A celebration of the life of Crystal Marie Geiger will be held 2-6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Swan Lake Senior Center.

Those attending are welcome to bring dishes to share.

Crystal Geiger

Crystal died Sept. 4, at the age of 58.

She was born July 29, 1958, in Raymond, Wash. When she was 2 the family moved to Kodiak, and she graduated from Kodiak High School.

She came to Sitka in 1977 to attend Sheldon Jackson College, and graduated in 1981 with a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education.

On July 24, 1982, she married Robert Geiger, in Owensville, Mo.

Crystal loved life, and was very outgoing and sociable. She was a good artist, and loved unicorns and dragons, Disney movies, animated movies and reading, lots of reading.

She also enjoyed being outside, working in the garden, and having picnics. Camping and boating on weekends was a favorite family activity, up until mobility problems restricted her activities.

Over the years she worked as a dishwasher, dining room checker and monitor, and a housewife and mother.

She was chaplain at the Moose Lodge.

Crystal was preceded in death by her father, Estal Pryor; brothers Jay Prior and Ernie Pryor; and a niece, Mora.

She is survived by her husband, Robert Geiger, son Adam Geiger and granddaughter Anita May Geiger, all of Sitka; her mother, Anna Marie Coates, of Belle, Mo.; a brother, Jerry Pryor of Belle; and a sister and brother-in-law, Sherry and Joe Bond, and their son William, of Anchorage.

The family suggests memorial donations be made to Sitka Community Hospital.

Joan M. Fager

Joan M. Fager, former Sitka resident, passed away Sept. 21, 2016, at her home in Walla Walla, Wash., with her husband and son by her side.  She was 72.

Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, at the Munselle-Rhodes Funeral Home, 902 S. Main,  Milton-Freewater, OR.  Memorial contributions may be made to Walla Walla Community Hospice or Shriners Hospital through the funeral home.

Joan Maxine (Harmon) Fager was born Feb. 16,1944, in Enterprise, Ore., to Jack and Maxine Harmon.  She graduated from Enterprise High School in 1962 and shortly thereafter moved to La Grande, Ore., with her family.

She attended Eastern Oregon College for two years while working various jobs, including a stint at A&W Drive In where she would meet her future husband, Leland Fager. The two were married on July 19, 1964.

Leland and Joan had three children, Jon, Jenifer, and Lisa.  In 1977, the family moved from Oregon to Sitka,where   Joan worked for the Sitka School District, first as a paraprofessional and later as an administrative secretary.

After retiring from the school district, Joan explored some part-time opportunities working with a real-estate office.  This sparked an interest that led to Joan and Leland opening Angler’s Landing Bed and Breakfast and operating vacation rentals in Sitka.

After 29 Alaskan winters, the Fagers moved back to Oregon and took up residence in Milton-Freewater, next door to their life-long friends, the Stricklers.  Their final home was The Odd Fellows Home in Walla Walla.

Joan was a domestic diva who loved cooking, sewing, crafting, and all things Martha Stewart.  She was also an avid volunteer who shared of her time, energy, and talents with the following organizations:  Rainbow Girls, Al Kader Shrine Divan Ladies, Daughters of the Nile, and Emblem Club.  

Joan was preceded in death by her mother, Maxine Harmon.  She is survived by her husband, Leland Fager of Walla Walla; father, Jack Harmon of La Grande; sisters Julie Hickerson of La Grande and Jean Talbott of Portland; brother Bill Harmon of La Grande; son Jon Fager of Walla Walla; daughter Jenifer Fager of Interlochen, Mich.; daughter Lisa Hutton of Sitka; four grandchildren; one great-grandchild; multiple nieces and nephews; and many great friends.

Noah Stephan Mayo

A memorial for Noah Stephan Mayo will be held 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, at the Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi community house. It will be a potluck dinner.

Friends can call Prewitt Funeral Home at 747-7321 for hours of a viewing.

Noah died Sept. 20 in Sitka. He was 37.

He was born at home in Juneau on March 2, 1979, to Michael Mayo and Sherie Morrow. Home at the time also was their fishing boat, the F/V Helen. Noah spent the first four years of his life on the docks. In 1981, after his brother Ocean and sister Coral were born, the family moved to their home on Kaagwaantaan Street in Sitka, where he spent most of his childhood.

Life was adventurous, with seasonal fishing and boat work in Port Townsend and Seattle.

Noah was interested in animals, biology and mythology as a child. He was a voracious reader and good student.

He began wrestling in high school, and joined the Sitka-Edgecumbe Youth Football League in its first year of existence, in 1996.

During his high school years and later, he traveled to Kamchatka, Russia, India, Bhutan and Australia.

After graduation from Sitka High School in 1997, he helped coach wrestling in middle and high school, and also was a referee.

His other interests were playing Magic with friends, science fiction, City League basketball, weight lifting, subsistence hunting and fishing, and working the daily crossword puzzle in the Sentinel.

He bought his first boat, the F/V Sea Dog, and a home in his mid-20s, and married Jessica Blankenship in 2006. They had two daughters, Autumn and Lily Mayo, and he took on the parental role of Dad to Evelyn and Lila Widmeyer, Autumn’s and Lily’s half-sisters.

Noah was a commercial longline fisherman his whole life, and three years ago bought his second boat, the F/V Resource, and learned to gillnet.

Noah is survived by his daughters, Autumn and Lily Mayo of Sitka; his father Michael Mayo and mother Sherie Mayo, both of Sitka; brothers Jeb Morrow of Petersburg, Dan Hoffay of Cottage Grove, Ore., and Ocean Mayo and Cedar Mayo, both of Sitka; sisters Coral Crenna, Ilona Mayo, and Song Mayo, all of Sitka, and Amber Mayo of Los Angeles; brothers-in-law Patrick Crenna and Mike Davidson, both of Sitka; his mother-in-law, Ramona Kirkman of Sitka, and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Sitka School District wrestling program.

“Noah had a huge heart and touched many lives,” his family said. “He was a caring and compassionate man and was always willing to help a friend in need."

“We love you, Noah, and always will.”

Nick Goodwin

Former Sitkan Nick Goodwin, of Montara, Calif., died on August 26 while riding his mountain bike on Montara Mountain. He was 59.

Nick was born on June 29, 1957, in Columbus, Ohio, the son of Charles Bennett Goodwin and Shirley Van Blaricom Goodwin. He moved to Berkeley, Calif., in 1974 and attended Berkeley High school.

In 1989 he moved to Anchorage where he worked in restaurants and fisheries. In 1991 he earned his GED and enrolled at Sheldon Jackson College in Sitka, graduating summa cum laude in December 1995 with a degree in natural resource management and Development.

He married Caroline Davis of Sitka in 1996, and the couple had their first child, Naomi Louise, in 1997. From 1996 to 1999 the Goodwins lived at Little Port Walter, on south Baranof Island, where Nick worked year-round as a fish culturist.

When Caroline was awarded a fellowship to attend Stanford in 1999, the family moved to East Palo Alto and Nick returned to work for the family plumbing business in San Francisco. Their second daughter, Josephine, was born with extensive internal anomalies and died at 11 months at Packard Hospital in April 2002. Her grave is in Sitka next to her maternal great-grandparents Les and Caroline Yaw.

The Goodwins moved to the San Mateo coast in 2001, and in 2004 they welcomed their third daughter, Isabel Neva (Izzy).

Nick was a devoted father, husband, brother and friend, and a longtime, sober member of Alcoholics Anonymous. He celebrated 25 years of continuous sobriety on February 15, 2016.

He was an avid mountain biker and loved living on the coast. He was also an integral part of the family business, and many people will miss his sense of humor, his quirky and genuine way of being in the world, and his extraordinary dedication to work, family and sports, his family said.

He is survived by his wife Caroline Goodwin; daughters Naomi and Izzy Goodwin; sister Beth Goodwin of Anchorage and brother Chris (Nina) Goodwin of Half Moon Bay, Calif.; nieces Megan Goodwin-Germano (Matt) of Castro Valley, Calif., and Shannon Bodenner (Jared) of Chugiak, Alaska; nephews Chris Michael and Jesse Goodwin of Half Moon Bay, Daniel Jones of Anchorage, and Ben Goodwin of Santa Cruz, Calif.

A grand-nephew, Patrick Liam Goodwin-Germano of Castro Valley; sister-in-law Beth B. Goodwin of Pacific Grove, Calif.; father-and mother-in-law William and Nancy Yaw Davis of Sitka; brother-in-law Scott Davis of Seattle; brother- and sister-in-law Roblin Davis and Elizabeth Pisel-Davis of Juneau; niece Maya Pisel of Milwaukee, Wis.; and nephews Forrest and Arlo Davis of Juneau also survive.

He was preceded in death by his father Charles Bennett Goodwin and his mother Shirley Lawson, his oldest brother CB Goodwin, and his daughter Josephine Neville Goodwin.

A celebration of Nick’s life will be held at some point in Sitka, for his extended Alaskan family.

His death has been officially determined a result of “blunt injury to the neck” from a fall.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to Naomi’s and Izzy’s college fund via https://www.youcaring.com/caroline-goodwin-and-her-daughters-637529

Grant Jay Miller

Grant Jay Miller passed away peacefully at Hospice of Northwest Ohio the morning of Saturday, September 10, 2016, after a short struggle with cancer. He was 69.

He was born July 12, 1947, in Toledo, Ohio.

Grant was preceded in death by his mother, Alice Jeanne (Duncan) Weller; his sister Karla Kay Miller (1956-1970); and his stepbrother, Dennis Lee Mooseman (1950-1998).

He is survived by his father James Ernest Miller; stepmother Carlee Ogot Miller; sisters Erna Jeanne Miller and Melissa Kay Miller; sons Bae Olney-Miller and his wife, Jennifer Olney Miller (Kai, Jordan, Marina, Rowen) and Nick Olney-Miller and his wife Ingfrid Martin Olney-Miller (Tevin, Tatum, Dezi); and stepdaughter Kate Hemion (Mali, Finn, Theo).

A full obituary will be forthcoming.  Memorial services are yet to be determined.

Marie Gordon

 Services have been scheduled for Marie Louise Gordon, lifelong Sitkan, who died Sept. 25, her family by her side. She was 58.

Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi. A potluck will follow, with those attending asked to take a dish to share.

Marie was born Dec. 22, 1957, at Mt. Edgcumbe to Oleana and Allan Bradley Sr. She was the eldest of eight children. A natural leader in her family, she always helped care for her younger siblings.

Marie worked as an assistant instructor at the Sitka Native Education Program. She loved that her children and grandchildren were active in the Tlingit culture and she continuously encouraged them. She stressed the importance of staying together and making family a priority.

She treasured her children and grandchildren dearly and spent her final days making plans to ensure they would be well cared for.

She loved helping people, and would do whatever it took to support friends and family. Her strength and her kindness will never be forgotten, her family said.

Marie was dedicated to her work as a front desk manager at the Sitka Super 8, where she was employed for 20 years. She worked up until she couldn’t anymore. Her life was touched by the caring staff there and she considered them part of her family.

Marie was preceded in death by her parents, Oleana and Allan (Buzz) Bradley Sr.; her sister Angela Bradley; nieces Dana Kitka, Melissa Kitka, Raven Bradley; and daughter Kasondra Jones.

She is survived by her loving children, Dorothy Gordon, Marcia Knight and Victor Jones Jr., who would like to acknowledge James Bradley, Jamie Bradley and Michael Palacios, as Marie considered them her children also.

The father of her children and good friend, Victor Jones Sr.; siblings John Bradley of Anchorage, Harry Bradley, James Bradley,  Anna Bradley and Clara Gray of Sitka and Allan Bradley Jr. of Juneau; and her grandchildren Kurtis DeTemple, Allana Carlos, Diego Carlos, Alliyah Tabilisma, Julio Mejia, Pedro Mejia, Aleksei Mejia, Rowan Brady, Tianna Gordon, Ajah Bishop, Blaise Trombetti and Ariyanna Knight, also survive.

Her family thanked all friends and family for the astounding amount of love and support.

Honorary pallbearers are Katie Converse, Alice Davis, Clara Kosbruk and Crystal Kristovich.

 Contributions are appreciated, and can be presented to Dorothy Gordon at: 402 Etolin Street # 4 or 907-738-9484 with questions.

Gary Lloyd Eddy

Gary Lloyd Eddy, former Sitkan, unexpectedly “walked into the forest” Sept. 20, 2016, at home in Juneau. He was 66.

Gary was Eagle/Wolf of the Yanyeidi Clan of the Taku Tlingit People. His Tlingit name was Kegaan.

Gary was born on June 25, 1950, in Juneau. He graduated from Sitka High School, earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and completed the Massachusetts Institute of Technology master’s program in project management.

Right after finishing at MIT, he worked for the U.S. Public Health Service, Environmental Health Branch, Construction Section. He was very proud and passionate about his work in eliminating the use of honey buckets in numerous small rural communities by improving the water and sewer systems. The villages included Noatak, Kotzebue, Nome, Kake, Kasaan, Klawock, Craig, Nikolai and Emmonak (where he met his wife Bernadette).

He also worked in Saxman, Sitka, Anchorage and Juneau, where he retired from the State of Alaska Department of Transportation on Aug. 1, 2016. 

He enjoyed fishing and entered the Sitka, Ketchikan, and Juneau salmon derbies with family and friends. He also liked berry picking; putting up and cooking fish, especially his own deep fried halibut; and watching and talking with friends about football, baseball games, and current political issues.

Gary was on the Shee Atika Inc. board, and served as chairman. The current Shee Atika board president, Ken Cameron, stated, “I served with Gary on the Shee Atika Board in the 1980s and found him passionate about the things and issues he cared about.” 

Gary is survived by his wife Bernadette, and daughter Tammy of Juneau, son Christopher (Laura) of Portland, Ore., and daughter Erin Eddy (Billy Weis) of Ketchikan; sisters Karen Eddy of Fairbanks, Francine (Laird Jones), and Kitty Eddy of Juneau, Nancy Douglas (Ed Young) of Sitka; and brother Rocky (Patty) Eddy of Juneau.

Also surviving are nine grandchildren, Holly, Dean, Lilly, Shawn, Gwendolynn, Anna, Emilie, Zachary and Tyler; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his daughter Hatty Eddy; parents Francis and Florence Eddy; uncles Lloyd and Andrew Sutton; aunt Irene Roberts; and sister Shirley Dreadfulwater.

The celebration of life for Gary was held on Sept. 24 at the Juneau Tlingit and Haida Community Council Center.

Interment was Sept. 26 at Alaskan Memorial Park in Juneau.

Edward Johnson

Edward Jay Johnson, of Anacortes, Wash., a former Sitka resident, died of cancer Aug. 29 in Kirkland, Wash. He was 69.

He was born April 2, 1947, in Tacoma, Wash., the son of Wes and Merna Johnson. The family moved to Ketchikan in 1953, and then to Sitka, where Edward attended schools then went to work at Alaska Pulp Corp. mill. He also worked as a bartender.

In the 1980s he moved to Redding, Calif., where his brother Gary was living. He worked at several jobs there before moving to Madras, Oregon, and then Anacortes.

Edward was preceded in death by one brother, Harry Johnson.

He is survived by two sons, Elvis Johnson and Heath Johnson, both of Helena, Mont.; brothers Gary Johnson of Redding, Larry Johnson of Sitka, Billy Johnson of Lacey, Wash., Richard Johnson of Federal Way, Wash., and Charlie Johnson of Anchorage; and sisters Charlotte Johnson Robinson of Snohomish, Wash., Peggy Johnson Whitney of Anacortes, and Janice Johnson Meabon of Sitka.

Many nieces and nephews also survive.

A private family service will be held in Anacortes.

The family suggests that those wishing to make a memorial donation do so to Sitka Public Library.

Gary Berry

After a short illness, Gary A. Berry of Seattle, a former Sitka resident, departed this life very peacefully on Sept. 20, surrounded by his family. He was five days from his 77th birthday.

He was born in Cripple Creek, Colo., on Sept. 25, 1939, to Elmer and Katherine Berry. He grew up in Colorado and graduated from Woodland Park High School.

He joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1958 and received his basic training in Groton, Conn. He was stationed in Sitka, where he met the love of his life, Marion Williams.

After serving four years, he was honorably discharged from the Coast Guard in Alameda, Calif.

Marion and Gary were married Feb.  17, 1962, and were blessed with two wonderful sons Todd and Ron Berry.

Gary was very active with his boys in Boy Scouts, including serving as their troop leader. Because of his perseverance and his belief you can do anything you want, he became a firefighter for the Mt. View Fire Department with the help of his dear friend Jeff Hunter. Later, he decided he wanted to work with his brother Michael, so he went to Santa Clara County Fire Department, retiring in 1990 after 25 years of service.

Throughout his life he truly enjoyed helping and assisting people. With his brother, he owned and operated a catering/barbecue business Fire Fighters Barbecues, where numerous nieces and nephews, friends and family members worked. In 1993, after 10 successful years with the barbecue business, he sold his part, moved to Juneau and purchased his boat “Andyman,” named after a grandson. When people asked him what he did, he was quick to answer with a big smile, “Hunting and fishing, and I do my job well!”

With encouragement from Uncle Pat Moy, he joined the American Legion Sitka Post 13 and held the highest office as Department Commander for the State of Alaska.

Every year he participated in his true passion, working with high school boys at Boys State. Summers were spent fishing with his family and friends, especially his grandchildren.

After living in Alaska, Gary and Marion moved to Seattle to be near their sons and grandchildren. Gary cherished all the time he spent with his family, extended family, friends and his closest companion, Duke, who sat with him faithfully every day.

His parents, Elmer and Katherine Berry, preceded Gary in death.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Marion Berry; sons Todd (Kirsten) Berry, Ron (Mi) Berry; and brother Michael (Liz) Berry.

Grandchildren Erin Berry, Alex Berry, Collin Berry, Andrew (Tracey) Berry, Katherine (her mother Julie) Hughes, Kaitlynn (Chase) Armfield, Rachael Nelson, Chelsea Eason, and Blake Eason; sisters-in-law Walleen Williams and Esther Liberty; and brothers-in-law Harvey (Kathi) Williams Jr. and Bill Trivett also survive.

His nieces and nephews are Steven (Claudia) Berry, Kristean (Mathias) Björkman, Michelle Liberty, Virgil (Bel) Liberty, Carl Liberty Sr., Sheryl DesBiens, Glenda (Tim) Drevas, Tara (Dale) Hume, YeilYadi Olson, Marsha (Allen) Heilbrun, Nicole (Kevin) Fischbeck, Kimberly (Ty) Brill, Jamie Trivett, Michael (Jennifer) Williams, Harvey (Shana) Williams III, Kevin (Jessica) Williams, Sean (Shi Fen) McRee, Daniel (Kim) Whitson and Daneen Whitson.

More than 49 great-nieces, great-nephews, numerous cousins and his adopted grandchildren also survive.

Gary’s service was held Saturday, Sept. 24, at Evergreen Washelli Chapel and Inurnment at Evergreen Memorial Park, in Seattle, with military honors by the United States Coast Guard.

Pallbearers were Todd Berry, Ron Berry, Steven Berry, Collin Berry, Andrew Berry, Alex Berry, Virgil Liberty Jr., Michael Williams, Yeil Yadi Olson, Harvey Williams III, Kevin Williams, Sean McRee and Devin Hume.

Honorary pallbearers were Mike Berry, Harvey Williams Jr., Gary Olson, Bill Trivett, Jeffrey Hunter, Laird Jones and Dale Hume. 

Jerome Brown

Surrounded by his family, Jerome Donald Brown passed away in Portland, Ore., on September 22.

Jerome was born in Corvallis, Ore., the only son of Berniece Davidson and Donald James Brown. Jerome spent his early years in Glide, Ore., moving with his family to Sitka, in 1967.

Jerome was a logger and later a part owner of Sitka Fuels. He delighted in planning parties and spending convivial hours with his many friends, which led him naturally to open All About Parties and Grants Pass Rental Company in 2000.

Jerome loved being a member of the business communities in Sitka and Grants Pass. He ensured for many years that Sitka’s Fourth of July had a stellar fireworks display, and engaged in quiet acts of charity while manager of Sitka Fuels.

In Grants Pass he was a supporter of the Boys and Girls Clubs and other civic organizations.

Jerome will be missed by his children, Justin of Sitka, Vanessa of Grants Pass, and Heather Brown of Sitka, as well has his mother Berniece of Sitka; and sisters Gretchen, Ellen and Laura.

He is also survived by his previous wives Lynda Brown and Linda Cheyney.

During his fight to survive multiple myeloma, Jerome was buoyed by his absolute delight in his granddaughter Maya, and he looked forward to the birth of his grandson, Bennett.

Jerome will be missed by his many dear friends who stood by him during his illness, especially Nancy Kuykendall, Brandi Patterson, and Donnie Siewell.

A celebration of Jerome’s life will be held at a later date. Contributions in his memory can be made to the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Rogue Valley, 203 SE 9th St. Grants Pass, OR 97526.

Anita Harriet Duncan Wright

Services for Anita Harriet Duncan Wright, a longtime nurse at Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital, have been scheduled.

An Orthodox Panikida service will be  3 p.m.  Saturday, July 30, at the ANB Founders Hall. She will remain there until 2 p.m. Sunday, when services will be held at St. Michael’s Cathedral. A cultural service will be held at 5 p.m. Sunday at the ANB Founders Hall, followed by a reception.

A graveside service will be held 1 p.m. Monday, Aug. 1, at Sitka National Cemetery.

Anita died July 26, at age 80.

She was born Feb. 10, 1936, in Excursion Inlet, the daughter of Peter and Emma Duncan. From birth until age 14, Anita knew only the most traditional life her family lived. They used wood stoves for heat, packed water from the river and lived by lamplight at night. She loved working on gardens and on fish, their main food source.

Among her talents was a beautiful singing voice, which she used to make money by performing at the local cannery. She had a strong work ethic and would use her motherly talents caring for her younger siblings while the parents worked.  Her favorite saying was one her father often used: “We all work togedder, togedder togedder.”

When she was 14, Anita moved to nearby Hoonah to attend formal school. She finished fifth through eighth grades then moved to Sitka to enter nursing school with help from Alfred McKinley and Ann Poore. During this time she met Art Gamble, and they were married after she graduated from nursing school.

She took an LPN position with the Public Health Service Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital, which is now SEARHC, and worked there for 30 years. During her time at SEARHC, Anita was well-known by the many people she worked with as well as by her many patients.

Among her patients were many suffering from tuberculosis contacted during the statewide epidemic, and it was a testament to her strength that she gladly accepted the risk, her family said.

Anita enjoyed working with patients so much that she preferred giving direct care over getting promoted to RN status. In addition to her nursing skills, she was fluent in Tlingit and helped her patients by interpreting between doctors and elderly patients.

Anita gave birth to eight children during the late 1950s and 1960s. Five are alive today and have fond memories of her as a loving and caring mother. As with others, she put their needs before hers, often sacrificing whatever she could to provide for them.

In her last years, she demonstrated happiness and love while battling dementia. Her caretaker son, Tom, asks for continued support for other caregivers in transition through direct support and

Anita married Frank Wright Sr. in December 1987 and considered all his children and family to be a major part of her life. Her children, grandchildren and her last three brothers meant the world to her, along with the family raised with her in Excursion Inlet.

Anita was Tlingit, Kiks.adi, from S’e hit. Her Sitka family history and lineage is also from L’uka hit, Point house, with direct ties to Sh’kawul Yeil, the leader of Sitka when the Russians arrived.

As clan mother for Kiks.adi, her knowledge of Tlingit families, language, culture, and leadership far exceeded any title. She was raised in a traditional camp living off the lands and resources, and she shared this extensive knowledge with her children and many others.

Her crafts and beadwork were of high quality and, with marriages to the Kaagwaantaan and Chookaneidi, she strengthened ties with many extended family members by making their regalia and at.oow.

Anita was a child of Daklaweidi, and a grandchild of Wooshkeetaan, and relations through traditional marriages are too numerous to list

“Anita stood for love, for all. She would have given you her last bite of food; her kindness spills over and she left a legacy of knowledge of Tlingit haa kustyi, lit, the way we live in Tlingit,” her family said.

Survivors include brothers Albert (Pauline) Duncan and John Duncan Sr.; sister Jennifer (the late Thomas Sr.) Young; and her children Larry (Tammy) Gamble Sr.; Gerri (Jake) Castonguay, Dan (Paula) Gamble, Bob (Rose) Gamble, and Tom Gamble, and children from her second marriage, Frank Wright Jr., Debbie Picken, Sharon Brown, Sam Wright, Margaret Wright and Phyllis Snively.

Anita had 14 grandchildren from her first marriage and numerous other family members and extended family who loved her.

She was preceded in death by brothers Billy Duncan and Bobby Duncan; sister Irene Duncan; and children Art Gamble Jr., Arlene Gamble, Jacob Wright, Irma Button, Charlie Wright, Doris Wright and Martha Wright.

Pallbearers John Duncan Jr., Alex Rice-Johnson, Donovan Duncan, Henry Johnson and Albert Duncan. Honorary pallbearers will be James “Big John” Nielsen, Sam Martin, Nels Lawson Sr., Jake Castonguay, Kim Hanson,  Albert Kookesh and Norman Kohler.

David Calder

David Lawrence Calder, a former Sitka fisherman, passed away October 6, 2016, in Newport, Wash.  He was 77 years old.

David was born Oct., 12, 1938, in Salt Lake City, Utah, the son of Lawrence Whitlock and Mary Louise (Hunter) Calder.

David’s father died when he was nine years old.  His mother remarried and the family moved to Moses Lake, Wash., in 1948 where David graduated from Moses Lake High School.  He earned an associate’s degree at Big Bend Community College in chemistry.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1961 to 1963. 

David had a great love for the outdoors. He loved to hunt and fish.  So, after years of being employed as a roofer in the Seattle area, David moved to Sitkato fish.  He bought a commercial fishing boat and fished the Alaskan waters for 35 years. 

In 2013, he sold his boat and retired to Newport to live close to his sister, Mary Smith. She preceded him in death, in July 2016.

He is survived by his sister, Carol (Brent) Olsen of Springville, Utah; niece Kay (Lyle Lybbert) Driver of Usk, Wash.; nephew Mark (Staci) Simons of Buckley, Wash.; nephew Kirk Simons of Arlington, Wash.; and several grand-nieces and -nephews.

A graveside service is scheduled 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, at the Newport Cemetery. 

 Sherman-Knapp Funeral Home in Newport is in charge of arrangements.  Family and friends are invited to sign the online guest book at sherman-knapp.com

 Boyd William Didrickson

Boyd William Didrickson, Tlingit subsistence artist, elder and a local Native icon, died Oct. 5 at SEARHC, surrounded by his family. He was 73.

A lifelong Sitkan, Boyd was born at home in the Indian Village on Aug. 7, 1943.

He was well-known in Sitka,  with his knowledge of his culture and his involvement in the Indian Village Artists as well as 3 Guys by the Church – a small shop on Lincoln Street that was filled with Native artifacts, art and crafts that he had collected from around the state, and that drew visitors and locals alike.

In addition to being a gifted artist and craftsman, Boyd was an iron worker, hunter and fisherman.

“When we think of Boyd, we think of the knowledge he had, the knowledge of his culture and the love he had for keeping that alive,” his family wrote.

“From getting his daily black coffee and breakfast at the hospital, to his daily cruises out the road, or his ability to always try to strike a bargain ... he made a memorable impression upon everyone he encountered.”

Boyd’s 40-day party will be 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Nov. 13 at the ANB Founders Hall. The all-day event will celebrate and honor Boyd’s wishes of welcoming everyone he affected throughout his life. His favorite foods will be served all day, starting with black coffee, donuts, fried rice as well was fresh fish and cupcakes.

The family is encouraging friends to be at the hall at noon for the eulogy, and, if they wish, to share stories with those gathered to celebrate Boyd’s life.

Those with questions or interested in contributing any photos or stories are asked to contact his daughters, Melissa Rank at melissa.rank@yahoo.com or Claire Hill at 738-5857.

Boyd was preceded in death by his mother, Elizabeth “Betty” Didrickson; brothers Donald “Duck’ Didrickson, Gerald Didrickson; and a grandson, Thomas Hayes.

He is survived by his daughters, Melissa Rank and Claire Hill; and grandchildren Summer and Ryan Travelstead, Ezera Rank, Asa Rank, Tristan Bacon and Dominic O’Halloran, all of Sitka.

His nieces and nephews are Christian Didrickson, Kendal and Jennifer Didrickson, Vanessa Didrickson, Deanne Didrickson and Crystal Didrickson; and his grandnieces and grandnephews are Levi Shearer, Mason Shearer, Kierra Didrickson, Corbin Didrickson and Cordelia Didrickson.

Martin Hugh “Poiken” Johnson Sr.

Martin Hugh “Poiken” Johnson Sr., who over his nearly 95 years was a commercial fisherman, pilot, trapper, prospector, carpenter, soldier and musher, died Sept. 4, with family members by his side.

He was born Dec. 1, 1921, in Naknek, the son of Charles August Johnson, a sailor from Denmark, and Sarah Jennie McGlashan, of Akutan. When he was 19 his father died, and Martin, the oldest son of 14 children, took over responsibility for raising the younger ones.

He learned at an early age to work hard to help support his large family. He fished, hunted, trapped, and used dog sleds to fetch water for the home. Martin learned how to set-net when he was 14, and after that fished sailboats – hard work that gave him an iron grip until the day he died.

He attended school in Naknek through eighth grade, the highest grade available in Naknek at that time. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Aug. 15, 1944, and was discharged July 9, 1946, with a World War II Victory Medal and an Asiatic Pacific Theater Ribbon.

After the war, Martin returned to construction, working for a time in Anchorage. Once a torch that a member of the crew had filled with gasoline instead of kerosene blew up in his face, and he spent a long time in the hospital.

As a child he and his brothers had seen their first float plane – a “flying boat!” – and in Anchorage Martin decided to learn to fly, working for Jack Parr Air in exchange for lessons. His first plane was a Taylorcraft, and he flew a Gull Wing Stinson from Kansas to Anchorage in the 1940s. When he moved back to Naknek he and family members formed the Tundra Flying Club. He fished summers and worked construction the rest of the year.

It was while working on a new public health clinic in Naknek that he met the new clinic nurse, Bertha Bloomer. He was smitten, and he courted her for a year after she transferred to the Health Department in Juneau. She finally set a wedding date: Oct. 27, 1951.

After moving to Juneau, Bertha worked as a public health consultant for the state, and Martin joined Cole and Paddock construction company, fishing Bristol Bay in the summers and building docks in Southeast. It was while building Alaska Coastal Ellis dock in Juneau that the operator of a pile driver miscalculated and Martin was thrown 40 feet onto rocks, suffering an open skull fracture and broken bones – injured so severely it was thought he’d die. But he again toughed it out, using knee pads until he could walk again.

The Johnsons became active members of the Chapel by the Lake church, and Martin helped build the new manse, the main sanctuary, and covered walkway.

Although he never had formal training in construction, he’d worked in Naknek and with Bill Lockart in Juneau, and formed Auke Bay Builders.

Martin loved woodworking, crafts, and hooking rugs. He also enjoyed sports – bowling was one passion, and golf was another. He was also very good at cribbage – he knew the point count of very possible cribbage hand by memory. 

There was also his love of family – he was proud of his three children and their families. He spent many hours building model sleds, rugs and boats for them.

He and Bertha moved to Sitka in 2013, and became residents at the Pioneers Home in 2014. It took them only a little while to find the Swan Lake Senior Center and the Sitka Lutheran Church, where they made more friends. Once in the Pioneers Home, Martin had coffee friends, staff friends and people who stopped by to visit – and he enjoyed them all.

He was a member of the Auke Bay Volunteer Fire Department, Alaska Independent Fishermen’s Marketing Association, and a shareholder of Sealaska and Goldbelt Native corporations.

Martin was preceded in death by his sisters, Feckla Metrokin, Martha Johnson, JoHanna Anderson, Florence Lesher, Elsa Martin, Elvira Maney and Agnes Parks, and his brothers, Hugh, Charles, Robert and Howard Johnson.

He is survived by his wife, Bertha Johnson of Sitka; brother Richard (Martha) Johnson of Naknek; sister Emma Love of Anchorage; sons Martin H. Johnson Jr. and wife Tina of Sitka, and Eric H. Johnson and wife Sue of Anchorage; and daughter Susan J. McFadden, Sitka.

Also surviving are his granddaughter Elizabeth (Dan) Morrow, Anchorage; and grandsons Amon (Megan) Johnson of Portland, Ore.; Jenner (Lakrisha) Johnson, Sitka; Matthew (Lauren) Johnson, Gresham, Ore.; and Ben Johnson, Gresham, Ore. Many nieces, nephews and cousins live throughout Alaska and the U.S.

Services were held Sept. 8 in the Pioneers Home chapel, and Sept. 10 at the Chapel by the Lake in Juneau.

Leslie James Sturm

Leslie James Sturm, age 79, died at his home in Sitka Oct. 21.

Graveside services will be noon Friday, Oct. 28, at the Sitka National Cemetery, followed by a celebration of life at the Elks Lodge from 1 to 3 p.m.

Born Oct. 6, 1937, Les – “Bud” to his family – grew up in Juneau. His parents, Leslie and Madeline Sturm, along with his sister Kathy enjoyed living in Juneau, where his father was a meat cutter and owned and operated Sturm Lockers. His mother worked for the State of Alaska.

After graduating from Juneau-Douglas High School in 1956, he worked for the Alaska Road Commission until enlisting in the Army in 1958. He served for four years and earned a good conduct medal.

After returning from service he worked for five years as a materials inspector for the Alaska Department of Highways, traveling throughout Southeast Alaska. While working on a project in Sitka in 1966 he met and fell in love with Susan (Kinberg) Wheeler and her five children. Les and Susan married in July 1966 and he went to work for Alaska Lumber and Pulp in 1968. Three daughters were added to the family by 1971.

Les and Susan divorced December 1983. He continued working as a pipefitter at ALP until 1986, when the mill workers went on strike. Close to retirement he bridged his time until retirement as a security guard in the Washington area. But not wanting to be gone from his family, he returned to Sitka and took a position as a night clerk at the Sitka Hotel until he retired. 

He would mail cards all the time to his friends and family to cheer up his loved ones who were sick or needing their day brightened. Although he was reclusive he enjoyed hearing about his family’s many adventures and spending time with his children and grandchildren. He loved to play cards and watch old movies, especially an old western or history shows.

He was a lifetime member of both the Elks Lodge and Moose Lodge.

His mobility had been challenging in his retirement years. He had injured both of his feet while serving in the Army but this didn’t stop him from traveling a couple times of year to visit his family in the Washington area.

He loved his many pets over his lifetime; Champ, Snoopy, Grizzly, Buns Up, Squeakers, Alexis, and Simon to name a few.

He was preceded in death by his parents Leslie and Madeline Sturm; brother-in-law Gale Zable; nephew James Zable; and son-in-law Thomas K. Young.

He is survived by his sister, Kathy Zable, and her children John Zable, Margo Passeau, and Kimberly Santee of Renton, Wash.

He also is survived by his children: Valorie and Connor Nelson of Sitka, and grandchildren, Marti Jones, Spencer Nelson, Cory Nelson, Brooke Nelson, Kyle Rice and Kendra Nicholson; Tony and Barb Sturm of Sitka, and grandsons Joshua Sturm and James Sturm; Lyndene and Gary Downie of Sitka, and grandchildren Jeremy Downie, Jenna Downie and Gary Lee Downie Jr.; Dawn and Randy Gluth of Sitka, and granddaughters Tiffany Pearson, Theresa Hampton, Katherine Gluth, Emily Baldwin, Julia Hyatt and Johanna Gluth.

Also, Jeff and Tammy Wheeler of Sitka, and grandchildren Jason Koelling, Ashlee Morrow, Tallulah Wheeler, Keegan Wheeler, Casey Wheeler, Abbigale Wheeler and Jack Wheeler; Madeline Baughn and Keith Rake of Lewiston, Idaho, and granddaughter Megan Radke; Stella Sturm and Dan Shockley of Sitka, and grandsons Matthew Hornaman Jr., Trevor Hornaman, Alex Raphun and Anthony Raphun; and Leslie Young of Sitka, and grandsons Wayne Young and Jason Young.

Many great-grandchildren also survive.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Sitka Animal Shelter, the Elks Lodge or the Moose Lodge.

Thomas Kinberg

Former Sitkan Thomas Rodger Kinberg passed away from cancer on Oct. 23, 2016, surrounded by the love of his family and dog Ozzie, at his home in Stockton, Calif. He was 79.

He was born Jan. 24, 1937, in Sitka, and was delivered by an Alaskan Native midwife. He was the youngest of five children of Marvin Chase Kinberg, a commercial fisherman, and Alpha (Barclay) Kingberg. The other children were Marvin Kinberg Jr., Fay Nelson, Susie Sturm and Rosie Reed.

He was raised in Sitka and played basketball for Sitka High School. His junior year, 1954, the Wolves won the All-Alaska High School Championship, the only time a Sitka team has accomplished this feat.

After high school graduation he spent some time working on the family wilderness ranch (at Iris Meadows on Kruzof) before enlisting in the U.S. Navy. He was chosen to attend the Naval Academy Prep School and the Naval Academy, graduating in 1961. 

While at the Naval Academy Tom was the stroke for the freshman crew team. This instilled in him a lifelong love of rowing.

Three days after graduating he married Sarah Leigh, from Norfolk, Va., in the Naval Academy chapel. They were blessed with two children, Tom Jr. and Sarah Leigh Kinberg. Tom Jr. (Christi) lives and works in Lincoln City, Ore., and Sarah Leigh Nehring (Andreas) works and lives in Senden, Germany, when not in Gibles, France.

The four grandchildren are Steven Tellyer, Michael Kinberg, Timothy Kinberg, and Laura Kinberg; and the two great-grandchildren are Andrew Tellyer and Adelaide Tellyer.

After spending six years as a naval officer, primarily at sea, he resigned his commission to enter the FBI as a special agent in 1968. After the first office assignment to Springfield, Ill., (Decatur RA) he was sent to Sacramento, Calif., in 1969, where he was assigned to the Stockton Resident Agency. He remained there until his retirement.

While in the FBI, Tom was commended by the Director for a number of high profile cases where he worked as an investigator and hostage negotiator. They included an aircraft hijacking, bank robberies and kidnapping. He was also a police instructor for the FBI. He was Senior Resident Agent in charge of the Stockton Resident Agency at the time of his retirement, in 1988. 

He founded the Stockton Rowing Club in 1980, which is still in existence. He became a volunteer coach for the University of Pacific crew team. His proudest moment in 1983 was when UOP won the West Coast Championship in the four-man shell. 

After retirement Tom went into the charter fishing business in Sitka with his brother Marv. When his brother passed away a year later, he continued to operate the ‘‘Tackle Box’’ for another eight years.

He was a very involved parent and Tom’s community service included Scoutmaster, Little League coach and administrator, and 4-H leader.

The family had a number of foreign exchange students in their home, from Finland, France, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and Denmark. They became an important part of his family and his life. His greatest joy came from his precious family and awesome friends.

Henriette Odell

Henriette Golberg Odell, a longtime resident of Pelican and Sitka, died Oct. 29 at the Sitka Pioneers Home. She was 95.

Her ashes will be laid to rest at Sitka National Cemetery, with her husband, William Odell. At her request no service will be held except for a private family gathering at the cemetery, 2 p.m. Nov. 10.

Henriette was born July 23, 1921, in Horace, N.D. She and her husband Bill moved to Pelican in 1956 where they fished commercially. She also worked at Pelican Cold Storage, and later was the U.S. Customs Agent in Pelican.

The Odells also owned and operated Pelican Wet Goods and Steam Bath.

She liked to picnic with friends on Martini Beach near Pelican, and had many good years in Pelican. The oldtimers in Pelican remember her as a wonderful hostess and terrific cook.

When Bill’s health declined, the Odells moved to Sitka, in 1990.

Among her pleasures were her annual trips to Hawaii.

Henriette was preceded in death by her husband, William Odell, and a son, Claude Odell.

She is survived by a son, Allen (Becky) Odell; grandchildren Kim, Shayne, Amy and Scott and their spouses; and great-grandchildren Tyne, Dylan, Calista, Chadam, Clara, Josie and Mollie.

She will be missed by the many whose lives she touched, her family said.

Esther Nouwens

Former Sitka resident Esther Nouwens passed away on Oct. 20, 2016, from complications following a car crash on Sept. 30 in Coos Bay, Ore.

She died at the River Bend Medical Center in Springfield, Ore., surrounded by her husband, Bob, and her three daughters, Joni Middleton, Saundra Middleton, and Kim Middleton.

She was 82.

Esther was born in Wheatland, Wyoming, on Oct. 26, 1934, the daughter of  Ralph and Hulda (Hokanson) Ewing. 

She came to Sitka in 1960, where she worked for attorneys Bill Babcock then Pete Hallgren.

She and husband Bob left Sitka in the mid 1980s, living first in Leavenworth, Wash. At the time of her death they were living in Port Orford, Ore.

Esther loved to sing in the church choir of First Presbyterian Church (Bandon, Ore.), collect spoons and dolls, read mystery novels, put together jigsaw puzzles, and go on road trips with an imaginary credit card to buy any beautiful houses along the way.

She was loved for her sunny disposition, and will be dearly missed by her family and friends.

As her husband stated, “The passing of my Darling Woman leaves an empty space not easily breached.” 

Esther is survived by her three daughters, Joni Middleton of Paris, France, Saundra Middleton of Anchorage, and Kim Middleton of Eastsound, Wash.; her stepdaughter, Karen (Nouwens) Marquis; and a tree full of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  Esther is also survived by her sister, Loretta (Ewing) Ham, brothers Robert and Daniel Ewing and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her son, Stephen Middleton, her parents, a sister Hazel Ewing, and two brothers Richard and Floyd Ewing.

The cremation was handled by Sunset Hills Mortuary in Springfield, Ore. The family will hold a memorial service at a later date.

Joseph Lewis Mettler Jr.

Former Sitkan Joseph Lewis Mettler Jr. passed away on Nov. 15, 2016, surrounded by his family, in Burlington, Wash.

Joe was born on May 22, 1945, to Joseph and Clara (Kepper) Mettler in Morton, Washington. 

He attended school in Morton, Concrete and Snoqualmie, Wash., until he graduated from Mount Si High School in 1963. 

When he was 17, Joe and his younger brother Jack followed their father in the tradition of “Trailer Backing” at the Morton Loggers Jubilee. He backed a log truck and trailer in a figure 8 around spar trees. He competed for a few years until he moved to Southeast Alaska. Jack continued the family tradition for 50 years. 

Right out of high school, Joe worked as a “powder monkey” on the John Day Dam. After moving to Southeast Alaska, he worked various jobs such as logging, road construction, and diesel mechanic. He also worked on the Alaska Pipeline.

In 1990, he moved to the Skagit Valley, where he worked as a project supervisor at Lakeside Industries, later starting his own business, Mettler and Sons Trucking. 

Joe was a member of the Operating Engineers #302, Elks Lodge, Eagles and Moose Lodge. He served on the Sitka Police and Fire Commission, was a member of the Sitka Cemetery Board and the Chamber of Commerce.

He paved most of the airports in Southeast and most of the roads in Sitka.

Joe served in the Navy during the Vietnam War as a boat captain on PBR 130 from 1967 to 1969. He served with Honor and Distinction. In 2011 he reconnected with most of the members of his boat crew and joined the Game Wardens Association, helping to refurbish the boats they had served on during the war.

During Joe’s years in Ketchikan, his daughter Dawn was born. Joe moved to Sitka where he met Jodi Whitson. They were married and blended their families in 1975 at the Morton Logger’s Jubilee. 

Joe never met a stranger and he was always the fun one in the room. He was a wonderful dancer and he loved to sing, but always added his own words to the songs. Joe loved to travel and brought joy to every journey. Above all, Joe loved his family and friends.

Joe is survived by his wife, Jodi Mettler of Burlington, Wash.; daughters, Brenda Andersen (Jim) of Juneau, Dawn Mettler of Camano Island, Wash., Katie Pickrell (Mike) of Big Lake, Wash.; and son Steven Mettler (Angela Filler) of Bend, Ore.

His granddaughters, Kara White of Cordova and Kayla DePriest (Jesse Vaughn) of Juneau; grandsons James Andersen of Burlington, Tyler Vitalich (Harlee) of Mount Vernon, Wash., Hunter Jones of Bend, Dawson Bellows of Camano Island, Wash.; great-grandsons Gunnar DePriest of Juneau, Keyton Vitalich of Mount Vernon, Wash., and Kasen Vaughn of Juneau; brother Jack Mettler (Pam); mother-in-law Bobbie Whitson; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins; and friends in Washington, Alaska and Arizona, also survive. 

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph L. Mettler Sr. and Clara (Kepper) Mettler. 

Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, at Mount Vernon Cemetery, 1200 East Fir Street, Mount Vernon, Wash., under the care of Lemley Chapel.

Immediately following the services, a reception will be held at Hillcrest Park Lodge, 1717 South 13th Street, Mount Vernon.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made in Joe’s name to: Patrol Boat River (PBR) Fund Game Wardens, Assoc., PO Box 970, Sumner, WA 98390.

Share your memories of Joe and sign the online guest register at www.lemleychapel.com.

Alfred Gordon

Services for Alfred Eli Gordon Jr. will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22,  at the Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi, with graveside services to follow at 1 p.m. at Sitka National Cemetery.

Mr. Gordon died Nov. 15 at SEARHC Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital, at the age of 93.

He was born Feb. 19, 1923, in Sitka, the son of Mary Marshall and Alfred Eli Gordon. He returned to Sitka in 1975 and had lived here ever since.

While living in Wrangell, he walked every plank of wood up a steep hill where by himself he built a house for his family.

He served in the U.S. Army, and over the years worked as a fisherman, cook, janitor, sawmill worker and a carver. After retiring from fishing, he volunteered at the Swan Lake Senior Center.

He is survived by his former wife, Margarette Gordon; sons Alfred Gordon III, Leslie Gordon, Terry Travors, Thomas A. Gordon and Ted Gordon; daughters Alfreda Gordon, Emily Anselm, Maria Gordon, Fawn Gordon and Bernadette Allen; son Dustin Eugene Gordon; daughter Deanna Brown; grandchildren Dorothy Gordon, Marcia Gordon, Bernadette Kibby, Jonathan Gordon, Jim Bradley, T.J. Gordon and Daniel Gordon; and numerous other grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to Emily Anselm, 1311 Sawmill Creek Road No. 21, Sitka.