Edith Joan Mork

Longtime Sitka resident Edith Joan (Max) Mork passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of September 25, 2018, at the age of 85 in Sitka.
Her son William (Gig) lovingly cared for her after the passing of her husband Raymond, and all of the way until she finished her journey.
Edith (Edie) was born February 6, 1933, in Sitka to Roscoe Ahlahk Max Sr. of Barrow, and Harriet (Newell) Max of Sitka. She was Inupiaq and Tlingit; her Inupiaq name was Sarana, Tlingit name Kaanal.aat, and she was Kaagwaantaan from the Eagle Nest House of Sitka.
Edie was raised in Sitka with her sisters Charlotte and Esther (Jeannie) and brothers Roscoe, Alden and Arthur. Her father was a Presbyterian pastor and together the family lived in the old neighborhood once called “the Cottages,” located off Lincoln Street near what’s now Sitka National Historical Park. She recollected in a journal entry how she enjoyed playing on the beaches in front of her house and along the banks of Indian River.
She later attended and in 1952 graduated from Sheldon Jackson Junior College.
After graduating, Edith moved to Pelican, to be a part of the new community and the establishment of its seafood processing industry. It was during this time that she met her future husband Raymond Mork. The two married at the Presbyterian Church in Juneau on June 18, 1954, after Ray was honorably discharged from service in the Marines during the Korean War.
When asked to share the story of how she and Ray found each other, she joked that they decided to marry because they were the only two left in Pelican who weren’t already married.
The newlyweds returned to Pelican where they lived and initially ran a fish packing scow in Deer Harbor. Together they raised their five children (Frederick, Marie, Raymond Jr., William, and Keith) while Ray worked various jobs including as a sawmill operator, fisherman and fish house worker for Pelican Cold Storage. In 1979, they relocated to Sitka, where Ray took part in the construction of the Seafood Producers Cooperative.
Ray and Edie had a deep love for and commitment to each other that provided them with 55 years of marriage, friendship and life together until Ray’s passing in 2009.
While living in Pelican, Edie enjoyed volunteering in the schools as a chaperone for school trips, ran the movie theater with her husband that was originally located in the “old Quanset Hut,” and coordinated a lot of youth activities to entertain the kids of Pelican.
Her house was always open to the kids of family and friends during the commercial fishing season. She shared many stories of having a full house of kids (over 13 under her roof at one time) and how much she enjoyed it and the lasting friendships she made with the kids, even after they grew up and became adults with families of their own.
She also served as a Tlingit & Haida Delegate for the community of Pelican where she quickly made many new lifelong friends and received the unofficial title of “Chairwoman of the Social Committee.”
Throughout her life, Edith held several jobs while raising her family, such as salmon roe processing, working at Vivi’s Restaurant and bartending in Pelican, and running bingo at the ANB Hall in Sitka.
She loved to play card games with friends, but never liked to lose. In her quiet time, she enjoyed reading, knitting and listening to music. (She even had a favorite play list ... Elvis Presley made the cut).
She also enjoyed watching the neighborhood children play from her dining room window, and every kid would always to wave to her as they passed by.
In her later years, Edith enjoyed drives at dusk in Sitka, walks out Starrigavan to collect artesian well water, catching up to her friends at the “bingo social club,” and visiting with family and friends. She also took special joy in her young grandchildren Kasiana, Raymond and Gus. Nothing was more special than the time she spent with them. She was also so very proud of her adult grandchildren.
She will be remembered by family and friends as a mother and grandma to many, for her love of life and good jokes, and her sharp sense of humor and wit.
She was preceded in death by her parents Roscoe and Harriet Max, brother Arthur Max, sister Esther (Jeannie) (Max) Anderson, husband Raymond Mork, son Raymond Jr. (JR) Mork, and daughter Harriet (Marie) Mork.
She is survived by her brothers Roscoe (Barbara) Max Sr. and Alden Max; sister Charlotte (Bill) Churchill; children Frederick (Michele) Mork, William (Gig) Mork and Keith Mork; grandchildren Randy Soderberg, Jamison Mork, Raeanne (Chris) Holmes, Jody Aubuchon, Kasiana Mork, Raymond Mork and Gus Mork; great-grandchildren Randy Joe Jr. Soderberg and Ocean Blue Reft; numerous relatives – cousin, nieces and nephews – and many children she adopted over the years, all whom she loved.

A memorial service is tentatively scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday, October 14, 2018 at the ANB Founders Hall in Sitka, with a potluck reception following the service. Side dishes, salads and desserts are welcome.
In lieu of flowers, condolence cards and donations in memory of Edith can be sent to The Family of Edith Mork, 108 Rudolph Walton Circle, Sitka, AK 99835.

Hannah Nelson

Hannah Nelson, a longtime Sitka resident, passed away on Friday, Sept. 28, 2018, in Anchorage. She was 82.
She was born in Tanana on March 6, 1936, the daughter of Lee and Florence Albert. After marrying Allan Nelson on Dec. 13, 1954, in Tanana, she moved to Sitka, where she lived for 60 years.
 Along with her husband, Hannah  loved to travel, especially throughout Alaska.
Hannah was a talented craftswoman who created many beautiful Athabascan beaded slippers. She loved Alaska and her people, and the food of her childhood.
She was also a believer in Jesus Christ, and loved spending time with brothers and sisters in Christ.
 Surviving are children Kim Nelson of Anchorage, Lynell Hanson of Cary, North Carolina,  and Gerald Nelson of Fairbanks; sister Lillian Folger of Tanana; sons-in-law John Ergler, Johny Jones and Steve Hanson; grandchildren Derek Hanson, Aaron Hanson, Jordan Hanson, Lindsey Ergler; and four great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her daughter Rhonda Ergler, her parents, and her brothers Ralph Albert, Lee Albert, Alfred Albert and Charles Albert.
 A service will be held at a future date.
 

Karla K. Linder

Karla K. Linder (Keeley, Baker, Essendrup), who had lived in Sitka for many years, died June 21, 2018, in Whidby Island, Wash., her home since the early 2000s.
Karla was about to turn 74, and had had a long battle with two different kinds of cancer.
She was born June 26, 1944, in Seattle, the daughter of Betty and James Keeley. She graduated from high school there.
After coming to Sitka, Karla worked in a doctor’s office and at Sitka Community Hospital. She also was a volunteer with Sitka Fire Department.
Karla was kindhearted and, in the words of her daughter Kathryn Mathews, “did the best she could in life and tried each day to become a better person. My mom was not perfect but she was loved greatly. In this life none of us is perfect and I will spend each day trying to follow her example, to try to be a better person each day than I was the day before.
 “I will remember all the good times with her, crazy trips she took with her grandchildren (and she was crazy fun for them); and the lives of the children she took in as her own.”
Karla is survived by her children, Kathryn (Ron) Matthews of Sitka, and Todd (Sandi) Essendrup and Collette Rochon, both of Iron Mountain, Mich.;  her brother Rick Keeley of Washington; and her sister Barbara (Dan) Moldenhauer of Phillips Lake, Wash.
Many grandchildren, nieces and nephews also survive.
“My brother Todd and I wanted to express huge gratitude to Aunt Barb and Uncle Dan, who were with our mother during her last hours on this earth before joining the Lord,” Kathryn Mathews said.
“To the friends she left behind, in a letter she wrote she apologized to those she hurt and hoped you could forgive her someday and that she loved all of you very much.
“Her friends and family were her whole world. God bless you all.”
   

Janet ‘Jan’ Sparks
   

    Longtime Sitka resident Janet “Jan” Joyce Sparks passed away peacefully Sept. 22, 2018, in Sitka, surrounded by family and loved ones. She was 77.
    Jan was born June 18, 1941, in Los Angeles, California, to Robert “Bud” Sandstrom and Viona “Vi” Elizabeth Falk. The other Sandstrom children were Wayne and Karen.
    In 1951 the family moved to Alaska, where Bud worked as a pipefitter, steamfitter, plumber and fisherman. Vi was a homemaker, worked at S&W in Haines, and volunteered there at the Salvation Army.
    In 1958, Jan married Ronald “Ron” Sparks of Haines, and they had four children: Ronald “Skip”, Evans, Curtis and Tina. After living in Haines and Fairbanks, the family moved to Sitka in the early 1960s.
    Jan enjoyed working at Sitka Community Hospital in Medical Records and as the dietary manager. In her spare time she liked to garden, paint, work with ceramics, work on puzzles, read, listen to the radio, read the newspaper, and watch game shows.
    “She was one of the strongest people we have ever known,” her family said. “Nobody had a bad word to say about her, because she accepted you for who you were. You could always turn to her for advice and she never judged you.
    “She was truly one of a kind, and she will be forever missed and never forgotten.”
    Jan was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Viona Sandstrom, and her husband, Ronald Sparks.
    She is survived by her brother Wayne (Laurie Rumbaugh) Sandstrom of Fairbanks, and sister Karen Estrada of Tucson, Arizona; children Skip (Sabine) Sparks of Haines, Evans (Kim) Sparks of Sitka, Curtis Sparks of Anchorage, and Tina (Nick) Anderson of Sitka; and grandchildren Evans Sparks Jr. of Sitka, Samantha Sparks of Sitka, Ryan Sparks of Beaverton, Oregon, and Rachel Sparks of Wilsonville, Oregon.

Robert Clark Turner

Robert Clark (Bob) Turner, of Hereford, Arizona, passed away August 28 at home following a lengthy illness. He was 82.
  Committal services were held at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Fort Huachuca, Sierra Vista, Arizona, on September 5, 2018.
He was born in Saline, Michigan, on June 25, 1936, to Mamie Gladys Herkimer and Andrew Jackson Turner.
He served in the U.S. Army and was a veteran of the Korean War.
Bob was also a 32nd Degree Master Mason. He worked as a psychiatric attendant at Michigan state hospitals.  In Alaska, he worked at Alaska Pulp Corp., was a Sitka police officer, then was in charge of maintenance at Sitka Community Hospital and was an operator at the hydro-electric plant.
Bob did many construction projects while living in Sitka, including building three homes.
He was an award-winning carver, making beautiful carvings in the round and most recently enjoyed making scroll saw objects.  Metal working was also a craft he enjoyed. If a person needed help with a project, he would figure it out mechanically. “Tell me what it is supposed to do, and I will make it happen.”
He enjoyed older country music, dancing at the Moose Lodge and Elks and played a little banjo. He also had a love of animals and always had at least one dog in the house.
He is survived by his wife Judith (Judy) Turner, of 41 years; two sons, Jack Turner of San Diego, California,  and Mathew (Mat) Turner and his wife, Tracy (Williamson) of Sitka, and their three children Nathen, Andrea and Jacob; and a daughter, Barbara Ketterer of Buffalo, New York, and her three children, Natasha, Tanya and Paul, and Tanya’s children, Chloe and Matt.
In addition, he is survived by his first wife, Joanne (Fry Turner) Rhoads of Doniphan, Missouri.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers and a sister.
As a remembrance, donations may be given to the Humane Society or a charity of preference.

Kim C. Andrews

Kim Cherri Andrews, formerly of Sitka and Pelican, passed from this life on Thursday October 4, 2018, in Juneau. She was 50.
Kim was born on April 27, 1968, in Fort Hood, Texas, the beautiful daughter of Claude K.and Vicky Odell. Kim‘s family primarily lived in Sitka, and she graduated from Sitka High School in 1986.
Kim and her brother Shayne would travel frequently to Pelican to be with their grandparents, Bill and Henriette Odell. Pelican always had a special place in her heart.
Directly out of high school Kim ventured to Seattle. She drove and delivered milk for Pike Place Creamery. (Little ol’ Kim driving a big truck in small spaces.) She always loved challenges and to prove anyone wrong who said she couldn’t do it!
In October 1987 Kim moved to live with her best friend Trina Brown and her children Randy and Lisa in Oregon.
In 1990, Kim moved officially to Pelican, and started bartending for Pelican Bar & Grill “Brown Bar.”
She met Tom Andrews, a Montana fisherman off the F/V Nancy K. They soon welcomed their beautiful daughter Tyne Ashley in 1991, and their son Dylan Thomas in 1992. Tyne and Dylan were Kim’s pride and joy. All Pelican kids were always welcome in her home. Kim was extremely proud of her children, Tyne with promotions at work, Dylan for serving our country in the U.S. Navy. Kim was happy to have Tyne live so close to her and happy to know that Dylan was also securing his future in the service.
In 1998 Kim moved to Juneau. She was a bartender for Marlintinis for years, then started her work for the State of Alaska, taking a position with the Commercial Fisherman Entry Commission, where she was a natural overachiever and excelled. There will be many fishermen in the region who will miss Kim and the care she gave to all of them.
Kim had a wide variety of talents; the one all her friends loved and shared was her artwork. Many of them own her beautiful glasswork. She could make a starfish into a Santa Claus, shells and drift wood into beautiful sculptures. Her glasswork had hand-painted crabs, rockfish, halibut and such. Each piece of her artwork would evolve and the next creation be more creative and precise.  Her most recent work was with  stained glass.
Kim would light up an entire room when she entered. She was loved by many and will be remembered for her love for her family and friends, her witty sense of humor, her amazing artistry, and most of all her loving and giving spirit.
Kim is survived by her children Tyne Odell-Andrews and Dylan Andrews of Juneau; her sweetheart Joe Kollar (Joe’s children Blake, Haylie, Eric and grandson Andrew) of Juneau; her mother Vicky (David) Rieben, her brother Shayne Odell (Michelle Pesonen) of Oregon; her sisters Tara Padon (Tim) Goodson and Bradelle Padon (Nick Hatch); nieces and nephews, Chadam, Calista (Shae) Chaz, Jesse, and Mason; and her great-nieces Ellie and Everlee.
Also surviving are her uncle Allen (Becky) Odell; cousins Scott and Amy, Jon, Will, Clint and Chris Bean; and many close friends she considered to be family.
Kim was preceded in death by her father, Claude K Odell; his wife, Caroline “Babe” Padon Odell; and grandparents Bill and Henriette Odell.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Dick Wilson

Okay folks. I made it to the age of 91, a good 32 years beyond the average expiration date that was estimated for me when I was born on July 22, 1927, in Chicago, Illinois.

That is a good long life  – though I would have preferred to stick around long enough to finish reading the Harry Potter books for the 50th time. Darn, I was sooo close. I will also miss watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune with my youngest daughter Linda and the nice phone calls I shared each night with my eldest daughter Carol who lives in Ketchikan. 

It was a good life. I joined the Marine Corps in June 1945 at the age of 17 and received an honorable discharge a year later. So off to college in Fort Collins, Colorado, I went and not only graduated with a degree in forestry, but met the love of my life and my forever hiking buddy, Doris Ann Baker. We both loved the mountains and spent a lot of time hiking and climbing. I was known to climb Long’s Peak on January 1 just to be the first person to the top that year. 

In 1949, I became a smoke jumper. Yep, not afraid to jump from a plane into a forest on fire. I was fit, young and sure of myself. I was the first person on the jump list on August 5, 1949, and I was sent out with one other smoke jumper in the smallest of our planes to locate the source of some smoke that had been reported. We never did find a fire, but landed back at our headquarters just as the DC-3, carrying 15 of my smoke jumping comrades, took off to fight the infamous Mann Gulch fire. My fate was to help recover the remains of the dead. I was the only one with a camera on site that day. Some of my photos were published in Life magazine, but I refused to sell the images of my friends, so horribly burned.

Luck had me surviving to marry Doris in 1950, and we set out together to build a family and a life within the culture of the U.S. Forest Service, which meant traveling to various posts in the National Forest system. We moved every few years and my posts included Enterprise, Oregon, where our son Fred was born; Ketchikan, where our daughter Carol was born; and Jamestown, California, where our daughter Linda was born.

Our family moved back to Alaska in 1970, and I made it my goal to retire within this state we loved so much.  

I retired in 1982 and settled with my wife in Sitka.  With so much time on my hands, I took up a new cause advocating for mental health services and mental health rights, particularly for children. I was a member of SAMI (Sitka Alliance for the Mentally Ill) and NAMI (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill), and was appointed to the Governor’s Advisory Board on Mental Health. I thank the community of Sitka for honoring my efforts as a mental health advocate and I am so grateful that I had the opportunity serve the community.

In the end, I want you to know that I valued wilderness and the beauty of nature. That despite being a Marine and a Smokejumper, I was a gentle man who valued peace. I watched romantic comedies, collected and watched all the movie variations of the Cinderella fairy tale, and enjoyed rubbing cat bellies. Most importantly, I want you to know that I loved my family dearly and lived to meet three great-grandchildren who called me G-G-Pa!

Ah, life. It was a great adventure. And so on to the next adventure. 

I am survived by my dear daughters Carol Wilson and Linda Wilson, two beautiful granddaughters, Katherine Tatsuda and Robin Tatsuda, and three great-grandchildren, Desiree, Emily and Jack.

––––

Richard Moore Wilson died Oct. 10, 2018 in Sitka.

After rising through the ranks of the U.S. Forest Service, Wilson ended his career as Chatham Area Supervisor of the Tongass National Forest, and chose Sitka as his home after retiring. In accordance with his wishes the family plans to have a private celebration of his life. In recognition of his love for children, the family suggests memorial contributions in his name be made to organizations that support youths and children.  

Joseph Reeves

Joseph James Reeves, administrator for the Sitka Moose Lodge and a longtime resident of Sitka, died October 6, 2018, due to complications from a previous medical condition, while in Fairbanks for a Moose Lodge convention.
He was 60.
Joe is survived by his siblings, Theresa C. Reeves, Ginger McComb, James Reeves Jr., Rita Ackerman, Dottie Drelich, and Doris Reeves; his children Joseph Reeves Jr. (Alexandra Reeves), Kenny Reeves, Keith Reeves (Samantha Reeves), Ana Reeves, Robert Poquiz, Jessica Steen, and Maegan Steen; his grandchildren Ileanna Reeves, Josie Reeves, MacKenzie Reeves, Mark Lehmkuhl, Cody Perala, Tyler Johnson, Toni Johnson, Pauline Crosby, Keelin Mead, Connor Reeves, and Ellora Phelps; and his girlfriend Maribeth McCormick.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Lorrain Reeves and Peter Homiak; and his wife Roberta Reeves.
Joe was born in Camden City, New Jersey, on August 6, 1958, to Lorrain Reeves and Peter Homiak. After graduating from Frankford High School in Philadelphia, he enlisted in the United States Coast Guard. He served in Cape May, N.J. and in Alabama before coming to Sitka to serve on the Coast Guard Cutter Woodrush.
On November 3, 1979, he married Suzanne Poquiz, and welcomed into his life his sons Rob, JR, Kenny, and Keith. Many years later Joe and Suzanne parted ways as friends. That’s when he met Roberta Ozawa, whom he married and remained married to until her passing in 2003.
Joe eventually remarried, and welcomed his daughter Ana into his life. A couple of years after Ana’s birth, Joe separated from Ana’s mother. After some time he met Maribeth McCormick, whom he was with at the time of his passing.
Joe was a devoted father, brother, and friend. He enjoyed many different sports that he shared with his sons, most notably Pool League and City League Softball.
He often could be found taking part in a variety of community functions and events, including being a Police and Fire Commission member. He was passionate about working to make Sitka a stronger community for his friends and family.
The most important thing in Joe’s life was his family; he often spoke about his sisters and brother, as well as how proud he was of his children and grandchildren.
He found joy in every situation; his positive outlook and warm smile were contagious. He will be deeply missed by his friends, family, and all who knew him.
Services are pending. Donations for the family may be made to The Joseph Reeves Memorial Fund at ALPS Federal Credit Union.

Anna Mae Abbott

Anna Mae Abbott, 90, died on Sunday, September 23, 2018, at Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage.
She was born in Sitka August 12, 1928, to Boris Kostrometinoff and Elise Peck. Anna grew up in the Cottages in Sitka and was raised by her grandparents, George and Louise Hobson.
Anna had nine children with Jess Bartolaba and lived on Japonski Island before moving to Juneau in the early 1970s. She married Charles Abbott Sr. on May 24, 1972.
Anna worked in the Governor’s Mansion for Gov. Jay Hammond, and she and Charlie spent many years working in Juneau Cold Storage, where they both retired.
She and Charlie sewed and beaded moccasins to give to family and friends and to sell in tourist shops in Juneau.
 Anna spent every summer in Klukwan with Charlie and family putting up fish. Many family members traveled from all over the state and country to learn from them how to smoke fish. Many of her favorite stories involved summers spent in Klukwan or spring time getting hooligan in Haines.
They were regulars at Juneau Bingo halls until Charlie passed in 2006. Anna returned back to Sitka in 2017 to be cared for by her family, and she was surrounded by family in the last days of her life.
Anna was preceded in death by her first husband Jess Bartolaba, her second husband Charles Abbott Sr., daughters Linda Concepcion and Evelyn Lauzurique, and her son Danny Bartolaba.
She is survived by her six children, Gene Bartolaba of Sitka, Loreta Sherlock of Sekiu, Washington, Nenita Wilson of Nondalton, Miguela Everhart of Anchorage, Connie Conners of Buckley, Washington, and Jess Bartolaba of Juneau; 20 grandchildren; and 32 great grandchildren.

Mary Martha Christianson

Mary Martha Christianson of Folly Creek Cottage near the hamlet of Daugherty, Va., and formerly of Christoff Island in Sitka, peacefully ended an 11-month battle with cancer at The Hermitage in Onancock, Va., on Oct. 18, 2018.
Until the end, she was cared for by her devoted husband Jim Williams, surrounded by her many friends, her two surviving children, and the well wishes of friends and family across the country.
She was born Mary Martha Kistenmacher, daughter of Charles Frederick and Annie Caroline (Coffman) Kistenmacher, on Feb. 3, 1934, in St. Louis, Mo. She graduated from Clayton High School, Oberlin College (receiving a bachelor of arts degree in comparative religions), and underwent graduate studies at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Mary, known to many of her friends as Mimi (and to her grandchildren as Meems), led a full, active and socially engaged life. Her many homes included Storrs, Connecticut; Seattle, Washington; Steeleville, Missouri; Poughkeepsie, New York; New Britain, Conn.; Saratoga, N.Y.; Chinnor, England; Amherst, Va.; Lynchburg, Va.; Henley, England; Charlottesville, Va.; Richmond, Va.; Sitka; and Daugherty, in the town of Accomac, VA.
Her travels took Mimi and her children, her friends, and her partners to all continents but Antarctica, and more than 30 nations of the world.
    Mary Martha worked as a Girl Scouts leader, a social worker, a guardian ad litum, and a therapist expert at pulling people out of family traumas.
She volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, arts councils on the Eastern Shore and in Southeast Alaska, and served to start up or strengthen Unitarian Universalist congregations in both places as well.
Music was a great love of her life, which she acted upon through support for the renowned Sitka Summer Music Festival, elements of which she proudly brought to Onancock when she moved back to Virginia.
    Mimi loved adventure. She worked as a camp counselor in the Rocky Mountains as a teenager, camped her way across the United States several times, and spent a summer traveling around Europe with her family in a converted World War II ambulance, “The Owl.” She sailed the West Coast from Alaska to South America, and out to the Galapagos, with her husband of 18 years, Warren C. Christianson, on his Tantalus, as well as the Chesapeake with her later husband Jim on his mighty ketch “Lobo.” She skied (and broke limbs doing so).
Throughout her life, Mary Martha was a close friend, supporter and muse to artists. Her homes always had their walls filled with works by painter friends; her gatherings for poets, novelists, journalists and musicians have grown legendary over the years. She helped found KCAW Raven Radio, on whose board she served for years. She was a key member of International Human Learning Relationships Network for 30 plus years, organizing their spirited annual getaways around the globe and editing their newsletters.
Mary always had beloved pets by her side, including her 18-year-old cat Melinda right up to her final month.
She supported her children, Paul, David and Fern, whole-heartedly her entire life, and was devastated by the passing of David, a theater professional who predeceased her in 2002. She also “adopted” other children wherever she went, from a boarding student in Sitka, Julie Petro Lowndes, who stayed her close friend and almost-daughter for nearly 40 years, to younger people wherever she lived or traveled.
As a grandmother, Meems would drive long hours to spend holidays, or vacation at the beach. She was always fun to be around, but she was also never a “coddler”; when she played you in Hearts, Gin Rummy, Parchisi or Chinese Checkers, she always played to win. And she couldn’t abide those long games like Monopoly or Risk that would end family discussions. As a girl, she’d say a night at home involved singing around a player piano, charades, and other community-strengthening endeavors.
    Mary Martha moved from Alaska to the Eastern Shore of Virginia in 1997 after several trips along the East Coast searching out a new coastal home. Settled into the peninsula home surrounded by Nature Conservancy lands and Folly Creek’s calming waters, she built a new life filled with work aiding area non-profits, doing social work as a consultant, and helping to start and run the Accomack Interfaith Crisis Council.
She made myriad friends, through regular bridge-playing events, membership in one of the liveliest book groups ever to gather, and through her marriage to Jim, a former mayor of Onancock, noted sailor, and the center of many key social groups.
Mary Martha Kistenmacher Christianson is survived by her loving husband of many years, James Williams; her sisters Nancy Kennaugh of Englewood, Fla., and Jane Hennerich of Manchester, Mo.; children Paul Smart of Albany, N.Y., and Anne Fern Smart of Lakeville, Conn.; grandchildren Sam Weisman of Washington, D.C., Julian Weisman of Boston, Mass.; and Milo Smart of Albany, N.Y.; plus various nieces and nephews and entire communities of friends.
Her son David Henry Smart and her brother Charles F. Kistenmacher Jr. predeceased her.
A memorial service and casting of ashes onto Folly Creek will take place Nov. 24 at Folly Creek Cottage in Daugherty, with ceremonial drumming and cello/bass musical accompaniment. A separate service for farther-afield friends is being planned at Oberlin College in  the spring of 2019.
    In lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated to the Accomack Interfaith Crisis Council (AICC), P.O. Box 738, Onley, VA 23418-0738.

Leone Marilyn Rosi

Leone Marilyn Rosi, a former Sitka resident, passed away Oct. 13, 2018, at IU Health Arnett Hospital in Lafayette, Indiana, with her husband and daughter at her side. She was 83.
Marilyn was born in Wenatchee, Washington, Nov. 18, 1934, to Carl and Leone Edwards. She grew up on the family property on the banks of the Columbia River outside Wenatchee, and graduated from Wenatchee High School in 1952.
Marilyn met her first husband, H. Hays, with the U.S. Forest Service  while serving as a forest fire lookout on the Wenatchee National Forest. Always one for adventure, she insisted they start their lives together in the great territory of Alaska which was not even a state at that time.
Together in Ketchikan, they had two  children, Hilary and Bruce. In 1964 they transferred to northwest Montana where their third child, Christian, was born. However, they missed Alaska and obtained a transfer back to Alaska in 1972, this time to Sitka.
Marilyn loved her life back in Alaska and greatly enjoyed the Alaska Day celebrations, the Sitka Summer Music Festival, walking through Sitka National Historical Park, working in the Pioneers Home kitchen, and making some wonderful friendships.
Marilyn met her second husband, Peter Rosi MD, in Sitka, and together they forged a new life, first in Washington State and eventually in Chicago, where Peter was from. Although Chicago was certainly a different world to Marilyn, she rose to the occasion and soon had a very close-knit group of friends with whom she enjoyed working out most days at the local gym, and going for coffee and visiting after. She was also active with Peter in the Orthodox church, first in Sitka and then in Chicago.
In their later years, Marilyn and Peter moved to Montana for several years and then back to the Midwest.
Marilyn was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, June Edwards Blank; and her brothers Carl Warren Edwards and Gary Edwards.
Marilyn is survived by her husband Peter Rosi MD, of Lafayette, Indiana;  daughter Hilary (Larry) Bush of Missoula, Montana; and sons Bruce Hays of Missoula, and Christian Hays of Talent, Oregon. She also is survived by her four grandchildren, Carl and Eric Bush, and Lucinda and Gwenyth Hays.
The family extended appreciation to  Tim and Kelly Rosi, Peter’s son and daughter-in-law, of Lafayette, for their dedicated care of Marilyn in her last year of life.
A graveside service was held Oct. 19, in Romney, Indiana.

Services have been scheduled for Daniel G. Rear, who died Oct. 13 at the Homefront - Taku River. He was 75.

Services will be 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4, at the Sitka Assembly of God church. Graveside services will be 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6, at Sitka Memorial Park.

Services for longtime resident Sandra Kay Farmer will be held  3 p.m. Oct. 27 at the newly re-built Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 519 Monastery St. The family said all are welcome to attend.

Sandra died at the age of 80 at her home on Sept. 1.

Daniel George Rear

    A celebration of the life of Daniel George Rear will be held 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4, at the Assembly of God. A time to share memories and company will follow.
    A graveside service will be 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6, at Sitka Memorial Park.
    Dan died Oct. 13, at the homestead on the Taku River. He was 75.
    He was born March 7, 1943, in Portland, Maine, the son of Gertrude (MacMillan) and George Rear.
    He graduated from Juneau-Douglas High School, and on March 29, 1970, he and Clara Trillingham were married in Juneau.
    He was a commercial fisherman, trolling and longlining; and hauled freight on the landing craft. He served in the National Guard in California.
    The family lived in Pelican for 12 years before moving to Sitka in the fall of 1988.
    Dan enjoyed playing golf, and subsistence hunting and fishing. He was a member of the Sitka Moose Lodge.
    Dan was a devout Christian, a loving husband and nurturing father. He loved his family and the church, and witnessing for Jesus.
    He also enjoyed spending time at his cabin on the Taku River.
    His family said he is missed by the many people who loved him, “but we are comforted knowing that he loved us  and that he is now rejoicing with Jesus in Heaven.”
    Dan was preceded in death by his son, Kyro.
    He is survived by his wife, Clara Rear, daughter Tammy Wheeler and her husband Jeff Wheeler, son Kenneth Rear and his wife Debbie, daughter Sarah Nelson, son Joziah  Rear, son Thelton Rear and his wife Kacie, son Simeon Rear and his wife Chantel, daughter Kristina Rear, son Joshua Rear and son Stephen Rear, all of Sitka, and son David Rear of Seattle; 16 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
    His brother John Rear and his wife, Anna-Marg of Juneau; sisters Louella Nelson and Grace MacMillan, both of Orange County, California; and his mother-in-law, Wilma Trillingham, of Port Angeles, Wash., also survive.
    Members of his family will be pallbearers. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Sitka Assembly of God.
   

Barbara Lessard

Barbara Ash (Tatum) Lessard passed away peacefully on October 6 from complications following hip surgery and Alzheimer’s disease.  She was surrounded by family at her sister’s home in La Jara, Colorado.  She would have turned 70 on October 8.
    Barbara had a rich, life beginning with her birth on October 8, 1948, in Anchorage, to Ken and Wilma Ash. The oldest of six siblings in an Air Force family, Barbara lived in many different states, as well as in Canada and the Philippines. 
    After graduating from the University of Northern Colorado in 1970, she was offered teaching jobs in both Wyoming and Sitka.  Inspired by her mother, who had come to teach at Sheldon Jackson in 1943, she adventurously chose Sitka. Barbara had planned to stay for only a couple of years, but she fell in love with the community, making it her permanent home.
    In July 1971, Barbara married fellow teacher, Jon Tatum.  They welcomed their only child, daughter Jennifer, in 1975. Both continued teaching into retirement; they divorced in 1982. Barbara was always so proud of her daughter, and was dedicated to navigating the world of single parenting. Barbara and Jennifer enjoyed many mother-daughter adventures, including road trips through Canada and much of the U.S. They even purchased a boat, and explored the islands near Sitka!
In April 1993, Barbara started a new chapter of her life when she married Ron Lessard. They were joined by Ron’s 14-year-old daughter, Tera, who became an important person to Barbara.
In 1997, Barbara retired from teaching to open Finn Alley Bed & Breakfast with Ron. Their home was a beautiful setting with gardens admired by thousands walking down Lincoln Street. Barbara took great pride in her gardens.
Aside from their B&B, Ron and Barb also made many memories together traveling in Mexico, Hawaii, Europe, and taking RV trips though the United States. They loved this time together.
    Without doubt, Barbara’s greatest joy was becoming a grandmother.  When Jennifer, following in her mother’s and grandmother’s footsteps, started teaching fulltime, Barbara happily agreed to care for her grandchildren. There were also many sleep-overs, boat rides, camping trips to the family float house, and vacations that revolved around her grandchildren.  Together they would bake and garden, create art projects, read stories, build blanket forts, and take walks to the playground, beach, and Totem Park.
After her family, Barbara’s greatest joy in life was teaching—especially teaching children how to read. She could hardly go anywhere in town without running into a former student. Her dedication to teaching instilled a love of reading and learning in so many.  She had a quiet way of making people feel special and loved.
Barbara will be lovingly remembered and missed by many. “We will think of her with a smile when we see a purple iris, a bright blue Himalayan poppy, a great blue heron, or a playful dragonfly,” family said.
She was preceded in death by her husband Ron; mother, Wilma Warther Ash; brother-in-law Tom Hamilton; and great-niece Renee Phelps.
Barbara is survived by her father, Ken Ash, daughter Jennifer and son-in-law Bill Grant; grandchildren, Camryn, Carson, and Evan Grant;  and sister Pamela Ash, all of Sitka; sisters Diana Hamilton and Susan Manz, and brother Larry Ash of Colorado, and brother Steve Ash and sister-in-law Peggy Reeve of Hawaii; stepdaughter Tera Lessard and her husband Roger, of Washington; nephews Jasson Dellacroce,  of Arizona, Clayton Hamilton (Shannon), Blake McCarty (Becca) of Colorado, and Tristan Twohig of Oregon; nieces Erica Ash of Texas, Leah Phelps and Lara Ash of Colorado; great-nieces Hannah Dellacroce of California, and Bennett Hamilton of Colorado; and great-nephew Connor McCarty of Colorado.
    A memorial service is planned for 2 p.m. Dec. 16, at Sweetland Hall on the Fine Arts Campus.  Former students, colleagues, neighbors, and friends are invited to come and celebrate her life.
    In lieu of flowers, the family appreciates a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association or Brave Heart Volunteers of Sitka.
 

Larry Loitz

Services Nov. 9

Former Sitka resident Lawrence “Larry” Loitz, 74, passed away on Oct. 28, 2018, at Mat-Su Regional Hospital.
Larry was born on March 12, 1944, to Farnum and Lilly Loitz in Shelton, Wash. In 1959, when he was 15 years old, his family moved to Sitka, for employment at the new pulp mill. After Sitka High School, Larry worked for Alaska Lumber & Pulp, from 1962 to 1994.
Larry married his second wife and surviving spouse, Joyce, in 1985.
Larry was a Sitka Volunteer Firefighter between 1969 and 1993. He was an avid snowmobiler in winter on Harbor Mountain and sometimes in Juneau.
When Alaska Lumber & Pulp closed in 1993, he and his family moved to Wasilla, where he started his own septic tank/leech field installation company, Aardvark Enterprises, which he operated from 1996 to 2003. He later worked in transportation at Job Corps in Palmer, from 1996 to 2011.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Charles Loitz.
He is survived by his wife, Joyce Loitz of Wasilla; his four children, Tammy Loitz of Nickerson, Kansas, Trace Horrace of Fairbanks, Jason Loitz of Wasilla, and Ashley Blatchford (Quincy) of Kenai; his sister, Marilyn Hawley of Bellingham, Wash.; and his six grandchildren, Robert Horrace, Victoria Horrace, Tristan Loitz, Hanna Horrace, Paige Loitz, and Kyle Loitz.
Services are to be held at the Palmer Elks Lodge, 2600 N. Barrys Resort Dr.ive, Wasilla, on Nov. 9, at 6 p.m., with potluck meal to follow.
Condolences may be sent c/o 481 Trent Circle, Wasilla, AK 99654.

Ethel Louise Staton

Episcopal services for Ethel Louise Staton will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, November 17,  2018, at St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church.  Reverend Julie Platson and Father David Elsensohn will officiate.
       The reception will be hosted by the Sitka Emblem Club after the service, from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Sitka Elks Lodge.
Ethel, 93, passed away quietly in her sleep, while visiting her son, Norm and family, in Juneau on November 7. Her ashes will be interred at St. Peter’s altar columbarium next to her husband, Norman Staton Sr.
 She was born on January 13, 1925, in Ketchikan, Alaska, to Robert and Mabel Milonich. Ethel is of Tsimshian Alaskan Native and Yugoslavian descent and was one of five sisters. Ethel grew up in Ketchikan, graduating as valedictorian of her senior class, and working in her father’s restaurants.
Her husband joined the U.S. Army and came to Alaska where he met Ethel, the love of his life.  They married in 1944 and began their love story for 51 years.
The family moved to Sitka in 1955 and purchased the Pioneer Grill on Katlian Street, and the Sitka Café on Lincoln Street. After selling those businesses they opened and operated Staton’s Steakhouse and Cocktail Lounge.
Norm and Ethel were a team. They tirelessly brought fine dining to Sitka and were known as premier restaurateurs in Southeast Alaska, catering to Sitkans,  Alaska Lumber and Pulp employees and dignitaries with banquets, parties, family dinners and many celebrations. Famous for Norm’s Fish and Chips, their full service, waterfront restaurant was the heart of many of the city’s social gatherings for 25 years on Harbor Drive.
 Norm and Ethel purchased Building 29 on Lincoln Street in 1985, one of the two oldest buildings on the west coast of the United States. After doing some remodeling and restoring, they opened The Log Cache Jewelry and Gift Store because they wanted to still be a part of Sitka’s history. 
Ethel’s passion was service as she leaves a legacy of Native leadership and community involvement. She served on the Shee Atiká Inc. Native Board for 36 years and was the founding member who wrote a personal check paying for the filing fee to incorporate on April 1, 1974. She served as board chairman from 1981 to 1984 and was granted the title of Chairman Emeritus and awarded the William Paul award upon her retirement in 2007.
As a tireless advocate for Shee Atiká through its most troubling times, a consistent voice of protecting the company’s assets, a firm supporter of extending scholarship benefits to present and future generations of shareholders, she personified the best of Shee Atika’s early leadership. She was proud of her grandson Heath, who is now serving on the Shee Atiká board.
Ethel also served on the Board of Governors for the Alaska Bar Association, the Alaska Commission of Judicial Conduct, and Sheldon Jackson College Board of Trustees, and was Past President of the VFW in Ketchikan, Past President of the Sitka Emblem Club 142, Past President of Beta Sigma Phi, XI Zeta Chapter, President of the Tsimshian Tribal Association of Sitka, the Board of Holland America and the Girl Scout Council.
In Ketchikan at St. Elizabeth’s and St. John’s Episcopal, in Sitka at St. Peter’s by-the-Sea churches, she served on the Altar Guild and Episcopal Church woman groups.
Ethel also received the title of Mrs. Sitka in 1968, showing her talents in sewing, flower arranging and copper tooling.
Her natural grace, elegance and impeccable appearance was what made her stand out, and she took each position giving 120 percent of her time and talents for the betterment of each organization she served.
Her mother and grandmother taught Ethel and her sisters, Pauline, Ena, Jackie and Shirley, to be Tsimshian ladies with class and dignity. A humorous fact her family reflects on: she owned multiple restaurants but couldn’t cook;  thank goodness Norm could.
Whether entertaining with friends at the restaurant  or family at home she knew how set the table, decorate and organize the festivity, hire the best people, do all the clean up, be the best hostess, all with a smile and at the same time looking like a million bucks.
Family will tell you it was a joy to come to Sitka to stay at their home and enjoy the love and laughter from morning to night. Grandchildren and great-grandchild stayed overnight, playing dress up, learning to play poker, singing, dancing, making popcorn, watching TV  cuddling on the couch or the big king size bed. Nieces and nephews came and stayed for months at a time, learning skills in the restaurant business. In Ethel and Norman’s home you were surrounded by love, respected for your ideas and given every opportunity to shine.
When her eyesight started to diminish from macular degeneration she had to give up all her service obligations and close the store. It was a difficult time for her.
Survivors include daughter Candi Barger of Sitka and son Norm Staton Jr., wife Donna of Juneau.
 Grandson Heath Barger, granddaughter Gerri Chambers, great-granddaughter Holly Chambers of Bellevue, Washington.
 Granddaughters Tess Staton (Kyle) of Juneau, Katie Staton-McCann (Justus) of Eugene, Oregon.
 Niece Michele Kohinka of Anchorage,
 Sister Shirley Robards and nephews Cliff (Tuffy) Robards, Robert Leighton (Terry, Caitlin, Garrett) of Sitka.
Nephews Ronnie Leighton, Ivan Leighton, Dominic Salvato; nieces Barbara Pierce, Sharon Thorne, Vida Conway and Donna Turner.
Caregivers Guadalupe Carlos, Janet Vidad and Caitlin Carlos.
Honorary pallbearers are Cliff (Tuffy) Robards, Michele Kohinka, Gerri Chambers, Heath Barger, Katie Staton McCann, Tess Staton, Holly Chambers and Ryan Staton (in memorium).
Correspondence can be sent to 228 Harbor Drive, Sitka, AK 99835.
Memorials may be made to St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church or a favorite charity.
“Our family would like to thank you all for your gestures of love, support, stories, kindness and prayers in memory of our mom, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and aunt,” her family wrote.

Nora Arries

Nora Arries passed away peacefully on November 11, 2018, in Palm Springs, California. She was 81.
She was born to Patrick and Mary Murphy on January 8, 1937, in Dublin, Ireland. Nora Mary Murphy was the ninth child in a family of 16 children. She was raised in a strong Catholic faith that shaped the woman she became.
She went to work in London at the age of 17. There, she met her first husband, Charles Weddel. They married in Dublin on December 26, 1957. They lived in England for two and a half years before moving to Oregon on June 11, 1960. From there they came to Sitka, where she became an American citizen, in December 1966.
She married her second husband, Arden Arries, on August 11, 1967. Raising four children, she had a number of jobs ranging from waitressing, to working as a cab dispatcher at the old Anchor Cab company, eventually owning it for a spell. She also worked at First National Bank of Anchorage and National Bank of Alaska as a bank teller. Eventually, she  worked her way up to become head teller/loan officer at the NBA branch until she retired in 1985.
After retirement, she and Arden moved to Tombstone, Arizona, where they owned a small motel business until 1995. From there, they lived in Silverdale, Washington, until 1999, and moved to their final destination of Desert Hot Springs, California,  in 2002.
She was preceded in death by her first husband (Charles Weddel), second husband (Arden Arries), and her son Stephen’s wife Sherri Weddel.
She is survived by her dearest sister Margie of Dublin, Ireland; sons Stephen Weddel of Phoenix Arizona, and Robert Weddel of Sitka; daughter and son-in-law, Marie and Kerry Adler of Anchorage; and son and daughter-in-law Brian and Stephanie Weddel of Sitka.
Grandchildren include Aaron, Nolan and Kaylahni Weddel, Charity Wayne, Kieran, Natasha and Mariah Adler, Seth Swink, Patrick Moore Jr. and Christopher Moore.
Fifteen great-grandchildren as well as many nieces and nephews also survive.  Nora was extremely fond of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, often times spoiling them with birthday gifts of a dollar for every birthday till they were 18.
She was an avid reader, card player, and knitter. She also bowled many years in various leagues wherever she lived. Once at a bowling tournament in Alaska, she danced with Alaska’s then Gov. Steve Cooper.
Funeral arrangements will be announced in the near future.

Steven Wayne Allery Jr.

Memorial services for Steven Wayne Allery Jr. will be held 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, at the United Pentecostal Church, 101 Cascade Creek Road.
A potluck reception will be held downstairs after the service.
Steven died Nov. 10, at the age of 32.
Steven “Stevieboy” Allery was born July 28, 1986, the son of Georgianna (Johnson) and Steven Allery Sr. He grew up in Sitka, and attended Sitka schools.
After earning his diploma, he started working at Sitka Producers Co-op, in the cold storage department. After five years he began working for Hardrock Construction, and was with the company at the time of his death.
When he wasn’t working, Steven loved to go hunting and fishing with family and friends.
Although he loved the hunting and fishing, his real pride and joy were his two beautiful children, Ferrah Rose and Mason Gage Allery.
Steven was preceded in death by his grandmother, Gertrude Hazel Shayen of Sitka, who he loved so much and is in heaven with his grandfather, George B. Johnson Sr. of Angoon, and his grandparents Jerome and Edna Allery of Holley, Minnesota.
He is survived by his children, Ferrah Rose Allery and Mason Gage Allery of Sitka; his mother and stepfather Georgianna and Michael Smith of Sitka; his dad, Steven Wayne Allery Sr. of Lawrence, Kansas; and  his stepfather Chris Polasky Sr. and Beth Polasky of Petoskey, Michigan.
His younger siblings, of Sitka, are Heather Allery (Joe Nelson), William Allery, Chris Polasky Jr. (Kendra Skultka), Douglas Polasky (Kayla Polasky), and Robert Polasky.
Steven’s seven beautiful nieces, Ariyanna and Niomi Nelson, Charline Skultka, Alissa Skultka-Padgett, Mia Skultka-Esparza, Klaudia Skultka-Adams and Kaliope Polasky; and two handsome nephews, Kaeden Skultka and Kalvyn Polasky, also survive.

Steven will be loved and missed by all of his friends and family, his family said.
“We love you, Steven, we all know you’re with Grandma and are in a better place.”

Richard Eugene Powell

Former Sitka resident Richard Eugene Powell, of Milton Freewater, Oregon, passed away Oct. 8, 2018, at the age of 70.
Richard (Fritz or Rich to family and friends) was born in Prosser, Washington, May 6, 1948. The family moved to Lake Stevens, Washington, where they  lived until moving to Sitka in October 1959. Richard graduated from Sitka High in 1966 then attended Northwest Nazarene College, graduating with a degree in math education.
He taught briefly at Mt. Edgecumbe High School but was drafted into the U.S. Army in late l970. A portion of his Army career was spent in Germany.
Richard returned to Sitka briefly, working in various places as an accountant, before moving to Caldwell, Idaho, where he lived and worked for several years.
In 1983, Richard moved to Laughlin, Nevada, where he worked for the next 33 years at Pioneer Casino. Many Sitkans recall running into him there at a Black Jack table. He met and made many friends from across the country and world while working there.
He loved the hot, dry climate, and was an avid bike rider, often going on rides of more than 50 miles and competing in cross-state team races. He never owned a car while living there.
He retired in January 2016 and moved to Milton Freewater, where he owned a home. He enjoyed being outdoors, going on daily long walks and taking care of his yard and gardens. He owned a car, but seldom drove it, preferring to walk.
Watching football and Nascar racing were other pastimes he enjoyed; he was an avid San Francisco 49ers fan.
Richard especially enjoyed the company of a niece and grandniece and their family, who lived in Milton Freewater. Having lived alone for so long, he appreciated living near family again.
Richard was preceded in death by his brother, Robert Powell Jr., his mother, Rosalee Powell, and his father Robert Powell Sr.
He is survived by his sister, Terry Bartolaba (Gene) of Sitka; nephews Mike Bartolaba (Mindy) and Greg Bartolaba (Angie) of Sitka and David Powell (Angel) and Richard Powell (Priscilla) of Las Vegas, Nevada; nieces Kristina Randolph (John) of Juneau, Mary Umbriaco  (Ben) of Glacier Park, Montana, and Ruthie and Pepita Powell of Milton Freewater.
Correspondence may be sent to his sister, Terry Bartolaba, 443 Verstovia Ave., Sitka, AK 99835.