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Bruce Hall Babcock
Big Lake resident Bruce Hall Babcock, 83, died at home on Jan. 14, 2012.
A celebration of life is at 11 a.m., Jan. 21 at Mid-Valley Senior Center, 11975 W. Mid-Valley Way, Houston. Bruce's ashes will be scattered on his homestead in Big Lake at a later date.
Bruce was born Oct. 3, 1928, in Columbus, Wisc., the son of Ralph and Florence (Hall) Babcock. Bruce graduated with the class of 1946 from Pulaski High School in Milwaukee, Wisc. Bruce served his country and was honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force. He was stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base from 1950 to 1953. Bruce was later employed by the U.S. Civil Service from 1955 until his retirement in 1985 as a supervisor of a jet engine and reciprocating engine shop at Elmendorf.
Bruce lived in Anchorage from 1955 to 1956 and later homesteaded at Big Lake in 1956. In 1996, the Miller's Reach Fire destroyed his home and belongings. He rebuilt on the homestead, which he loved, and lived there for the rest of his life.
Bruce was involved in his community, including the Mid-Valley Senior Center, Mat-Su Coalition of Seniors, Big Lake Homesteaders Association, Houston Fire Department and National Active and Retired Federal Employees.
Bruce married Ursula Hoppmann in Marshfield, Wisc., in 1954 and had one son, Lee. They later divorced. He married and later divorced Mary Allyne Vitt in Anchorage.
The family wrote: "His family and friends will remember Bruce as always willing to help others and being actively involved in community organizations. Bruce enjoyed moose hunting with his friends and daily phone calls with his brother-in-law, Harold "Gus" Kahn of Wasilla. In his later years, he found help and support sharing life with his dear friend, Luetta Hale."
Recently, he became an avid Green Bay Packers fan, sharing the passion with his son and grandchildren. He most looked forward to the annual visits from his family, and last fall introduced the homestead and Alaska to his new great-grandson, Gavin.
Bruce was preceded in death by his mother, Florence Hall Babcock; father, Ralph Leo Babcock; and granddaughter, Sarah Elizabeth Babcock.
Surviving are his son and daughter-in-law, Lee and Sue Babcock of Marshfield, Wisc.; granddaughter, Amanda (Jeff) Leurquin of Wausau, Wisc.; grandson, Jason (Sarah) Babcock of Green Bay, Wisc.; great-grandson, Gavin Babcock of Green Bay, Wisc.; sister, Leatrice (Ray) Thurston of Hemet, Calif.; brother, Ralph (Dorothy) Babcock of Milwaukee, Wisc.; one niece, four nephews and seven great nieces and nephews.
Valley Funeral Home and Crematory cared for the family.
Dennis “Denny” Lloyd Hebdon
Wasilla resident, Dennis “Denny” Lloyd Hebdon, 71, died Dec. 30, 2011, at St. Elias Hospital in Anchorage.
Dennis was born Aug. 28, 1940, in West Valley, N.Y., to Lloyd and Isabel (Schichtel) Hebdon.
A celebration of life in honor of Dennis will be in the fall (date to be announced). His ashes will be scattered at his favorite hunting area.
Denny enjoyed the Alaskan outdoors: hunting, fishing, barbecuing with friends, cooking, gardening and reading. He was a construction guru, jack-of-all-trades and master of many. His strength, gentleness and adventuresome spirit will be missed by all.
“Denny always believed that the happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything that comes along their way, ” his family wrote.
He is survived by his loving partner of 25 years, Pola Takher of Wasilla; son and daughter-in-law, Duke and Debbie Hebdon; son and daughter-in-law, Ron and Debbie Hebdon; daughter and son-in-law, Sheri and Dave Hill; brother and sister-in-law, Dale and Anna Hebdon; brother, Dwight Hebdon; sister, Diane Hebdon; sister and brother-in-law, Doren and Roger Colf; six grandchildren; a great-grandchild; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Valley Funeral Home and Crematory cared for the family.
Dennis Glen Smith
Longtime Wasilla resident Dennis Glen Smith, 56, died at his home Dec. 28, 2011, after a brief battle with cancer.
He was born May 21, 1955, in Springfield, Ore., to Buddy Lee and Patricia (Starr) Smith. Dennis was a 1972 graduate of Thurston Senior High School in Springfield.
He worked as a painter for many years and owned D. Smith and Sons Painting Co. at the time of his death. An avid fisherman and hunter, Dennis greatly appreciated Alaska's abundant natural beauty. He enjoyed watching movies and reading books, especially the works of Stephen King. He was a big music fan who really enjoyed the rock band Seether. Dennis was a good man who worked hard and loved his family deeply. Dennis requested no services and his wishes were for cremation.
Dennis is survived by his father of Cedar Flats, Ore.; daughters, Danielle Smith of Tualatin, Ore., Ashley Smith of Tigard, Ore., and Aunna Neuser of Wasilla; sons, Tucker C. Smith, Douglas Neuser and?Dalice Neuser, all of Wasilla; sister, Barbara Lee Smith of Springfield, Ore.; brother, Loyd G. Smith of Wasilla; two grandchildren; and his fiancée, Kathryn "Katie" Hanson, whom he was to marry Jan. 1, 2012 at their home.
Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel and Crematory Wasilla cared for the family.
Elizabeth Irene Burgess
Elizabeth Irene Burgess, 55, died Jan. 17, 2012.
She was born Jan. 9, 1957, in Dallas, Texas, to Anna Kirby Bingham and Quentin Fanning. She will be missed by her many close friends.
Surviving are her daughter, Anna Elizabeth Welch of Wasilla; companion, Dave Rosetto; mother, Anna Kirby Bingham of El Paso, Texas; brother, David Kirby Bingham and wife Raquel of El Paso, Texas; sisters, Kathleen Holmes and husband Joe of Aztec, N.M., and Diane Bollinger and husband Mark of Hawaii; nephews, Michael Bingham and Ari Bollinger; nieces, Jennifer Bingham, Tristan Kwiecinski, Avery Rowles and Laura Hammond; and grandnephews, Dakota Kwiecinski, Cash Rowles and Michael Benjamin Rowles.
Preceding her in death was her father, Quentin Fanning; and grandparents, Irene C. and Durwood W. Kirby, and Boyd D. and Frances Fanning.
She loved her family and friends, who always knew how deeply she cared for them. She was a woman of manners, courage, charity and charm.
She was devoted to her daughter, family and friends, reading and caring for the elderly.
A celebration of life is at 2 p.m., Jan. 21 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 501 East Bogard Road, Wasilla.
Hannah Josephine Leary
Hannah Josephine Leary, 71, died Jan. 23, 2012, in Wasilla.
Services are at St. Michael Catholic Church, 432 E. Fireweed, Palmer. Visitation is from noon to 1 p.m., and a memorial service follows from 1 to 2 p.m., Jan. 28. Reception is downstairs in the church. Burial will follow the memorial service at Pioneer Cemetery in Palmer.
Janet C. Hunter
Former Wasilla resident Janet C. Hunter, 66, died Jan. 4, 2012, after suffering a stroke at Castle Medical Center in Kailua, Hawaii.
She was born Feb. 17, 1945, in Seattle Wash.
Janet owned a successful upholstery business for many years. She enjoyed working with the community and restoring treasured family heirlooms. While growing up, Janet's family participated in the Alaska Homesteading Act, settling in Wasilla. She learned to be tough, brave and hard working while growing up on a potato farm. Her adventurous nature took her many places around the world. She was unfalteringly optimistic and never backed down from a challenge. She offered her open heart to all. She was unpretentious, humble and kind. Janet was a beacon of light in this world.
She was dedicated to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Greenwich, N.Y. Janet volunteered her time in service to the Lord as the church librarian, a Sunday School teacher, home teacher and Relief Society teacher. She was an avid lover of the outdoors. She enjoyed kayaking, biking and long walks with her husband. She looked forward to traveling to Hawaii and Florida every winter to visit her daughters. Janet was a loving mother, devoted wife, wonderful friend and dedicated servant of the Lord. Her family and all who knew her will dearly miss her.
Preceding her in death was her daughter, Christine Hunter Kubricky; mother, Clara Sitze (Teppo); father, Emil Michaelson; brothers, Kenney and Clarence Michaelson; and brother-in-law, Robert Buttles Sr.
Surviving are her loving soul mate and husband of 47 years, Eric Bruce Hunter (they married in the LDS Palmyra Temple); daughters, Tiffanie Hunter Santiago and Michelle Hunter Russo; sisters, Carol Bedford, Shirley Davis and Cindy Betts; brothers, Edward and Michael Fitzgibbon and sister-in-law Salli Buttles; grandchildren, Jacob, Quincie and Forrest Kubricky, Alexis and Tyler Santiago, and Sophia and Adrianna Russo.
A memorial service is planned in Greenwich, N.Y., for August 2012, with specifics to be announced at a later date.
Please send correspondence and condolences to Bruce Hunter, C/O Tiffanie Santiago, 86 Winding Oaks Lane, Oviedo, FL 32765.
Leslie Joe “Buzz” Klebesadel
Leslie Joe "Buzz" Klebesadel, 83, died at home, surrounded by family on Dec. 30, 2011.
He was born Aug. 18, 1928, on a dairy farm in the township of Troy, Wisc.
In 1949 when he was 20, Leslie first came to the Territory of Alaska after accepting an invitation from his uncle, Harlow Hodgson, to work at Palmer's USDA Experimental Station. Having then left Alaska to enroll at the University of Wisconsin (UW), Madison. he came back again for the summer of 1953, then went on to earn his doctorate (Ph.D.) from UW in 1957 with honors.
While attending UW, Leslie met his future wife, Mary Jane (Kleinheinz), after being seated alphabetically next to her in a physics class. They married Jan. 22, 1955, and due to his growing love for Alaska, he convinced Mary Jane to move to Alaska with him in 1957, suggesting it was just for two years - three years tops.
They settled in the Matanuska Valley and lived there the rest of his life, raising five children at their hilltop home near Palmer. He dedicated his career to expanding the world's knowledge of adapting forage crops to northern latitudes, for both individual and global benefit.
Les served as the first director of Palmer Community College and later taught courses there after it became Matanuska-Susitna College. He authored more than 90 scientific publications and co-authored another 20 more. He retired in 1987 as University of Alaska Professor Emeritus following 30 years of research on forage crop management, adaptation to northern climates and plant physiology with the university and U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Leslie, from an early age, enjoyed illustrating. With an aspiration to become a professional cartoonist, he worked to refine his illustrating and writing abilities. He had always been intrigued by how striking the map of the state of Alaska resembled the side view of a man's face. From that, the character "Old Al Aska" was conceived; a Sourdough-styled character epitomizing and giving tribute to that group of "old timers" and pioneers of early Alaska. An "Old Al Aska" cartoon and poetic-story were published weekly in the early Frontiersman newspaper editions for several years during the 1960s. Those cartoon-stories eventually were compiled in Leslie's first of two books, "Observations on This ‘n' That by Old Al Aska" and "The Sourdough Sage and Bard of the Boondocks." In recent years, he penned two more comedic-themed books.
Les also felt that Alaska should celebrate an event exemplifying the long days and perpetual sunlight Alaskans get to enjoy. As such, he and some associates created the Mid-Summer Festival in 1971. The theme he created to celebrate the event was the story of "Grotto-Lunkers, " semi-mythical creatures awakened annually on the longest day only to congregate in Palmer before returning to slumber.
Les loved his wife and family dearly. He most enjoyed spending time with his family, whether it was exploring castles in Europe, traveling to Hawaii where he and Mary Jane honeymooned, back home to Wisconsin, or simply picnicking at Moose Creek.
In summary, Les loved Alaska, which can be best shown by borrowing a few lines from a poem in his Old Al Aska book titled "Thanksgiving:"
‘We're thankful now fer folks whose vision laid this land's foundations,
Whose sacrifices built it to the finest of the nations,
There's so much that we're thankful fer - if all the things were told,
By the time I finished half the list, my dinner'd sure be cold!
So, briefly, thanks fer Pilgrims long ago an' far away,
An' thanks fer this here moose roast a steaming here today,
An' thanks fer all the care Ya give, whether or not we ask Ya,
An' last of all, but best of all, thank Ya fer ALASKA!'
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Mary Jane; and all their children, their spouses and grandchildren, Lani, Dan (Janet, Amy and Shauna), Jim (Lindell, Hannah and Emma), Bill (Lucy, Jennifer and Danielle) and Tom (Dylan, Morgan and Rayanne).
Anyone desiring to contribute is encouraged to make a donation to a charity of choice in Leslie's name. He would appreciate knowing that others "down the trail" would be able to benefit in some way by his life's impact on others.
A memorial service is at 4 p.m., Jan. 5 at United Protestant Church in Palmer, 713 S. Denali St.
Margie Doreen Erps
Margie Doreen Erps, 87, beloved wife, mother and grandmother, died Jan. 5, 2012, at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer.
Margie was born Aug. 4, 1924, in Fedora, S.D., to Charles and Emma Lea Martin, who preceded her in death.
Margie spent her childhood growing up in South and North Dakota. It was there that she met the love of her life, Rex Erps. Rex and Margie were married and started their family. From there, they decided to move their family to the Territory of Alaska in 1954. Once in Alaska, they lived in Anchorage for a couple of years before moving to Portage.
Margie spent her time there raising her family, fishing and working at Diamond Jim's as a waitress and cook. From there they moved to Girdwood, where she worked as a substitute teacher in the local one-room school. The year before the 1964 earthquake, the family moved to the Hillside in Anchorage. Margie worked at Fort Richardson for a short period of time. In 1984, Margie and her husband moved to the Mat-Su Valley. There, she spent her time pursuing her love of cooking, fishing, Bunka art and reading.
Surviving are her husband, Rex Erps of Palmer; son, Rick Erps of Whidbey Island, Wash.; son, Michael Erps of Wasilla; daughter, Kaylea Edick of Willow; son, Gene Erps of Bremerton, Wash.; and 11 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
A celebration of Margie's life is Jan. 10 at Willow First Baptist Church. Viewing is at 10:30 a.m., with services at 11:30 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation in her memory to Boy's Town, 14100 Crawford St., Boys Town, NE 68010.
The family would like to express its gratitude to Dr. Natalie Beyeler, her family doctor, who cared for her for many years, as well as Dr. Brady and the nursing staff at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center for their loving care.
Kehl's Mortuary of Palmer cared for the family.
