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Mark David Watkins
Lifelong Alaskan Mark David Watkins, 63, died at 11:30 a.m., Sept. 26, 2011.
Mark was born July 18, 1948, in Anchorage, the fourth child of Hal and Betty Watkins.
Preceding him in death were his two older brothers, Frederick Dean “Fritz” and Paul Douglas. He is survived by his wife Pat, his children, Christopher and Rosanna, his grandchildren Freedom, Forrest, Flower, and Tristan, his older sister, Judith Elizabeth “Judy, ” and two younger brothers, William James “Bill” and Harold Nathan.
Mark grew up in Alaska then moved, in his early teens, to Spokane, Wash., with his family. After high school he joined the Navy serving his country on one of the earliest nuclear subs, the USS Tecumseh. Following four years in the Navy he married Pat and set up house in San Jose, Calif. where Mark went to college and the two children were born. They returned to Alaska in1975 and eventually settled in Palmer at the base of Lazy Mountain.
Mark was an inspiration to all, holding a deep and abiding love for Jesus Christ that touched every life that came in contact with him. Even after suffering a debilitating stroke in 1992 that left him partially paralyzed, his faith, hope and love for our Lord Jesus and others, never wavered.
“Mark will be missed by all who knew him, ” his family said. “But at the same time we can rejoice that he is now with his Savior and all those who’ve gone before, joining that great cloud of witnesses encouraging us on.”
A potluck memorial gathering is at 3 p.m., Oct. 2 at the Palmer Christian Church (1/2 mile down Scott Road off the Glenn). Please come and join us as we sing, fellowship, and celebrate the life of Mark David Watkins.
Marilyn Wyrick
Marilyn Wyrick, 76, died Sept. 30, 2011, at her home in Willow.
Funeral services are at 1 p.m., Oct. 5 at Valley Church of Christ, on the Parks Highway Frontage Road between Hyer and Bogard roads in Wasilla. Minister Robert Kuenning will officiate. She will be interred at Aurora Cemetery in Wasilla.
Marilyn was born Dec. 1, 1934, in Velma, Okla., to Marvin and Vergie (Waller) Anderson.
She married L.E. Wyrick in June 1952. They moved to Alaska in 1959. They raised four children, which kept her busy.
According to her family, one of her proudest moments was getting her pilot’s license in the 1970s. She enjoyed flying planes, gold mining and taking care of her family. Her family will miss her mischievous smile, sparkling eyes and her loving heart.
Preceding her in death was her son, J.R. Wyrick.
Surviving are her husband, Leonard E. Wyrick Jr.; daughter, Susan (Don) Harding of Anchorage; daughter, Barbara Wyrick; daughter, Tracy (Eric) Holmburg; grandson, Jeff (Trisha) Wyrick; great-grandsons, Cameron and Cody Wyrick; and great-granddaughter, Caitlyn Wyrick all of Willow; grandson, Jason (Lauren) Wyrick; and great-granddaughter, Lily Wyrick all of Portland, Ore.; and close family friend, Jimmie Hutson of Willow.
Donations may be made to Alzheimer’s Resource Center of Alaska, P.O. Box 4406, Palmer, AK 99645.
Arrangements by Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel and Crematory of Wasilla.
Lillian Louise Crawley
Wasilla resident Lillian Louise Crawley, 88, died at her home on Sept.13, 2011.
No services were scheduled. Lillian’s ashes will be scattered at several of her favorite locations across the country and her husband’s grave in Rhode Island.
Lillian was born in Providence, Rhode Island and spent her childhood growing up there. During WWII she went to San Diego, Calif. to drive buses that transported the troops. After the war she married Robert Crawley, with a family of six kids, they traveled all over the country, so Robert could find construction work. Several of their trips were along the famous old Route 66. After her husband’s death in 1978, Lillian made several more trips across the country to visit her kids, grandkids, and great-grand kids. Lillian made her first trip to Alaska in 1987, spending two years in Sand Point followed by 10 years in Houston, Alaska. She spent her last eight years in Wasilla. One of her favorite experiences took place while driving up the Alaska Highway with her son as she celebrated her 80th Birthday eating pizza in a U-Haul truck in Watson Lake on the Alaska Highway.
The family wrote “Mom did not always have an easy life, but she was full of life, always willing to try new things, and take the next best step. The older she got, the wiser, generous, forgiving, and compassionate she became.”
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Crawley; brother, Wilfred Barlow.
Surviving are her six children and their families: Bonnie Ratzer of Garland, Texas; Ron Crawley of Lake Havasu, Ariz.; Mike Crawley of Lake Havasu, Ariz.; Dona Seaton of Santee, Calif.; Cy Crawley of Wasilla; and Robin Pompaselli of Chepachet, R.I.
In addition to her family she leaves behind several dear and true friends both in Alaska and the Lower 48. She also leaves her much beloved Boston terrier “Beans” — her constant companion for the last six years.
The family was cared for by Valley Funeral Home and Crematory.
Donald Hodge
Willow resident Donald Hodge, 53, died Sept. 8, 2011, at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer.
He was born Aug. 5, 1958, in Lexington, Tenn., son of Max and Marie (Mannis) Hodge.
A celebration of life service in his honor is at 11 a.m., Oct. 5 at Valley Funeral Home Chapel followed by burial at Wasilla Aurora Cemetery. Pastor Wes Hudson will officiate at the services.
He worked in the construction business and will be missed by his family and friends he made along his life’s journey.
Surviving are his son, Eric, and friend, Martha Goff.
The family was cared for by Valley Funeral Home and Crematory of Wasilla.
George Benjamin Gadberry
George Benjamin Gadberry, 83, of Anchorage and Wasilla, died Sept. 25, 2011, in a Medford, Ore., while recuperating in the hospital from injuries sustained in a fall May 11 at his Wasilla cabin.
George came to Alaska after World War II for an adventure and stayed for a lifetime. He was passionate about Alaska’s outdoors, where he loved to fish, hunt, ski and, especially, to fly. He flew thousands of hours in floatplanes across Alaska skies. In his longest adventure, he piloted his Cessna 185 from Alaska to Maine and back in 1991. In retirement, George began traveling without his Bush plane, but the adventurous spirit remained. He bungee jumped in New Zealand, scuba dived in Fiji, rafted the Colorado River and climbed to the top of a Roman aqueduct in Spain. At the time of his death, George still had places he wanted to visit, such as Ireland.
George was born March 7, 1928, in Washington, D.C., into a career Navy family. He grew up on military bases, many in the tropics. After high school and a short stint at university in southern California, George headed north to Anchorage with high-school sweetheart, Ethel “Phyl” Dillon of Corona, Calif., where they married in 1948. George trained as an electrician, served in the U.S. Army at Fort Richardson and worked with local contractors. George and friend Jim McNabb co-founded Electric Inc. It grew during the construction boom of the 1960s and 1970s into a large, well-respected electrical contracting firm. At the end of his career, a national group recognized George’s exceptional service and elected him a Fellow of the Academy of Electrical Contracting.
Surviving are his wife, Deborah of Wasilla; daughter, Janice Davis, and granddaughter, Whitney, of Monroe, Wash.; a son and daughter-in-law, Gregory and Susan Gadberry, and grandsons, Benjamin and Brian, of Manchester, Maine; a stepdaughter, Lillian Thompson, and step-grandchildren, Trevor and Dillon, of Phoenix, Ariz.; and stepsons Thor Thompson of Eagle Point, Ore., and Michael Powell of Fairbanks.
Preceding him in death were his brother, Dwight Gadberry and by a wife, Monika Gadberry.
George will be buried at Eagle Point, Ore. Arrangements are being made by Conger-Morris Funeral Home of Central Point, Ore.
Deo Marie Keil
Deo Marie Keil, 79, died at home surrounded by family Sept. 26, 2011, after a brief and courageous battle with cancer. A longtime Alaskan, she had lived in Montana for several years, but decided to move back to Alaska in 2005 so she could be closer to family. She spent the last six years in Palmer, living with her daughter, Beverly, and was loved by all who knew her.
Deo was born Aug. 15, 1932, in Shelby, Mont. She was the youngest of three children born to Nels and Ida Nelson. Deo came from a musical family and played violin and piano, and she and her siblings were frequent performers.
Deo married Glen D. Keil Sr. on April 9, 1950. Together they raised seven children in three different states, finally settling in Alaska in 1971, where they enjoyed hunting, fishing and exploring the great state they loved so well.
Deo’s family was extremely important to her, and she loved keeping in touch. In fact, she was a regular on Facebook and enjoyed sharing news and funnies with her family and friends. Deo was a mom to more than just her birth-children; the Valley is full of those who call her their second mom. Deo had a great sense of humor, and could always be counted on to share a funny story or enjoy a silly joke.
In addition to her musical talents, Deo was an amazing cook and very talented with her hands. Deo’s potato salad is the stuff of legend, and the pies she made never lasted long. She also created beautiful sewn handicrafts for family and friends.
Deo’s strong, quiet faith sustained and strengthened her throughout life’s ordeals. She truly walked the walk, and set an example for her children as well as the many friends and acquaintances that happened to come and go during the course of her life. Many times her quiet presence was sufficient for those around her who needed guidance.
Preceding her in death was her sister, Mercedes; son Glen Jr., and husband, Glen Sr.
Surviving are her daughters Beverly DuBos and Eileen Probasco, son-in-law Peter Probasco, and daughter-in-law Peggy Keil of Palmer; daughter Jenny Keil of Homer; daughter Barbara Arend of Poulsbo, Wash.; son Brian Keil and daughter-in-law Trudie Keil of North Bend, Wash.; daughter Jessica Mannion and son-in-law Sean Mannion of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Services are at 1 p.m., Oct. 1 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Palmer. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to local Hospice organizations.
Michelle Melissa Isturis-Tanner
Michelle Melissa Isturis-Tanner, 28, died in Juneau Sept. 5, 2011.
Michelle, or “Pokey” as her family and friends affectionately called her, was born July 13, 1983, in Everett, Wash., and lived in Juneau until 1993 when she moved with her mom and dad to Wasilla. She has many friends and was well liked in both towns.
Preceding her in death was her daughter, Elisa Grace O’Dell and grandmother, Eileen Milnes of Juneau.
Surviving are her mother, Joanne Dillard; dad, Russell Tanner; brother, Clinton; and many other family members from her mother Joanne’s family and her natural father Jeffery Isturis family.
“Michelle’s always laughing and smiling face will be forever in our hearts. We love you Michelle and we will all miss you, ” her family said.
A memorial gathering and potluck is in Juneau at Auk Village Recreation Area at noon, Oct. 1.
And at 2 p.m., Oct. 8 a gathering and potluck for Michelle’s Wasilla family and friends is scheduled at her dad Russell Tanner’s home, 5865 Wolverine Ave, Wasilla
Frankie Arnel Armstrong
Frankie Arnel Armstrong, 86, died Sept. 23, 2011, in Palmer.
Frankie was born in Watchapango, N.M. on April 20, 1925, to Oral and Pearl Hollon. She grew up in Union Gap, Wash.
Frankie loved everyone. She came to Alaska 20 years ago and has been in the Palmer area ever since.
“She will be deeply missed, ” her family said.
Surviving are children, David Riley, Gary Armstrong and Jackie Armstrong all of Palmer; brother and sister-in-law Ron and Valda Hollon, of Gleed, Wash.; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
A memorial service is at 2 p.m., Sept. 30 at Legacy Kehl’s Palmer Chapel.
Lorraine Lillian Hermon
Lorraine Lillian Hermon, 89, died Oct. 6, 2011, at the Palmer Veterans’ and Pioneers’ Home surrounded by family and friends.
Lorraine was born on March 28, 1922, in Scanlon, Minn., to Loren and Edna McKechnie. In 1935, at the age of 13, Lorraine moved to Alaska as one of the original Colonist’s kids. During her more than 76 years in the Valley she worked at the “co-op” store, Matanuska Maid Dairy in the ice cream room, as a telephone operator downtown, a postal clerk, and as a well-loved baby-sitter of an assortment of kids in the area. She was a member of the Palmer Historical Society.
Her family said she enjoyed gardening, especially her roses, knitting innumerable Christmas stockings and mitts, as well as sweaters, mittens and hats for family members. Canning was a specialty of mother’s, especially her wonderful pickles, as many will remember.
Lorraine was preceded in death by her parents, Loren and Edna McKechnie, her first husband, Paul A. Aklestad; husband of 48 years, Harold T. “Fritz” Hermon; brothers and sisters-in-law Harry and Bobby McKechnie, Ray and Diana McKechnie, Don and Nita McKechnie; brothers, Angus McKechnie and Daryl McKechnie; son, Gordon L. “Corky” Aklestad; and grandson, Ronald P. Aklestad Jr.
She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Ronald P. and Judy Aklestad Sr.; daughter and son-in-law, Karen A. and Jim McNeese; daughter-in-law Jane Sparks; step-daughters and spouses, Sally Swain, Nancy and Bill Bernert, Connie and Steve Harsh; brother and sister-in-laws, Ben and Eve Hermon, George and Dona Hermon, Neil and Kathy Hermon; sister-in-law, Georgina Bumgarner, as well as numerous nephews, nieces, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, whom all loved her dearly and will miss her tremendously.
Lorraine did not wish to have a service, but the family wishes to thank all of her friends throughout the years who showed her so much love and appreciation. Her ashes will be buried between her parents’ next spring in the Palmer Pioneer Cemetery.
The family thanks Valley Funeral Home and Crematory for their assistance.
