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Caleb Daniel Acheson
Caleb Daniel Acheson, 16, died May 3, 2012.
The son of Eric and Emily Leonard and Stephen Acheson, Caleb was born Jan. 26, 1996. He has four adoring brothers who will miss him greatly — Shane, Seth, Clinton and Brock. He was their leader, their protector, their friend and their example.
Caleb was born in Alaska and quickly developed a love for the great outdoors. He enjoyed fishing, hiking, camping, hunting and whitewater rafting. He had no fear and was always looking for a new adventure. He liked baseball, soccer, swimming and cooking for his family. He loved to fly and aspired to be a pilot. He was a big fan of superheroes, but to his family he was the superhero.
He loved Boy Scouts and was an amazing Scout. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout at age 14 by organizing and conducting a life-saving bone marrow drive, even though he was very ill and in the hospital at the time.
He was working as a Den Chief and loved helping younger Scouts learn.
Caleb battled his illness for 12 years, yet was always optimistic, smiling and cheerful. He was amazing at applying humor and wit in the face of challenges and adversity. He always kept us laughing and never gave up the fight. He was a strong, mighty young man in a very weak and frail body. He endured an incredible amount of pain and suffering with no complaints. He was sweet, gentle, and considerate. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and showed extraordinary faith in his heavenly father’s plan.
“He set an example of a Christ-like life for everyone around him with his courage, strength and love for all, ” his family wrote. “We have been so blessed to have Caleb in our lives, and we are very thankful for the 16 years we were privileged to have with him. He was a shining light who inspired everyone around him to be better. We want everyone to remember him and that he really lived.”
A memorial service for Caleb is at 10 a.m., May 12 at the St. Leon Chapel in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Scout uniforms are encouraged. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to the Caleb Acheson Memorial Fund at Beehive Credit Union. The family also would love to receive letters telling what you remember and loved about Caleb. Send letters to P.O. Box 50014, Idaho Falls, Idaho, 83405
Roland Floyd Stoker Sr.
Roland Floyd Stoker Sr., 90, died May 3, 2012, at his home in Primrose Retirement Center of natural causes. He was born Oct. 22, 1921, in Waco, Neb., the oldest of five children born to Floyd J. Stoker and Viola E. Creech.
Douglas Kinley will officiate at a memorial service at 1 p.m., May 11 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 9215-9090 E. Silver Spring Circle, Palmer, across from Colony High School.
Roland was a 1940 graduate of Nucla High School in Nucla, Colo., after which he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and honorably served his country for 33 months during of World War II in the South Pacific. He served in many campaigns, including Bougainville, New Georgia, Solomon Islands and Guadalcanal. After the war, the Army recruited him and he served as a lieutenant in post-war Japan.
Upon returning home from his service, he studied to be a chemist/metallurgist. With his artistic abilities, he put himself through college by painting on fashionable women’s clothing and men’s ties, along with gold panning and guiding hunters in Colorado. During his career as a chemist/metallurgist he was in charge of setting up several chemical labs throughout the western United States during the uranium industry boom.
In 1952, he met Doris M. Franklin and they married in Grand Junction, Colo. They were happily married for 51 years and raised three children together.
When the Stokers retired in 1985, they decided to come to Alaska to hunt and fish, which they enjoyed immensely for many years. Roland made silver/gold jewelry and participated in local bazaars until the last three years of his life. Several of his pieces of jewelry won awards at the Alaska State Fair.
Roland was a very talented and intelligent man who remained active in his hobbies and interests right up until the day he died. He was always very capable of livening up a conversation through sharing his life experiences and was more than happy to share his vast knowledge of many topics.
He was a member of the Mat-Su Rock Club, and because of his geological expertise, he was one of the go-to fellows for identifying many pieces of material brought to the meetings. He joined with fellow veterans each Tuesday for a breakfast meeting. He was also a member of the Purple Heart Veterans group, with which he met monthly.
Surviving are his sons, Roland Stoker Jr. of Wasilla and Harvey Stoker of Texas; daughter, Caroline Applehans of Wasilla; sister, Verna Brassfield and brother, Donald Stoker, both of Colorado; sister-in-law, Margie Stoker; brother-in-law, Rollie Averill; six grandchildren; and 10 great grandchildren.
Preceding him in death were his wife, Doris Stoker; brother, Dale Stoker; and sister, Lila Averill, both of Colorado.
“Everyone who knew him will miss him, ” his family wrote. “Goodbye Pop. We love you.”
Memorial donations may be sent to Mat-Su Rock & Mineral Club, P.O. Box 446, Palmer, AK 99645.
Arrangements were by Valley Funeral Home and Crematory.
Christa Russell
Christa Russell, 16, died May 16, 2012. The doctors did what they could for her, and then we waited. With not a mark on her beautiful face, our strong little girl held on for hours; long enough for us all to hug her and love her and say, “see you later Christa.” Part of our hearts went with her until we meet again on that joyful day.
Christa was born June 2, 1995, in Quinlan Texas. She moved to Alaska with her family in May 2002, where she grew into a beautiful and amazing young woman who touched so many lives with her goodness.
“Our beloved Christa, you will be remembered and loved, always, ” her family wrote.
As a young girl it was clear that Christa was an exceptional person, defined by her sense of humor and generosity toward others as well as her work ethic and passionate ambition. More than a wonderful daughter, sister and friend, she brought smiles and laughter into the lives of everyone she met. Always giving, helping others and bringing them joy is what gave Christa happiness.
She was a volunteer at the Butte Fire Department where she was learning basic life-saving skills and techniques, as well as a volunteer at the Mat-Su Regional Hospital. She made friends with everyone she worked with.
Christa had a drive to succeed, which she proved in her studies by focusing on every aspect that needed to be better and improving upon it. She was practicing for college tests and applying for admission so that she might pursue her career as a nurse.
She loved to act and showed her interest by performing in two plays at the Valley Performing Arts and acting and directing movies with her friends and brothers. Her shining potential had allowed her to give the spotlight to others, yet remain just as bright without it.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the church Christa loved, Bodenburg Butte Baptist Church in Palmer, or the Butte Volunteer Fire Department where she served.
Surviving are her loving parents, Larry and Linda Russell of Palmer; brothers, Stephen, Shawn, Kurt, and Brett Russell of Palmer; and brother, David Russell and his family, Danielle, Rylan and Nicholas, of Anchorage.
A celebration of Christa’s life is at 3 p.m., May 20 at Bodenburg Butte Baptist Church, Mile 12.5, Old Glenn Highway.
Edwin Norman Skraback
Edwin Norman Skraback, 86, died May 24, 2012, attended by his daughter Gloria Digesuald at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer.
He was born Aug. 21, 1925, in Crab Orchard, Neb., to Paul and Etta (Agana) Skraback.
Edwin served his country during World War II in the U.S. Army and moved to Alaska, where he worked for the state in the Parks and Recreation department before his retirement.
A celebration of life is at 5 p.m., May 26 at the Willow Trading Post.
Surviving are his daughters, Vickie Johnson and Gloria Digesuald; stepchildren, Brian Taylor, Mary Lou Roice and Rose Nelson; and sisters, Esther Steinke, Alberta Anderson, Laveda Moses and Grace Hockman.
Preceding him in death was his son, Ronald; sister, Arlene League; and brother, Roy.
Arrangements were entrusted to Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel and Crematory Wasilla.
Jeffrey Earl Hammond
Jeffrey Earl Hammond, 43, of Big Lake, died May 25, 2012, after a valiant battle with cancer.
Jeff was born on Jan. 11, 1969, to John Robert Hammond and Karolyn (Kearns) Hammond in Logan, Utah. From there he moved to Idaho, where he graduated from Salmon High School. Eventually, he made his way to Payson, Ariz. Jeff was an outstanding carpenter and mason, and owned his own business in Payson.
Jeff married Christina (Drake) Hammond in 1997 and in 2006 with their three children the family heeded the call of Alaska and moved to Big Lake. He worked at various jobs until he landed at Schlumberger in 2008. He and his family both felt it was the best company in the world to work for.
Jeff was very active in the Boy Scouts of America as a leader and assistant in Arizona and Alaska, and he continually amazed Scouts and leaders with his knowledge, ability and endurance. He worked on numerous community service projects and Eagle Scout projects during his lifetime.
Jeff completely loved the outdoors and spent as much time as possible hunting, fishing, trapping and working on various wood or masonry projects. He hunted and fished in too many places to name, and the family has the photos and mounts to prove it.
Jeff was an amazing husband, father, friend, brother and son. He had a great sense of humor and was loved by everyone he met.
Surviving are his wife, Christina; sons, Patrick and Matthew; daughter, Kelsey of Big Lake; brother, James Hammond; sisters, Tiffany Johnson and Theresa Miller of Jackson Hole, Wyo.; and adopted brother, Duane Long and wife Janice of Payson, Ariz.
Services for Jeff are at 11 a.m., June 2 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mile 67.5, Parks Highway, Willow.
In lieu of flowers please make memorial donations to American Cancer Society of Alaska.
Arrangements were by the Cremation Society of Alaska.
June Patrice Roripaugh Tull
June Patrice Roripaugh Tull, 76, died May 22, 2012, in Palmer.
She was born April 15, 1936, to Marian and Leo Roripaugh in Temecula, Calif.
June and her older brother, Jack, grew up on their parents’ cattle and wheat ranch in Temecula. The farming country in and around Temecula did not have a high school, so she attended one in the neighboring town of Lake Elsinore, where she reigned as Miss Elsinore.
June came to know Palmer by way of her aunt and uncle, who owned a potato farm across from the George McNeese farm on Fairview Loop Road, where she worked during the summers.
After graduating from the University of California-Santa Barbara, where she was an active member of Alpha Delta Pi, she arrived in Palmer in 1959 to teach high school. Before she hardly knew what happened, she had married Bill Tull, a bank teller at Matanuska Valley Bank.
Full of romance, the couple homesteaded along an unnamed lake in the Meadow Lakes area, now officially named “June Lake.” They lived in a 10-foot-by-14-foot cabin without water or electricity while building their eventual homestead cabin measuring 18 by 24 feet, with electricity.
She made the best moose stew in the Valley. Always adventurous and spirited, they completed homesteading and set out to send Bill through law school while she worked as a teacher. With law school completed, they returned to Palmer, where she quickly continued her lifelong interest in children and their education. She brought her years of experience with 4-H Clubs and quickly became one of its state leaders.
A petting zoo at the Alaska State Fair was one of her early projects. She was re-elected to the school board, became chairperson of an educational foundation based in Temecula, was an enthusiastic member of Kiwanis, a very active member of her book club made up of her friends she referred to as the “bookies, ” and tried to read a book a week, passing her latest read on to others.
Her calming smile and sincere passionate interest in every child was unmatched. She was generous to a fault and nonjudgmental. Never too busy for a kind word and deed, she led by example. She loved Palmer and instigated, prepared and donated to the city of Palmer its first banners that hung from street lamps. Her community spirit was continuous and substantial.
June is survived by her husband, William Tull; children and their spouses, Rori and Jim Draper of Rice, Wash., Jon and Vanessa Tull of Camarillo, Calif., and Sarah and Chris Cimino of Lampasas, Texas; and eight grandchildren.
A celebration of her life is at 2 p.m., June 3 at the Presbyterian Log Church in Palmer.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be sent to the 4-H Club of the Valley, 809 South Chugach St., Palmer, AK 99645.
Kathleen Louise Winterton
Kathleen Louise Winterton, 76, died May 20, 2012, at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer.
At Kathleen’s request, no services are scheduled.
Surviving are her loving husband, Raymond; and son, David. Arrangements were by Valley Funeral Home and Crematory.
Michael J. (Mike) Morgan
Michael Jacobsen Morgan, 65, died at home in Palmer May 16, 2012, following a battle with cancer. A 4.6 earthquake announced his exit from this world to be with his Lord.
He was born April 22, 1947, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Calvin C. and Christel J. Morgan. Michael attended schools in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, California and Alaska while growing up.
Mike had an adventurous nature and was a 46-year resident of Alaska. During his lifetime, he was in the U.S. Navy, worked on the North Slope as a surveyor on the Alaska pipeline, owned and operated a gold mine near Fairbanks, was captain of his fishing boat, homesteaded land by the Johnson River where he built his cabin and was a craftsman of many trades while remodeling homes.
His hobbies included refurbishing items that had outlived their useful life, woodworking and tooling leather, but foremost, he was an avid reader. Mike was a devoted constitutionalist in his early years and was actively involved in defending American liberties in this country. He was a solitary man with a gentle soul.
Surviving is his wife, Anna Vernaya, of Eagle River; brother, Paul Minardi of West Jordan, Utah; sister, Bunny Morgan of Twisp, Wash.; many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews; lifelong friend, Walt; and special friends, Tom, Joanna and Scott, who cared for his needs during his journey through this illness.
Preceding him in death were his parents.
Michael will be returned to his beloved cabin at Johnson River. A memorial service will be held at a later date.
