picnics, holidays and spending one-on-one time with her husband, children or grandchildren.
Most recently, Jenifer spent a lot of time in Anchorage and Seattle as a constant supporter for her husband of 32 years as he battled cancer. Michael went through long days of intensive treatments. While in Seattle, Jenifer acted as the mode of transportation, cook, cleaner, secretary and the pusher of the wheelchair. Michael feels because of her dedication and constant support he was able to get through each day and become a cancer survivor.
Jenifer is survived by her husband, Michael Vial of Willow; daughters, Suzanne and husband Ian Steed of Big Lake, Sandra Vial and significant other Bud Brown of Wasilla, and Samantha Vial and significant other Jimmy Evenson of Willow. She is also survived by her son, Steven Vial and his significant other Angela Scarborgh of Wasilla; mom and stepdad, Ruby and George Pappas of Anchorage; sister, Cynthia and husband Bob Cassell of Wasilla; grandsons, Sean Davis and Travis Steed, both of Big Lake, and Gage Brown and Jacob Scarborgh of Wasilla; granddaughter, Elaina Herdina and one granddaughter due in January; nieces, Kimberly Nueman of Texas and Kristal Upchurch of Anchorage; nephew, Andrew Vial of Tennessee; and her extended family in Alaska, Montana, Nebraska, Wyoming and Colorado.
Preceding her in death were her father and stepmother, Leo and Lucille Dean.
Her family will remember Jenifer as a wonderful wife, a fantastic mother and a loving grandma. She was known for her kind words and warm smile. She will be missed not only as a wife, mother and grandma, but most of all as a best friend.
Condolences may be sent to the family at P.O. Box 292, Willow, AK 99688.
Arrangements were entrusted to Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel and Crematory of Wasilla.
Charmienne “Char” Harker
Wasilla resident Charmienne “Char” Harker, 56, died Oct. 1, 2011, surrounded by her loved ones at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer.
Charmienne was born May 26, 1955, in Anchorage, the youngest of four children born to Jess S. and Marion J. Harker. She was raised on a 160-acre homestead on the Little Susitna River.
She attended Wasilla Elementary School and high school in Anchorage. She continued her education in 1988 by attending Careers Vocational Training School for blueprint reading and estimating.
She was employed as a secretary and accountant in the construction field and oil industry in Anchorage, Wasilla and the North Slope. She was a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity in May 2000.
She has two daughters she raised by herself. In 1984, she had a debilitating stroke, which left her paralyzed on her left side. Despite her disability, she continued to care for her two daughters.
In 2009, she was diagnosed with lung cancer and managed to live beyond the expected six months. She fought a courageous battle for those remaining years.
According to her family, she loved the woods, camping, riding motorcycles and snowmachines. She especially loved to go to Homer with her family every year. She believed in angels and enjoyed the ballet. She was fond of all animals, especially wolves. She had a large collection of wind chimes, angels and wolf pictures. She loved to cook and was considered the best.
Her dream was to live in a house in the woods, and that dream came true 10 years before she passed away. She was “mom” to many young people who needed a safe haven and a nourishing meal.
Many of her friends said Char was courageous, strong and generous to a fault. She will be sorely missed by many, her family said.
She was preceded in death by her bother, Keith Sheldon Harker.
Surviving are her daughters, Valorie Harker of Anchorage and Tazlina Harker of Palmer; parents, Jess and Janet Harker of Sequim, Wash.; sisters, Lorell Bonnet of Palmer and Lorraine Thibault of Wasilla; grandchildren, Shantelle, Paris, Brooklyn and Michael Keith; and numerous aunts and uncles in California.
Services for Char are pending at this time.
Arrangements for the family were by Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel and Crematory in Wasilla.
Helen M. DeLand
Helen DeLand, 96, died in her sleep Oct. 13, 2011, in Albany, Ore.
Helen was born May 11, 1915, in Seattle, Wash., and lived there throughout her childhood. She, her then-husband Leo F. Zuber, and their three children arrived in Alaska June 13, 1952, after driving the unpaved Alaska Highway in a 1949 Hudson.
The family had many names for Helen — Mom, Grandma and GG (which fondly stood for Great Grandma). Helen enjoyed fishing, cooking, quilting, gardening and spending time with family and friends. We are blessed with fond memories of Helen’s homemade crescent rolls, pumpkin cookies and beautiful flowers.
Helen’s first marriage ended in divorce. She then married former big game guide Clay DeLand. They lived for many years in the Willow area engaged in many activities, among them operating Scenic View Nursery. They traveled in their motor home for several years through many parts of the Lower 48, ultimately settling permanently in Lebanon, Ore., in 1983.
Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Clay; and son, Robert DeLand. Surviving are her daughter and son-in-law, LeEllen and Edward Baker of Wasilla; and her daughter, Janet Ashford of Harrodsburg, KY.; as well as 10 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren. She was loved by all and will be deeply missed.
A memorial service is at 4 p.m., Nov. 5 at King of Kings Lutheran Church, 1601 N. Lucille St., Wasilla.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Kathy Louise Milward
Longtime Palmer resident Kathy Louise Milward, 61, died Oct. 23, 2011, at home surrounded by her family.
A celebration of life in Kathy’s honor is at 1 p.m., Nov. 5 at the United Protestant Presbyterian Church (“Church of a Thousand Trees”), 713 S. Denali St., Palmer. The Rev. Leisa Carrick will officiate. A wake to celebrate her life will be held at a later date for family and friends.
Kathy was born at the old Palmer Hospital on April 5, 1950, to Harry and Drusilla (Barnhardt) Kendrick.
Kathy graduated from Palmer High School and went on to get her bachelor’s degree from Alaska Pacific University and a double master’s degree in education and counseling from the University of Alaska Anchorage.
For a time she traveled and worked abroad, spending time in Saudi Arabia and England. She also lived in Florida.
She worked as a counselor for the state of Alaska Job Service and for the Mat-Su Borough School District. She also worked for Job Corps.
Kathy enjoyed gardening, travel, camping, reading, sewing, cross-country skiing, hiking and meeting people.
According to her family, Kathy was a very kind and loving person. She adored her husband, daughter and family, including her four-legged family. She lit up a room, was always positive and never had a negative word to say about anyone.
Kathy is survived by her husband, John “The Brit” Milward, and daughter, Megam Milward, both of Palmer; step-daughters, Helen (Rick) Milward, Claire (Mike) Milward and their children, Felix and Rufus, all of England; parents, Drusilla and Harry Kendrick of Palmer; sister, Diane (Erik) Adey and their children, Seth France, Corey Leff, Ian Adey and Anastasia Adey of Nenana; sisters, Christine Kendrick of Palmer and Lois Kendrick and her husband Jamin Hall of Anchorage. Surviving are many beloved nieces and her extended family, the Barnhardts, Koppenbergs and Trueloves.
The family requests donations be made to any cancer research charity.
Arrangements were entrusted to Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel and Crematory in Wasilla.
Sylvia Ann (Gallegos) Powell
Sylvia Ann (Gallegos) Powell, 49, died Oct. 21, 2011, at her home in Wasilla.
The family would like for everyone to join them for a celebration of her life at 5:30 p.m., Nov. 2 at St. Henry’s Catholic Church, 1619 S. Flores St., San Antonio, Texas.
Sylvia was born July 7, 1962, to Phillip and Mary (Sifuentes) Gallegos in San Antonio. Sylvia moved to Wasilla in July 2011.
Sylvia is survived by her longtime friend and husband, Kevin C. Powell of Wasilla; sons, Paul Rene Gallegos and Allen Romero, both of San Antonio; daughter, Angela Rose Gallegos of Wasilla; grandmother, Anontio Botello; mother, Mary Valdez of San Antonio; father, Phillip Gallegos (Mona) of San Antonio; brother, Joseph Gallegos (Vicky) of San Antonio; sisters, Lisa Leos (Richard) of San Antonio and JoAnn McColley (Ray) of Snohomish, Wash.; two nieces, five nephews and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
The family would like to give special thanks for Mujeres Unidas for the laughter and joy that was given to our sisters.
Arrangements were by Valley Funeral Home and Crematory.
