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Don H. Ballard
Longtime Homer resident Don H. Ballard died Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2001, at his home in Homer. He was 74.
At his request, no services will be held. His ashes will be spread over the family homestead in Soldier Mountain, Idaho in the spring.
Mr. Ballard was born Oct. 31, 1926, in Nampa, Idaho. He graduated from Bellingham High School and then studied forestry at Washington State University in Pullman, Wash., for three years. In February 1945, he enlisted with the U.S. Army and served during World War II in the 336th Complement Squadron. He obtained the rank of corporal. He was honorably discharged in October 1946. He enlisted for basic airborne training in December 1950, serving in Korea. While in his second enlistment, he was given several honors including the National Defense Service Medal, Parachute Badge, Army Occupation Medal in Japan, United Nations Service Medal, Korean Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars and the Combat Infantry Badge.
Mr. Ballard was a seiner fisherman in Southeast Alaska, working on his cousin's boat from the late 1940s to 1973. In 1974, he bought his first driftnet boat and fished around False Pass. He fished there until his retirement in 1988. Mr. Ballard crewed with friends until the late 1990s. He was a member of the Heritage Bible Fellowship and was earlier a member of the Homer Christian Church. He was also a master at fish net repair and hanging.
"Don was a loyal, committed friend, husband, brother and stepfather. He was a very hard worker and was there to help anyone and at anytime, " his family said.
Mr. Ballard is survived his wife of 16 years, Karen, of Homer; stepson, Everett Clifton of Anchorage; stepdaughter, Kimberlee Honsowetz and her husband Ged of Bremerton, Wash.; grandchildren, Aislinn Miner and her husband Patrick of Lakewood, Wash., and Polung, Mingder and Jung Lee-Clifton, all of Anchorage; great-grandson, Brandon of Lakewood; sisters, Ramona Villani of Bellingham and Yvonda St. Amour of Bend, Ore.; brothers, Phillip Ballard of Hamilton, Mont., and Bob Ballard of Nampa; brother-in-law, William Blunt of Lymon-Hamilton, Wash.; sisters-in-law, Cheryl Wingate and Gail Riddle and her husband Walt of Bellingham., and Marlene Engmark of Surprise, Ariz.; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the American Cancer Society for cancer research, at P.O. Box 2165, Kenai, AK 99611-2165
Arrangements were made by Homer Funeral Home.
Douglas Allen Miskinis
Kenai resident Douglas Allen Miskinis died Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2001. He was 54.
A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the American Legion Post in Kenai. His ashes will be scattered on Emma Lake next summer.
Mr. Miskinis was born April 11, 1947, in Yakima, Wash., to Alphonso and Bernice Miskinis. He graduated from Seward High School. Mr. Miskinis served in the U.S. Army for two years. He moved to Alaska in 1951 and lived in Soldotna from 1951 to 1969, in Fairbanks from 1969 to 1979 and in Kenai from 1979 to 2001. He worked for AIA (Mark Air) in Fairbanks from 1969 to 1979, and in the oilfields since 1984. For the last 10 years he worked for Alaska Petroleum Contractors. Mr. Miskinis enjoyed fishing, hunting and reading.
Mr. Miskinis is survived by his wife, Arlys; his sons, Derrick and Michael Miskinis and Steven Miskinis-Clark; his father and mother-in-law, Willis and Ann Wheeler; his sister-in-law, Julie Wheeler; his brother-in-law, Randy Wheeler; his brother and sister-in-law, Barry and Julie Wheeler; his nephews and niece, Austin, Bo, Thomas, Jonathan and Rebecca Wheeler; and his brother, Dave Miskinis.
Arrangements were made by the Peninsula Memorial Chapel.
George A. Ioanin
Sterling resident George A. Ioanin died Sunday, Sept. 23, 2001, at Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He was 78.
No services are planned.
Mr. Ioanin was born June 17, 1923, in Nelson, British Columbia, Canada. He grew up in Nelson and was very athletic, playing hockey, lacrosse and baseball. He moved to Trail, B.C., as a young man to play junior league hockey.
During World War II, he served in the Canadian Navy and survived a torpedo attack on one of his ships.
He married Doreen Gladys Owen on Aug. 27, 1943, in Trail.
Mr. Ioanin worked at Cominco as a painter for 40 years. He was a lifetime member of the Painters International Union.
He and his wife moved to the United States in 1953. They lived in Seattle at first and, in 1954, moved to Fairbanks. They moved to Anchorage in 1957 and remained there until 1985, when he retired and they moved to Sterling.
Mr. Ioanin's hobbies included piloting his plane, hunting, fishing and square and round dancing. He was an instructor in calling square and round dancing from 1957 to 1990. He was a member of dance groups for many years and also a member of Beta Sigma Phi.
He was preceded in death by his adoptive parents, a brother and a sister.
He is survived by his wife, Gladys, of Sterling, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Lung Association for research in asbestosis.
Arrangements were made by the Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d'Alene.
Deneace Gravening
Nikiski resident Deneace Gravening died Friday, Oct. 5, 2001, at the Central Peninsula General Hospital in Soldotna of cardiac arrest. She was 46.
A private memorial service will be held at a later date in Phoenix.
Mrs. Gravening was born May 15, 1955, in Eureka, Calif. She and her husband, Rodger, moved to Nikiski in January 1999. She worked in the home and was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Mrs. Gravening enjoyed sewing and spending time with family.
"She was the best wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend a family could be blessed with, " her family said.
She was preceded in death by her sons Rodger Dale Jr. and Jessie.
Mrs. Gravening is survived by her husband of 32 years, Rodger Dale Gravening; her daughter, Ronnie Renay Gravening; grandsons Nicholas, Anthony and Defano Gravening; sisters Debra and Darla; and brothers Charles and Clifford Gilmore.
Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.
Katherine Miriam 'Kitty' Davidson
Seward resident Katherine Miriam "Kitty" Davidson died Monday, Oct. 15, 2001, in Seattle at the University of Washington Medical Center. She was 40.
Funeral services will be in Michigan at 11 a.m. today at Saint Clement Catholic Church with burial in the Romeo Cemetery.
Ms. Davidson was born on July 4, 1961, in Mount Clemens, Mich. She was in the last sixth grade class graduating from the Saint Clement School, and she graduated from Romeo High School in 1979.
She moved to Houston, Texas, where she lived for about 10 years. She made many friends, worked as a glass blower and discovered that she loved sport fishing. She returned to Michigan for three years before moving to Alaska, where she had lived in Seward for the past five years.
"Kitty had a close relationship with her family and friends. She taught us many lessons such as: life is an adventure, help people in need, be patient and brave and take time to fish, " her family said.
Ms. Davidson was preceded in death by her father, Philip C. Davidson. She is survived by her parents, Marie and Fred Kowalke of Romeo; siblings and in-laws Elizabeth Lee and Mark Stamper of Plymouth, Mich., Walter C. and Lisa Davidson of Houston, Texas, Rosalie Benser, Pam and Jack Geiser and Jeffrey and Bridget Kowalke, all of Romeo, Fred and Karen Kowalke and Jay Kowalke of Roseville, Mich., and Kim and Paul Wagner of Sandusky, Mich.; 14 nieces and nephews; and many members of her extended Alaska family.
Arrangements were by the Henry M. Malburg Funeral Home in Romeo.
Wenceslaus Shea
Wenceslaus "Bud" Shea of Ninilchik and Plainfield, Iowa, died at his home in Plainfield on Friday, Oct. 12, 2001, from an apparent heart attack. He was 67.
A funeral service will be held Monday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Waverly, Iowa, with Rev. Mike Tauke officiating. Visitation will be today from 4 to 8 p.m. at Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home in Waverly with a 7 p.m. scripture service.
Mr. Shea was born Aug. 2, 1934, in Geddes, S.D. He was the son of James and Cornelia (Srstka) Shea. Their family moved to Volga, Iowa, when Bud was a child and he later graduated from Volga High School. Bud joined the United States Army and served from 1952 until 1954. He then attended college in Denver, Colo., and Milwaukee, Wisc., for three years. After his education, he went to work for the United States Forest Service as a computer operator in Eugene, Ore., Portland, Ore., and Alexandria, Va.
He was married to Peggy Conforti Sept. 5, 1982, in Williamsburg, Va. The couple resided in Alexandria, Va., until moving to Portland, Ore., in 1993, where they remained until Bud's retirement in 1994. After his retirement, Bud and Peggy moved to Ninilchik and wintered in Plainfield, Iowa.
Mr. Sea was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Jim and Dan Shea.
Bud is survived by his wife, Peggy, of Ninilchik and Plainfield; one son, Scott Shea of Los Angeles, Calif.; two brothers and their wives, Bill and Emmegene Shea of Manchester, Iowa; and Gene and Mary Shea of Waverly, Iowa; one sister and her husband, Mary Lou and Leon McTaggert of Strawberry Point, Iowa; and two sisters-in-law, Patricia Shea of Volga, Iowa, and Patricia Shea of Oelwein, Iowa; and several nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be directed to St. Mary's Catholic Church in Waverly, Iowa, or the American Red Cross.
Arrangements were made by Kaiser Corson Funeral Homes.
Connie L. Lauria
Soldotna resident Connie L. Lauria died unexpectedly Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2001, at her home in Soldotna. She was 46.
Arrangements are pending with Peninsula Memorial Chapel.
Billie G. Anderson
Kenai resident Billie G. Anderson died Oct. 5, 2001, at the Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage after a battle with lung cancer. She was 70. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 8, at the Peninsula Memorial Chapel in Kenai. Elder Roger Jones will officiate. Her ashes will be buried with her husband's, Bobby D. Anderson, at a later date in Eunice, N.M.
Mrs. Anderson was born on Oct. 10, 1930, in Jackson, Okla. In 1962, she and her family moved to Sterling. They eventually moved on to Kenai. She was a devoted housewife and mother. Mrs. Anderson was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in the Kenai Ward.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Bobby D. Anderson; her mother, Maudie Fox; and her brother, Deloyd Landreth.
Mrs. Anderson is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Ronnie D. and Willie Anderson, of Soldotna; son, Gary D. Anderson of Glencoe, Ark.; granddaughters Veronica Anderson and Christy Cooke and her husband Bryan Cooke; three great-grandchildren, Michael, Taylor and Jason Cooke of Bellevue, Wash.; brother, Henry Fox, Jr., and sister-in-law, Marge Landreth and their families, of Eunice, N.M.
Arrangements were made by the Peninsula Memorial Chapel.
Greg Bernard Norris
Former Cooper Landing resident Greg Bernard Norris died Sept. 30, 2001, in Gardenerville, Nev. He was 23. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Monday, Oct. 8, at the Cooper Landing Community Center. His ashes will be buried in the Cooper Landing Cemetery at a later date.
Mr. Norris was born Oct. 31, 1977, in Seward. He lived in Cooper Landing for 21 years until he moved to Orcas Island, Wash., and then to South Lake, Nev.
He attended elementary school in Cooper Landing and Soldotna, and graduated from Skyview High School. In Cooper Landing, he worked as a carpenter and fishing guide. In Nevada, he worked as a carpenter and cabinet maker.
Mr. Norris received the American Legion award from the Cooper Landing Elementary School. He loved the wilderness and especially enjoyed fly fishing, as well as kayaking, snowboarding, cooking and baking.
"Greg will be greatly missed by all his family, many friends and the community of Cooper Landing. He had a warm and sensitive smile, as well as an ability to communicate with both young and old. He was wise and compassionate, lived his life without pretense and expected the world to be right and just, " his family said.
He is survived by his parents, Jerry and Theresa Norris; siblings Jenny, Mark, Joel, Sarah and Sean; niece Hannah; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Greg Norris Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 664, Cooper Landing, AK 99572.
Local arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.
Karl Frederick Baun
Former North Kenai resident Karl Frederick Baun died Thursday, Oct. 18, 2001, at Willamette Valley Medical Center after a year's illness. He was 68.
At his request, no services were held. He wished to be cremated and his ashes spread over the homestead in Alaska.
Mr. Baun was born Sept. 17, 1933, in Elyria, Ohio, the son of Elmer Gottlieb and Edna Mae Rienke Baun. He was raised in Ohio.
He and Eleanore Elbert were married Aug. 1, 1950, in Adrian, Mich. In 1959, they moved to Alaska, where they homesteaded in North Kenai.
In 1990, he retired from his job at Amoco Production in Cook Inlet and moved to a small farm near McMinnville, Ore., where he lived the rest of his life.
He is survived by his wife, Eleanore; daughters Sharon Bystedt of McMinnville, Stephanie Grace of Trinidad, Colo., Sondra Starnes and Sarah Amend, both of Kenai, and Stacy McAfee of Merced, Calif.; sons Kyle of Golden, Colo., Kristopher of Vancouver, Wash., and Kenneth of Veneta, Ore.; 19 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and his sister, Jean, in Ohio.
Arrangements were made by Macy and Son Funeral Directors of McMinnville.
