Queenie Johnson

Dies at Age 34;

Services Pending

Services are pending for Norma Rae Johnson, known to her family and friends as “Queenie,” who died of complications after a lengthy chronic illness on June 12 in Boise, Idaho. She was 34.

Queenie was born July 1, 1981, in Sitka. She was a Raven Beaver from the Shdeen Hit of Angoon.

Queenie, who had lived in Sitka all her life, moved to Boise in August 2013.

Queenie was preceded in death on her maternal side by her grandparents Rodney and Lena (Tom) Hunter and Paul and Emma Demmert; uncles Johnny Hunter, Rodney Hunter and Irvin Hunter; auntie Cynthia Willis; uncles Jack Demmert and Harold Demmert; and paternal grandparents Agnes and Joseph Johnson Sr.

She is survived by her mother, Doris Hunter, of Sitka; sister Johanna Arvin of Reno, Nev.; brothers Joseph Johnson III and Michael Vandal, both of Sitka; and her father, Joseph Johnson Jr. of Juneau.

Her life partner and significant other is Jeff Grun of Boise.

Honorary pallbearers will be Tom Conley, William Kanosh and Frank Jim. Pallbearers will be Jeff Grun, Everett Johnson, Kris Weaver, Darrel Austin, Johnny Duncan Jr. and Alex J. Rice.

Those wishing to make memorial contributions in lieu of flowers, are invited to contact Doris Hunter at 747-5656.

The following calls were received by Sitka police by 8 a.m. today:

June 22

At 11:29 a.m. a 911 caller asked  police to check on a woman who expressed suicidal feelings. She was taken into protective custody.

A woman reported losing her iPhone 6-plus in a light purple leather case and a white or tan backpack containing bank cards and ID.

At 12:56 p.m. a woman said she was bitten by a yellow Lab-mix in the 1500 block of Edgecumbe Drive. The ACO  talked to the dog’s  owner.

At 4:45 p.m. a woman was reportedly driving in violation of an instruction permit, in the 4700 block of HPR.

At 7:08 p.m. a resident said his vehicle window was shattered by a baseball, in the Blatchley ballfield parking lot. Police said they would follow up with the last team on the field.

At 6:33 p.m. police checked on a report of a domestic argument in the 1300 block of SMC, which turned out to be siblings arguing. They were given disorderly conduct warnings.

At 7:08 p.m. a man was reported staggering in the 1500 block of HPR. Officers were unable to locate him.

Police checked on a report of someone shooting or setting off fireworks in the 2900 block of HPR. No one was in the area when officers arrived.

At 10:03 p.m. a resident complained about kids bouncing basketballs and screaming in the 900 block of HPR.

At 10:38 p.m. a 911 caller said he had been “propositioned” by two men, who offered him $3 if he could tell them their names. Police talked to the men, who said they were trying to help the caller.

June 23

At 12:55 a.m. a woman was reported staggering near the airport. Officers  found no one in the area matching the description.

Emergency Calls

Sitka Fire Department dispatched ambulances at 11:16 a.m., 11:58 a.m., 12:34 p.m. and 11:57 p.m. Wednesday.

At 3:01 p.m. Wednesday a fire truck was sent to 4513 HPR after a sprinkler malfunction set off the alarm. There was no fire, the fire hall said.

Richard Bert Hansen, a teacher, principal and basketball coach at Sitka High, died June 20, 1916, in Palm Springs, Calif. He was 85.

He was born Dec. 8, 1930, in Cordova, Alaska, the son of Grace and William Hansen.

Richard grew up in Cordova and Juneau. He loved sports, particularly basketball – his Juneau High School basketball team won the state championship in 1950. When he was in his 20s his city league basketball team won the Gold Medal Championship and he was named MVP.

After serving in the Marines during the Korean conflict, he returned to Douglas and married Patricia Ann Balog, on April 30, 1955.

He and his young family headed to college in Bellingham where he earned a teaching degree from Western Washington University. Later he earned a master’s degree from Penn State University.

During his career in education he was a teacher, vice principal, and principal in Petersburg, Sitka and Wrangell.  He coached basketball, cross country, track and baseball. He served as president of the Alaska School Activities Association.

As the driver’s ed teacher, he taught many in Sitka how to drive.

After retiring from education he worked for Sealaska Corp. Some of his other jobs were as a fisherman, logger,  and fishing lodge handyman. For the past 25 years he enjoyed playing golf and traveling between Alaska and Palm Springs.   

Richard is survived by his wife Patricia Ann (Balog) Hansen; and his children, daughter Cathie (Jim) Strickland, grandchildren Jason and Tricia (Michael) and great-granddaughters Ally, Emma; daughter Cindy (Jon) McGraw, grandsons Jon, Mitchell, and Joshua and great-grandchildren Hunter, Faith, Rowen, Joshua Jr. and Maile; son Richard B. Hansen Jr. (Leslie) grandsons Adam (Tiffani), Kristofer and great- grandsons Beckett, Maddox and Paxton; son John Hansen (Erin) grandchildren Renee, Kyle, Jeannette, Kory (Lindy), Haley and Lee, great-grandchildren Grace, Rita, Landon, Sawyer, Jonah, Alyssa, Jacob, Natilie, Amelia and Phinely; son Ron Hansen (Cindy), grandchildren Destry (John), Casey, Ronnie, Annie, Donna and Sam; and daughter Christie (Terry) Howard, and granddaughters Amanda and Maddy.

Richard was one of 12 children with two surviving sisters Mae (Hansen) Lange, and Gertrude (Treffers) Whitely; and many nieces and nephews. 

In so many ways Richard was a champion to so many kids. Basketball, track, cross country, Little League and Junior Babe Ruth baseball. He had a great zest for life and always had a smile for anyone he met. If you asked him what his best accomplishments were, he would always say he was so proud of his children and grandchildren and he had a deep and abiding love for his wife Patricia. He was truly a good husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. 

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to the Richard “Itchy” Hansen Scholarship Fund. This scholarship will benefit young local athletes. Donations can be made at the Wells Fargo Bank, 300 Lincoln Street Sitka, Alaska. account number 1574040554.

A military service will take place at 2 p.m. Friday, July 15, 2016, at Sitka National Cemetery, 803 Sawmill Creek Road Sitka. Following the service, a  celebration of life reception will be held3 to 6 p.m. at the Sea Mountain Golf Course, 301 Granite Creek Road.

Rhea Lou Herzberg, who came to Sitka in 1977, died June 13, at her home. She was 73.

A potluck celebration of her life will be held 2 p.m. Saturday, July 16, at the Halibut Point Recreation Area main shelter. Drinks will be provided.

Rhea was born Feb. 16, 1943, in Bakersfield, Calif., the daughter of Gordon and Arlette Herzberg. The eldest of four, she was as much a mother as a sister to her three brothers.

Rhea Lou Herzberg

Her family settled in Salem, Ore., where she met Phil Brownell. They married, and had two children. In 1971 they moved to Scio,  Ore., and built a house together on top of Rogers Mountain. It was there her sense of adventure and a love of the outdoors was born.

By 1977 she was divorced and this free spirit found her way to Sitka, looking for new adventures. Alaska didn’t disappoint. Remote and wild, it offered boating and camping, hunting and fishing, all at your back door. She often lived a homestead lifestyle in some of Sitka’s even more remote places. She fit right in as though she had been here all her life. She was finally home. Her kids soon followed in her footsteps and made Alaska their home, too, where together they had a lifetime of adventures.

Most knew her as “Skipper” or “Grama Skippy.” She was the kind of person who would take you in or give you the shirt off her back if you were in need, her family said. “If you were fortunate enough to meet her you couldn’t help but love her. She was taken from us too soon and will be more than dearly missed.”

She is survived by her two children, Tamara Brownell of Sitka and Sean Brownell of Haines; six grandchildren,  Gregory and Jessica Haag and Leland Shennett of Sitka, and Hali, Neva and Juniper Brownell of Haines; and great-grandkids Rory and Riot of Sitka.

Also surviving are her three brothers, Owen, Kevin and Eric Herzberg of Salem, Ore.; and her daughter’s unofficial big sister, Kim Duffy-Emery of Stayton Ore.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Paralyzed Veterans of America, of which she was a member; or any number of the wildlife/animal organizations. She loved all animals – and any bird who winters over in Sitka knew that Skipper would keep them fed.

“As tears begin to fall and sadness overwhelms, I am suddenly surrounded by a positive and uplifting sense of love and courage. It is a hug from my mom, my best friend,” her daughter said.

Memorial Set For

Pastor Hammett

5 p.m. on July 30

A memorial service for Pastor Sandra Hammett will be held 5 p.m. Saturday, July  30, at the United Methodist Church, 303 Kimsham St.

She died June 14 in Santa Cruz, Calif., following a sudden illness. She was  76.

Pastor Hammett had been the interim minister at United Methodist Church since July 2015. Besides pastoring, she was involved in the Sitka Ministerial Assoc., Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 4 and the Easter Group.

She also loved taking in all that Sitka had to offer.

Attending the memorial service here will be her daughter, Alicia Favorite and Alicia’s daughter. All are invited to attend and share memories of Pastor Hammett’s time in Sitka.

Refreshments will follow the service.

Douglas Hardcastle, longtime Sitka resident, passed away July 24 after a long illness. He was surrounded by many family and friends. 

A memorial service will be held 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 27, at the Elks Lodge. A reception will follow.

Douglas Hardcastle

Doug was born in Glendale, Calif., April 4, 1942, and was raised in Walteria, Calif., graduating from South High School in 1960.

Prior to graduation, in the summer of 1959, he came to Alaska and worked for Island Logging, owned by his aunt and uncle, Lowell and Fleta Marsh of Ketchikan. That was when he fell in love with Southeast Alaska.

In 1960, the family moved to Sitka, and Doug worked at Island Logging in DeGroff Bay and Tenakee Springs. During these early years he met and married Susan Peterson. They had one son, Philip Hardcastle.  

Doug was close to his sister Glenda who he called “Honey.” He was her hero and they enjoyed an extraordinary sibling relationship. 

After his life as a logger, Doug moved south and explored the culinary arts, which he excelled at. In the early 1970s, while commercial salmon trolling with his father Earl out of Sitka, he met and married Gracia McLeod, on Nov. 2, 1973. Doug and Gracia owned and operated a beauty salon and retail store for many years. Doug assisted with the operations there and took a keen interest in the front of the store. He loved art and crafts as well as decorating of home and business for seasonal celebrations. 

Doug loved the town of Sitka as well as its residents. He spent many years working with the public and became a beloved presence in Sitka, well liked and loved by many. His job at the local House of Liquor store was always an important priority. 

His favorite thing to do was to be on the water in his boat fishing, and roaming the coves and waterways of Southeast Alaska.  This love of Alaska’s waterways was given to him by his father Earl. Commercial trolling with Earl and his mother Joan was what filled Doug’s soul. He enjoyed fishing with his buddy and brother-in-law, Shawn McLeod. He would have loved pulling in the big winner in the yearly derby. 

Doug was lucky to have been able to travel recently with his family to the Midwest to attend the wedding of one of his grandchildren, Shanna, and her fiancé Josh. While in Nebraska he enjoyed visiting his daughter Marla and her husband Andrew Mohlman as well as grandson Brandon. His son, Phil Hardcastle, his wife Katie, and their children, Drew and Rylee, made a vacation of it and stopped along the way to visit many sights. Doug was also able to visit his other grandchildren Cameran and Tkaus while visiting in the Seattle area. 

“We will always remember his gentle ways and helpful presence in town and family gatherings. Being surrounded by a large extended family all the time brought great pleasure to Doug. He worked tirelessly in the background picking-up, cleaning, and preparing things,” his family wrote. “He always had a quiet chuckle. We think it was disbelief at the loud raucous gatherings that dominated most holidays.”  

For more than two decades, “Doug valiantly fought multiple battles with cancer and won every one. Unfortunately his last battle was one that was unwinnable – but he fought and lost on his terms. He met these challenges bravely and with great dignity and poise. The family will miss his calm and peaceful nature.” 

Douglas was preceded in death by his mother, Joan Johnson.

He is survived by his wife, Gracia Hardcastle; father Earle W. Johnson; sister Glenda Boddy and her children and grandchildren; son Philip Hardcastle and his wife Katie and their four children, Drew, Rylee, Cameran, and Tkaus’ daughter Marla Mohlman, her husband Andrew and their two children, Brandon and Shanna; and adopted daughter Marissa Carson and many other close family members.

Mary (Johnston) Gunderson, a former Sitka resident with good friends here, died July 2 at her home in Juneau. She was 80.

Mary Gunderson

She was born in 1936 in Spokane, Wash., the daughter of Emery and Jesse Johnston.

She lived half her life in Missoula and Kalispell, Mont., and the other half in Sitka and then Juneau, where she moved after leaving Sitka in 1996.

In Sitka, Mary worked at Staton’s Steakhouse, and was known as the best waitress in town. Her husband Ted Gunderson drove cab at Barkers’ taxi company for many years.

Both Mary and Ted were well known in Sitka, and considered to be the finest at their jobs, with great personalities and willingness to always be helpful, friends said. “They have been missed.”

Mary was preceded in death by the “love of her life,” her second husband Ted Gunderson, of Seattle; and her first husband, Arnie Fahr of Missoula; her sister, Nancy Bartz; and her parents, Emery and Jesse Johnston.

She is survived by her sister, Beverly Allen of the Seattle area; and children Brian Fahr (Jauroon), Seattle; Russell Fahr of Seattle; Karen Reyes (Bill) of Juneau; and Emery Gunderson (Christine) of South Dakota.

Numerous nephews, nieces, cousins, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and a great-great-grandchild also survive.

Those wishing further information may email her son Brian Fahr at brianfehr08@gmail.com.

George Frederick Laiblin, beloved husband, brother, father, grandfather and friend to all, passed away in his home on Lake Tapps, Wash., after a long battle with cancer July 24, 2016.

The former Sitka resident was 74.  

George Laiblin

A twin of Grant W. Laiblin, George was born Dec. 5, 1941, in Seattle, Wash., to Annabelle and George Laiblin Sr.

While living most of his life in  Washington state, he spent his childhood exploring the great outdoors in and around Sitka, where he filled his free time hunting and fishing the many bays in and around the inland passage.  

At age 15 he began spending his summers working on commercial fishing vessels, including the seiner boats the Argus and the Icy Queen.

After graduating from Sitka High School in 1960, his love of Country and the open waters inspired him to enlist in the United States Navy, where he served from 1961 until 1965 throughout the Pacific aboard the aircraft carrier the USS Hancock.  Before completing his service, he served more than a year in Antarctica, working with a joint allied communication task force.  

It was a few short years later, while working as manager of the Sitka Municipal Airport, that he met the love of his life, a flight attendant from Alaska Coastal Airlines. On Nov. 1, 1969, his life changed forever when Carolyn Robertson said yes and became Carolyn Laiblin.  

In 1976 George and Carolyn moved their family from Alaska to the Seattle Tacoma area, where for the next 36 years they owned and operated Timco Inc., an industrial hose and hydraulic fittings outfit in the Port of Tacoma. They retired in 2012.  

Above all else, George was a loving and hard-working family man. He was an avid fly fisherman and lover of history and good food, and enjoyed a hearty laugh with his friends and family. His great sense of humor, gift of gab and his ability to deliver an entertaining story will be forever etched in the hearts and minds of friends and family. 

He is survived by his loving wife, Carolyn; his two daughters, Gloria Bradbury and Jodi Laiblin-Carrara; his grandchildren Brooklynn and Brayton; his brothers Grant W. Laiblin and Gordon G. Laiblin; and sister Agnes Countryman.  His sister Esther Carter, preceded him in death.

“He will be sorely missed by his friends and family but we take comfort in knowing that heaven has certainly gained an angel and look forward to seeing him again one day,” his family wrote. “We are all eternally grateful to God for having loved him.”

A memorial service will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, at Sumner United Methodist Church, 901 Wood Ave., Sumner, WA 98391.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that a donation be made on his behalf to either Sumner United Methodist Church or to the Seattle Branch of Basket of Hope (www.basketofhope.org).

A celebration of the life of Douglas Edward Bott will be held 4-6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4,  at the Elks Lodge.

Douglas Bott

Calling hours at Prewitt Funeral Home will be 5-7 p.m. Friday.

Doug died suddenly July 30 at Sitka Community Hospital. He was 43.

A resident of Sitka for 25 years, Doug was born Sept. 15, 1972, in Torrance, Calif., and grew up in New Richland, Minn., and Northwood, Iowa.

After graduating from Northwood-Kensett High School, he moved to Sitka in the fall of 1991 to attend Sheldon Jackson College.

Seduced by the Alaskan outdoors, Doug worked as a commercial fisherman, construction worker, a certified marine mechanic, and a bartender.

 For the past five years, after receiving a certificate from the University of Alaska in non-destructive testing technology, he worked on the North Slope as an NDT technician for Kakivik Asset Management.

Doug, a gentle giant, was a lifelong outdoorsman from birth. He spent his childhood outdoors, starting at age 3 fishing alone in his own tethered boat, wreaking havoc on any sunfish within 50 feet of the dock.

He hunted and fished avidly through childhood, running a trap line before and after school; his friends remember the morning he was sprayed by a trapped skunk, and brought the odor with him to class, before the school banished him and his locker contents for deodorization. 

In Sitka, Doug was never far from the outdoors, having achieved his dream of living on a trawler in Sitka harbor, and spending much of the year hunting and fishing with friends.

Douglas loved his life in Sitka with the hunting and fishing, the Sportsman’s Doug Botts Club, helping youth with safe hunting practices, and most of all exchanging stories with his friends.

Doug is survived by his parents, Ed and Donna Bott; brother Donald (Yi-Ju) Bott; sister DeeAnne (Robert) Shaw; and nephew Bobby.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Sitka Sportsman’s Association, 5211 Halibut Point Road, Sitka, Alaska  99835.

Long time Sitkan Bonnie June Howard, 73, of Hilo, Hawaii, passed away on Monday, Aug. 8, at the Hilo Medical Center in the company of her husband, Louis Howard Sr., and her son, Louis Howard Jr.

No services are requested.

Bonnie June Howard

Bonnie was born in Anthony, Kansas, on Aug. 27, 1942, the daughter of  June and Ernest Grigsby. She arrived in Alaska in 1957 following her mother, who was to teach at Sheldon Jackson school. It was while she attended school that Bonnie met the love of her life, Louis Howard of Sitka.

Bonnie was known for her devotion to her family. She was a homemaker, worked for the Sitkans Against Family Violence, was a member of the Women of the Moose Lodge 1350, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge 1662, Hilo Women’s Club, and Alaskan Native Sisterhood, and sang with the Sweet Adelines.

Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents, June and Ernest Grigsby.

No services are requested. 

She is survived by spouse, Louis Howard Sr. of Hilo; son Louis (Marla) Howard Jr. of Eagle River; and five daughters, Mary Jane (Rick) Henley of Roanoke, Va., Barbara Scott of Ferrum, Va., Veronica Reynolds of Klamath Falls, Ore., Janet (Dan) Evans of Sitka, and Linda (Ed) Schauwecker of Juneau.

Nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren also survive.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Sitkans Against Family Violence (S.A.F.V.) http://www.safv.org.

Keith Haas, a former Sitka resident with good friends and family here, died August 3 in his home in Marysville, Wash. He was 80.

Keith was born in Atwood, Colo., on Dec. 26, 1935, the last of four sons born to his mother, Francis Louise (Large) Haas, and his father George Rudolph Haas Sr.

Keith Haas

He served in the U.S. Army in Germany in the 1950s, worked in the Kellogg, Idaho, mines with his brothers, and finally decided to better his life by attending college to become an electrician.

After his marriage, to Connie Goodmanson, he moved to Sitka, and worked for his uncle at The 3 ½ Club as a bartender until he began work at Alaska Lumber and Pulp.

After the birth of his daughter, Brenda, his family followed him to Sitka and this is where they created a life together and his heart always remained.  

In his spare time, Keith fished commercially on the F/V Bluebird, Larkspur II and later the Joan D II.  He loved the outdoors whether it was commercial fishing, hunting, or working in his yard.  Everything he did was for the purpose of providing for his family.

After the strike of ALP in Sitka, Keith worked on the North Slope of Alaska until taking a job in Everett, Wash., at Scott Paper, later to be bought out by Kimberly Clark.

It was in Marysville where Keith and Connie settled for their golden years, establishing great friendships with neighbors, co-workers, and Alaska friends.  

Keith’s greatest pride was his family.  He was deeply sorrowed when his wife left this world in 2009.  He loved his daughter and son-in-law Richard Calkins.  He was thrilled when his two granddaughters, Bryanne and Britley, came into the family and was extremely proud to be a great-grandpa to Christlyn Knocke, daughter of Bryanne and Alex Knocke.  

A celebration of his life will be held in his yard on Sept. 10. For more information, you can contact his daughter, Brenda Calkins, at brenda.calkins.2010@gmail.com.

On August 6, 2016, after courageously battling cancer for many years, Rhonda Rhodes of Littleton, Colo., passed away peacefully at her home with her family by her side. She is now in Heaven and free from pain and suffering.

Rhonda Rhodes

Rhonda was born in Medford, Ore., on August 28, 1962, to Ron and Lois Rhodes. In 1971, Rhonda’s family moved to Sitka, where she attended school from fourth grade through high school, graduating with the class of 1980. Rhonda was very involved in school activities, including band and swimming, but her favorite activity was the Sitka High Drill Team.

She attended college for two years at Western Washington University and then moved on to the University of Arizona, where she graduated with a BA in business administration in 1984.

Rhonda’s avid love of traveling took her to many countries around the world. Her longest residence abroad was in Australia and New Zealand where she visited and worked for six months following her college graduation.

Aside from her travels, Rhonda was a savvy businesswoman. During high school she worked at MacDonald’s in the Work and Rugged Gear Store and upon her return from Australia, she managed the Bayview Trading Company Fish Store. She occasionally commercial fished with her dad and brother, but thought she was bad luck on the boat because it always broke down when she was aboard.

After needing to return to work after more than a decade of being a stay-at-home mother, Rhonda worked her way through the ranks of the CED Cable and Broadband Magazine to become the publisher in just five short years.

Rhonda’s zest for life was incredibly apparent the moment you met her. She glowed with a radiance that can be matched by few, and will be remembered by all who knew her. With a love for the outdoors, hunting and fishing, Rhonda made frequent visits to Sitka with her children to visit her mother and to show the kids Sitka, one of her favorite places.

She also made trips to Craig to visit her brother and yearly trips to Flat Head Lake in Montana to visit her sister. She lived her life by making the most of every day, and in doing so set an example for all of us, her family said.

Rhonda was predeceased by her father Ron; sister Sharon Ann; and her faithful pet Shit-Tzu Ricky.

She is survived by her mother, Lois Rhodes of Sitka; son Riley Barta of West Lafayette, Ind.; daughter Hadley Rhodes of Denver, Colo.; sister Kathy Rhodes Brauer and family of Missoula Mont.; brother Doug and family of Craig, Alaska; uncle Jim Johnson and family of Oro Valley, Ariz.; and aunt Dell Johnson and family of Petersburg.

A celebration of  life service will be held in Sitka at a later date.

June Carrol Guy (“Junebug”), a Sitka resident since 1959, passed away Aug. 15 at her home here. She was 84.

June Carrol Guy

She was born Sept. 8, 1931, in Pollock, S.D., to George and Rose Jones. She had six brothers and sisters: Nancy (Don) Nieuwsma, Dwight (Jody) Jones, Carol (Clarence) Vander Laan, Rolland (Sonora) Jones, Karen Plaggemeyer and Norma (Stan) Williams.

In 1959, while living in Shelton, Wash., June was shown photos of Sitka. She made the decision that they were moving, went home and told her husband, Richard Guy, that the mill was hiring in Sitka and they were going.

Before the year was out they had landed in Sitka, and never looked back.

June loved life in Sitka, and raised her eight children here.

June loved to cook and bake, and most of the jobs she held involved cooking or baking. Even when not working she was still cooking and baking – for family, friends and neighborhood kids.

June was an active member of the Sitka Emblem Club. She loved to help out where needed, and spent many hours cooking for numerous Emblem Club functions.

June is survived by her eight children: Robyn (Larry) McCrehin of Sitka; Ricky (Kathy) Guy of Arkansas; Ron (Tina) Guy of Sitka; Billy (Sandy) Guy of Sitka; Debbie (Mike) Haag of Palmer; Sandy (Steve) Guy of North Pole; Donna (Dave) Alsept of Spokane, Wash.; and Lynda (Randy) Garrison of Montana.

Many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, in-laws and close dear friends also survive. A special acknowledgement is given to her good friend, Dave Miller.

Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Elks Lodge. All friends and family are welcome to attend.

The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Sitka Fire Department and/or the Sitka Emblem Club.

Everyone who had the opportunity to meet Lynette Marie Pattison was truly blessed.

Lynette Marie Pattison

Knowing how deeply she was loved, she passed peacefully in her sleep at home in Camas, Wash., Friday morning July 29, 2016.

Lyn was born June 9, 1951, in Jackson, Mich., the daughter of George and Norma Haberer. The family moved to the Philippines as missionaries when she was 6, and she graduated from high school there.

She returned to the United States to attend Grand Rapids Baptist College. Prior to finishing her degree she moved to Ketchikan, where she met her husband, Wayne Pattison. They moved to Sitka, where they lived and started their family, adopting a son Thomas as well as welcoming anyone in the community who needed a place to call home, if even for “derelict dinner” once a week. The birth of her daughters Carrie and Evangeline simply enhanced her joy of caring for others and directed her toward her career of social work.

The family moved to Nikiski, Alaska, where she finally took the time to professionally study her passion and gift that she’d been using all along: art. After her daughters graduated from high school she moved to Newberg, Ore., to complete her college degree and graduated from George Fox University on the same day that Carrie did. 

She worked for Catholic Community Services in Vancouver, Wash., as a family support specialist before retiring and turning her attention to volunteering full time for NAMI of Southwest Washington, creating endless pieces of beautiful art, and spending time with those she loved.

She is survived by her parents, George and Norma Haberer of Kelso, Wash.; husband Wayne L. Pattison of Camas and Alaska; daughters Carrie Geneva of Camas, and Evangeline Victoria Anne Pattison of Portland, Ore.; brother Tim Haberer and his family of Sequim, Wash.; and sister Laura (Haberer) Hubbard and family of Kelso.

She was preceded in death by her son, Thomas Haggard.

True to her nature she didn’t want any special attention focused on her and has requested no service be held. As an expression of sympathy the family would appreciate donations for funeral expenses in lieu of flowers.

“Always loving, always patient, always generous, always compassionate, her heart was simply too big for this world, and we look forward to the day when we will be reunited with her, the one we all deeply loved, in heaven,” her family said.

Arrangements are under the care of Brown’s Funeral Home in Camas, Wash. To sign the online guestbook or to leave a condolence, visitwww.brownsfh.com.

Arliss Doreen Marshall, 79, went to be in the presence of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Friday, Aug. 5, 2016.

Arliss Doreen Marshall

Arliss was born Aug. 20, 1936, in Noonan, N.D., the daughter of Paul and Ethel (Dihle) Lee. She spent her early years in Conway, Wash.

In 1956, Arliss met the love of her life, Robert (Bob) Marshall, and they were married in Conway in 1958.

Arliss graduated from Pacific Lutheran College and taught school in Mt. Vernon, Stanwood, and Arlington, Wash. The lure of Alaskan adventures for Bob brought their young family to Sitka, in 1968. Arliss taught or substituted at many of the Sitka schools from 1968 to 1984. She also spent numerous summers with Bob and their children commercial fishing the waters that surround Sitka.

After retiring, Arliss and Bob moved to Washington state before eventually returning to Alaska in 1997 to live closer to their son and family in Wasilla.

Over the years, Arliss was a deaconess in several churches and involved in many prayer, Bible, and Christian Fellowship groups.

Arliss loved music, played the French horn in high school and learned to play piano and the recorder in adulthood. She particularly loved to sing and during her life was active in several church choirs and local choruses, which included the Sitka Sweet Adelines Choir and the Mat-Su Community Chorus.

While in Wasilla, Arliss was very involved with Stonecroft Ministries in order to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Arliss was predeceased by her husband of 56 years, Bob, and two siblings, Eugene Lee and Patricia Wood.

She is survived by her twin sister, Arlene McKellar, and siblings Wanda Benson and Ken (Cindy) Lee; and sisters-in-law Judy Lee and Mary Marshall.

Her three children and their spouses – Gwen (Phil) Younger, Chris (Kathy) Marshall, and Sally (Chuck) Roesel; her eight grandchildren, Jessica and Cole Younger, Patrick and Eric Marshall, Rhys (Christine), Ryan and Becca Kimmel and Amerena (Jeremy) Johnson; and two great-grandchildren, Ailee and Maddie Johnson also survive.

In addition to being a loving parent and grandparent, Arliss was a caring person with a contagious smile, ready laugh, and many friends. She knew the power of prayer and was always involved in prayer ministry, ministering to others wherever she went. Her example of faith, love, friendship, service, and a joy of living is her lasting legacy.

A celebration of her life will be held at Wasilla Bible Church at noon Aug. 27,  preceded by a visitation at 11 a.m.  followed by a luncheon.

Arliss loved flowers and they may be delivered as early as 9 a.m. on Saturday, Aug., 27, to Wasilla Bible Church, 1651 W. Nicola Ave., Wasilla AK 99654 (907) 376-2176.

Arliss will be interred at Sitka National Cemetery 3 p.m. Aug. 29.

Thomas Buckroyd, a longtime Sitka business owner and avid fisherman, passed away at his home in Fort Mohave, Ariz., on Aug. 6. He was 64.

Tom Buckroyd

Tom was born Feb. 28, 1952, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, the son of James and Leota Buckroyd. At a very young age, his grandma taught him how to fish on Lake Okoboji in Iowa. He fished as much as he could throughout Iowa and Northern Minnesota before deciding to move to Washington State. There, he bought a live-aboard boat named Mya. He fished throughout British Columbia before heading to Southeast Alaska. When he stopped in Sitka in 1998, he knew he had found something special. He was operating his charter fishing company Alaskan Advantage at the time of his death.

Tom’s favorite way to fish was to motor mooch for big salmon. He loved getting close to the kelp beds and fish the shallows for the big kings.

Tom was also into woodworking and classic cars. A very gifted story teller, he could always get a laugh out of somebody.

Tom is survived by his daughters, Shawn Buckroyd of Minneapolis, Minn., and Leana Buckroyd of Fargo, N.D.; three granddaughters Jackie, Jasmine, and Keirra; and his beloved springer spaniel Daisy.

A memorial service will be held 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, on board an Allen Marine boat. Pick-up and drop-off for the memorial cruise will take place at Crescent Harbor.

All who want to remember Tom are very welcome to attend, the family said. There will be food served and also drinks available for purchase onboard.

Longtime Sitkan Ward Marshall Eldridge passed away quietly at home of natural causes on June 20, 2016.

Ward Marshall Eldridge

Ward was born April 2, 1943, in Hartford, Conn., to Paul and Ruth (Cramer) Eldridge. The Eldridges were an old New England whaling family. Ward learned to love boats and boating at a young age with his father and grandfather.

He came to Alaska in 1968 as a college student seeking a summer adventure, and he quickly fell in love with the land and people of northern Alaska. He stayed in Alaska to continue his education at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, but he had found his true niche that first summer fixing equipment and making things work at Camp Denali.

He met his first wife, Shelley Rogers, and they moved to Juneau where their daughter Cinead was born. Ward left a job with the City of Juneau to pursue a fishing career, and after their marriage ended, he moved to Sitka in 1973. He longlined and hand-trolled the F/V Shelley Cinead and the F/V Her Highness.

In 1979 while visiting his parents in Jacksonville, Fla., Ward came upon the S/V Merlin, a derelict wooden schooner, built in 1888 to a Herreschoff design. He spent the next six years rebuilding the schooner from the keel up, at first returning to Alaska in the summer to fish, then working full-time on the Merlin. During those years he married Hope Lynn, and when the boat was finally finished, Ward, Hope, and her son Jason Hermann sailed the boat to the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal, and out to Hawaii. They sailed into Sitka in 1988, as the Merlin turned 100 years old. 

The Merlin became part of the scene at Crescent Harbor, and Sitka once again became home. Ward turned the shipwright skills that he had developed into a new career. As he grew older, he shifted the focus of Merlin Marine to marine electrical systems and other types of marine maintenance and repair.

The highlight of every summer was a cruise on Merlin exploring Southeast Alaska. In 1999, he was anchored in Still Harbor, Whale Bay, south of Sitka, and returned from a brief kayak paddle to find the boat had been sunk by a whale.

The desire to raise the historic schooner led to the formation of the Sitka Maritime Heritage Society, with the dream of turning the boat into a teaching vessel and museum. The newly formed society coordinated a community effort that successfully raised the Merlin. The discovery of humpback whale baleen in the hole in the hull corroborated the theory that the boat was sunk by a whale.

Ward will be remembered for his love of boats, the ocean, and the Alaskan wilderness. He was always ready to share his technical skills and his knowledge of the waterways and navigation. He mentored many young fishermen and women, teaching everything from basic skills such as use of a crescent wrench, to aligning engines. He was active in the community, serving on the boards of Youth Advocates, the Sitka Conservation Society, and the Sitka Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.

He is survived by his daughter Cinead and son-in-law Eric Kubiak plus two grandchildren, of Salt Lake City; stepson Jason Hermann and family, of Orlando; sister Dale Eldridge Kaye and Ted Kaye of Pleasanton, Calif.; sister-in-law Sheryl Eldridge of Seal Rock, Ore.; nephews and nieces Eric Edelberg, Mark Eldridge, Jeffrey Rhea, and Rachel Rhea; former wives Shelley Thissen, Hope Lynn and Kathy Kyle; and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his brother Peter Eldridge and his parents Paul and Ruth Eldridge. 

A celebration of Ward’s life will be held on Saturday, Aug. 27, at the main shelter at Halibut Point Recreation Area. A potluck picnic will begin at 1  p.m., followed by an informal memorial, followed by Ward’s favorite desserts. Participants are invited to bring stories and music to share and a dish for the potluck.

Former Sitkans who hand-trolled in the 1970s and ’80s, those who saw him on the docks, or in his office will remember Jim Greenough fondly.

Jim passed away Dec. 27, 2015,  in Portland, Ore., and his ashes were recently scattered in Sitka Sound. He was 71.

Jim Greenough

Throughout his life, Jim sought adventures and new learning, enriching both his life and the lives of those around him. As a young man, he was an early Sierra Club member and joined hiking and climbing trips.

He was a competitive swimmer, and to the end boasted of having the lungs of a swimmer. He was talented in many disciplines – astronomy, farming, photography, literature, music and fixing broken things.

Jim worked his way through college at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, by prospecting in the Alaska range, walking many miles a day looking for signs of copper and staking claims for Bill Monroe. He became an adept kayaker when he went to Maine for graduate school.

Back in Alaska, he rigged a sailboat as a hand-troller and became one of the first people to commercially troll from a sailboat since the Russian era. He loved boats and the sea and continued to captain a succession of boats: the Windflower, the Raven, the Chichagof and the Phalarope.

He was an ardent conservationist who wrote about his experiences in nature for a number of magazines. He was a musician who played with a recorder group in Sitka and then, later in life, took up the cello.

He always enjoyed working with his hands and crafted everything from beautiful bowls to home remodeling. He could fix anything, usually with a creative solution.

Jim got his pilot’s license as a young man in Fairbanks and flew everything from a glider to a Lake Amphibian to the experimental airplane he built and flew most recently. 

Jim tended to play down his role as a psychologist, but he founded one of the first mental health centers in Alaska. Later he provided much support to the health aides he consulted with in remote Alaskan villages.

He was known as a sympathetic supporter of gay clients and veterans with PTSD. Working for Vocational Rehabilitation, the clarity of his reports and strength of his compassion led to work all around the states of Oregon and Alaska. For several years he served as chairman of the Alaska Psychology Licensing Board.

During this year, many people have talked with him about battling cancer. Jim always responded that this wasn’t a battle, it was an adventure. He pointed out that you can lose a battle, but you don’t lose an adventure. As new symptoms arose, he took it as a challenge to understand what caused them, then to find as good a solution as he could. 

Jim dearly loved his family, particularly his wife Carol, and felt that his last year had been special because of getting extra time with his daughters, Rachel Greenough, Betsy Carter, and Carolyn Velez; his grandsons, Anthony and Willie Carter; his great-grandson, Mason James Carter; and his sister, Ann Kerin as well as many other family members.

He is remembered fondly by all of his friends both in Alaska and Oregon for his generosity of spirit and his adventurous soul, his family said.  

Margaret Engle

Margaret Engle, a longtime resident of Roseburg, Ore., and Sitka, died Aug. 23, 2016. She was 97.

At her request, no service will be held.

Margaret Stevens Marker was born in Seattle, the daughter of Blanche (Free) and Arthur D. Marker of Tacoma.

During the war she met and married Leland A. Engle, and they moved to Roseburg in 1948.

The Engles lived in Sitka from 1970 until 1990, while he worked in logging camps and as a millwright for Alaska Lumber and Pulp. When he retired they returned to Roseburg, and traveled in their motor home.

After Leland passed away in 1993, Margaret remained active, enjoying sewing and quilting, taking cruises and visiting family.

Margaret is survived by four daughters: Nancy Elliott of Newport, Wash.; Karen Jones of Edmonds, Wash.; Sherry Engle of Astoria, N.Y.; and Marge Carpenter of Roseburg.

She will be missed by nine grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. They reside in Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Texas, Virginia and China.

Wayne Rudy “Oly” Olson

Wayne Rudy “Oly” Olson, whose sense of fun was enjoyed by the whole community, passed away with his family by his side on Tuesday, Aug. 30, in Seattle, Wash., following a lengthy battle with interstitial lung disease.

He was born on Sept. 12, 1951, in Tacoma, Wash., the son of Clara and  Rudy Olson. He lived there until 1973, when he traveled by ferry to Sitka with his good friend, Kenny Mahoskey.

He worked for Sitka Sound Seafoods during that summer, and returned the next summer to begin his career with Samson Tug and Barge Company. He worked there until his retirement in 2013.

He married Linda in 1978 and they had two children, Alicia and Casey.

Linda had moved next door to Wayne in Tacoma in 1966. Over the next 10 years, they became best friends. They loved to go “trail riding” in Wayne’s Studebaker or jeep, backpacking in the Olympic Rain Forest, and going to music concerts. Linda joined him in Sitka in 1976. Their daughter Alicia was born in 1979 and son Casey in 1982. As a family, they enjoyed Sunday morning hikes, weekend camp outs, dressing up for parades and making a big deal over the holidays. 

Wayne loved a parade. You might remember him as the “pooper scooper” during the Christmas Parade; as a giant halibut for the Alaska Day Parade; or as someone running with a giant pair of scissors. 

He loved to dress up. Any occasion for costumes has always been an Olson favorite. He could spend weeks working on minute details. He dressed as Scrooge to ring the Salvation Army bell on Christmas Eve for many years. 

He was a prankster. He loved to do something in secret with the hopes of never being discovered. He never took credit, just satisfaction in the reactions. You could always see the sly little smirk forming and know it made his day making someone else’s. If you have found something “odd” tucked in your garden, car or home, you might have been secretly visited by Wayne. 

He loved to have fun and with his creative ideas and dry sense of humor, he has left a wealth of memories and stories to share. He had a way of sneaking into your heart. 

“You will be missed by many, Wayne,” family said. 

He was preceded in death by his mother, Clara, and father, Rudy.

He is survived by his wife Linda; his daughter Alicia and her husband Eric; son Casey and his finance’ Wendi and their daughter Clara; his sister, Sue;  Aunt Grace, numerous cousins and many dear friends. 

A celebration of Wayne’s life is planned for Saturday, Oct. 1, in Sitka. The time and location will be announced soon.

“Please consider wearing a ‘Wayne inspired’ outfit and sharing your favorite Wayne tale,” a family member said. 

“Wayne’s family would like to thank you for all the love and support you’ve shown us throughout Wayne’s illness and since his passing,” the family wrote. “We’re so very blessed to live in Sitka.”