Barbara Sue Fritzler

Barbara Sue Fritzler, a former Sitka resident, died in a traffic accident just outside Minatare, Neb., on Oct. 18, 2016, her 68th birthday.

 Services are to be held in Alliance, Neb., and in Sitka.

Barbara was born Oct. 18, 1948, in Hay Springs, Neb., the daughter of Ruby Cotes and William Gibson.

She received her undergraduate and master’s degrees at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo. Shortly after receiving her master’s in social work, she came to Sitka to take a job at Sheldon Jackson College.

In her spare time she volunteered for Baranof Barracudas swim club, where her daughter Kendra was a member.

She also worked at Sitka Community Hospital before returning to Nebraska. There she worked at Goodwill industries and then the State of Nebraska Department of Labor.

Barbara was full of love and compassion for those around her, her family said. She always had a smile on  her face for anyone who needed it, and never failed to share her support wherever needed.

She was preceded in death by her parents, William Gibson and Ruby Cotes.

She leaves behind two daughters, Dawn Fritzler of Kent, Wash., and Kendra Bailey of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, Her daughters were her pride and joy, and she wished the best for them as adults.

Also surviving is her younger brother, Kent Gibson, and his family, of Sitka. Kent holds great memories of her when they were growing up and then when he joined her in Sitka in 1988.

Barbara’s family may be contacted at ddf321@hotmail.com

Elaine Lynn Crone

Elaine Lynn Crone, a former resident, passed away peacefully at her home in Friend, Oregon, on Nov. 4. She was 69.

Elaine was born in Detroit, Michigan, on May 27, 1947, to Lynn and Nancy (Newton) Gardner. She spent most of her childhood in Royal Oak, Mich., and was a 1965 graduate of Kimball High School.  

After high school, she attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and graduated with a B.A. degree in 1969.

Elaine met her husband, Richard Allan Crone, at that time, and they were married Feb., 27, 1971.

In the 1970s, they spent field seasons at Little Port Walter, a salmon research field station in Southeast Alaska and one of the most beautiful places on earth.  Later, Elaine returned to school and earned her M.B.A. degree at the University of Washington, in 1982.

Following graduation, Elaine joined her husband in Sitka, where they lived for 24 years. Elaine worked in a clerical position for the Sitka Telephone Company, which later became part of Alaska Communications Systems.

After retirement in 2006, Elaine and Richard moved to the Friend area.  Elaine was very active in her church while in Sitka and that continued with the Dufur Christian Church after she moved to Friend. She also enjoyed hiking, gardening, trying new recipes, and sewing.

Elaine was an intelligent, caring, and very welcoming person, dearly loved by family and friends alike. She will be missed greatly, her family said.

Elaine was preceded in death by her stepfather O. J. Hoag, stepmother Mille Gardner, and her grandparents.

She is survived by her husband Richard; mother Nancy Hoag of Prudenville, Mich.; father Lynn Gardner of Concord, N.C.; half-brother Grant Gardner and wife Lisa of Charlotte, N.C.; half-brother Kurt Gardner and wife Laurie of Warren, Mich.; sister-in-law and brother-in-law Vicki and Robert Sallee of The Dalles, Oregon; numerous nieces and nephews and grandnieces and grandnephews; plus many very dear friends.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, Nov. 12, in Dufur, Oregon. 

Maryann Evalyn Calvin

Maryann Evalyn Calvin, 83, longtime resident of Sitka, passed away peacefully on Nov. 19 in Sisters, Ore., with family by her side.

A memorial service is scheduled for August 5, in Sitka.

Maryann was born March 27, 1933, in Duluth Minn., to Evalyn and Roger Henricksen. One of eight children, Maryann grew up as the always-willing helper to her parents, both with other siblings and customers for her father’s various retail enterprises. She carried this pro-active attitude coupled with humor and selfless service to others throughout her life. 

Maryann graduated from the University of Minnesota, (Duluth) with a degree in medical technology. She met her future husband, Sitkan Larry Calvin, while on a ski trip with her brothers to Alta, Utah. Entranced by stories from her fiancé of the romantic life as a fisherman’s wife, she moved with him to Sitka in 1962 and they were married in St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. Then followed several lean but enjoyable years working with wonderful colleagues at Sitka Community Hospital in the medical technology department, while tending to her growing family. 

Maryann’s extensive volunteer service to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Sitka schools, Sheldon Jackson Museum and the Sitka community was deep and lasting—she was one of a handful of go-getter parents to found the Baranof Barracuda Swim Club in 1979. On Halloween, to her children’s horror, she would swoop into grade-school classrooms on a broomstick dressed as a wicked witch complete with blacked-out teeth and piercing cackle.

Maryann was active with the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and sought advancement in women’s rights issues. 

In 1968, Maryann and Larry purchased the decrepit former cannery buildings of the Pyramid Packing Company, on Katlian Street and started Baranof Building Supply. The lumber and hardware store was sold to Spenards in 1980, while the old cannery buildings continue their multi-year renovation journey as Fisherman’s Quay LLC, under family management. With retirement at hand, Maryann picked up a new passion—running, often in brightly colored tie-dye outfits. Some of her most memorable excursions around the world include running on the Great Wall in China and strolling with penguins in Antarctica.

Maryann is survived by brothers Stan and Dwane Henricksen of Duluth;  husband Larry Calvin of Sitka; four sons, Christopher (Penny) Carstarphen of Perry, Iowa, Kristopher (May Fan) of Sisters, Ore., Eric of Sitka, Leif (Tammy Carter) of Santa Rosa, Calif.;  a daughter Karen (Robert Woodard) of Snohomish, Wash.; and 11 precious grandchildren—all of whom will miss her lovely smile and warm hugs so much. 

The Calvin family expressed gratitude for the “genuine and compassionate care provided to Mom by Ashley, Sarah and Alissa of Absolute Serenity Adult Foster Home in Sisters, and Hospice/Partners in Care.”  

Charles Stanley Vaughn

Charles Stanley Vaughn, a former Sitka resident, passed away peacefully on Nov. 25, 2016. He was 88.

He was living in Edmonds, Wash., next door to his daughter and her family.

Chuck will be missed by his daughter Sandra Rudy (Ron), of Edmonds; son Ted Vaughn (Deborah) of Bremerton, Wash.; and daughter Laurie Seehafer (Duane) of Sitka; and his grandchildren, Sarah, Alicia, Eric, Nicole, and Erika, all of whom loved him dearly.

He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings, and his wife Sonya. 

Chuck was born in 1928 in Beech, N.D., the son of Ted and Laura Vaughn. He attended school in Washington state.

Chuck and Sonya Hosvik were married on July 6, 1950, in Petersburg. They raised their three children in Sitka, where they lived until retiring to Poulsbo, Wash., in 1988.

Chuck was a man of many talents. As a union carpenter he worked on Sitka Community Hospital and, in 1966, the rebuilding of St. Michael’s Cathedral after the fire.

Chuck had such a big heart, and was one to make sure everyone in the room had a smile on their face. He enjoyed spoiling his dog Patsy, and giving his family members, especially his grandchildren, a hard time. Chuck, or “Peepa” as many of his grandkids knew him, will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He will be greatly missed, his family said. 

There are no plans for a memorial service at this time, but a donation in his name to his favorite charity, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, would be greatly appreciated, his family said.

Louie J. Baggen 

Louie J. Baggen peacefully passed away at his home in Sitka on Sunday, Nov. 26, at the age of 66.

Louie was a lifelong Sitkan, born on June 28, 1950, the second child of George and Anna Baggen. In his youth, Louie demonstrated natural skill in a wide variety of areas. He spent his early summers aboard the tugboat fleet of the family business, Samson Tug and Barge.

His hobbies included photography and diving. For years, he was regarded as one of Sitka’s top bowlers with a graceful left-handed hook. Long-time Elks members will remember Louie as their popular bartender at the club in the 1980s, a friendly face for all who crossed his path.

Of all Louie’s great talents, the passion of his life was music. A self-taught blues and rock guitarist, Louie lived and breathed the working-band life for years in Sitka and throughout the Pacific Northwest. He drew inspiration from the likes of Buddy Guy, Roy Buchanan and, of course, his beloved Rolling Stones and Keith Richards. Anyone lucky enough to hear his guitar, whether at a club in front of a band or strumming at his home, his gifted and memorable style was always admired and appreciated.

Louie ultimately returned to the family business where he worked a variety of positions. He was an exceptional equipment and boat operator, also serving in a security capacity before retiring in 2012 after more than 25 years with Samson Tug and Barge.

His recent years were spent as a volunteer caretaker at the Sitka Sportsman Association Shooting Range, where he was known and appreciated for his presence and maintenance of the area.

Louie is survived by his older brother George, younger sister Ann-Marie, and mother Anna, all of Sitka, and his younger brother Marty, of Oregon. The family will announce details for a memorial at a later date.

Louie will be remembered by his family and friends as someone who could called upon when needed, and one who could offer a smile and a laugh with a wit that will be greatly missed.

Teri Rofkar

Tlingit weaver Teri Rofkar walked into the forest in the early morning hours of Dec. 2, 2016, from cancer. She was 60.

A celebration of her life is planned at 1 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Odess Theater on the campus of the Sitka Fine Arts Camp.

Those wishing to add to an online memorial or simply view photos may do so at this web address: http://www.forevermissed.com/teri-m-rofkar.

Teresa May Rofkar was born Sept. 27, 1956, in San Rafael, Calif., the daughter of Bert and Marie Laws. She was a Tlingit daughter of Raven from the Snail House (T’ak deintaan), a clan originating in Lituya Bay, related closely to the Coho (L’uknax.adi) clan. She was the daughter of an Englishman from California and the granddaughter of Kaagwaantaan Wolf from Groundhog Bay. 

Teri lived in Sitka for 40 years.

She is survived by her husband Denny, children Erin, Paul and Graig, granddaughter Violet Harrison, and her mother, Marie Laws, all of Sitka; and her sister, Shelly Laws, and her family, all of Anchorage. These were her most valued relationships.

She was introduced to Tlingit weaving by her maternal grandmother, Eliza Moses Mork, when she was a child. She spent many summers in Pelican, fishing and playing in Lisianski Inlet. The fun of traditional gathering and exploring nature as a child continued to fuel her investigations of climate, geology and chemistry as an adult.

It was not until the 1980s that Teri became aware of the deep connections and significance of art in her life. She harvested and wove using Tlingit methods passed down for thousands of years, continuing in the pathway of her ancestors. Decades of weaving opened her eyes to the pure science and math that is embedded in Tlingit art. 

During her art career she was honored with numerous awards and recognition. The most recent and treasured were the honorary doctoral in fine arts conferred upon her by University of Alaska Southeast Sitka Campus in 2015; the Rasmuson Distinguished Artist award in 2013; and the National Endowment for the Arts Living Cultural Treasure honor in 2009.

Since 2003 she had pursued the science and art connection as an Affiliated Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Philadelphia, Pa.

Her goal was to continue researching and broadening awareness of traditional Tlingit art and science for the generations to come.

“Perhaps one of her great gifts and insights was to define this life and place and people as relationships rather than resources,” her family wrote. “Relationships with people and places requires thought and care rather than exploitation. Something truly sustainable.

“Thank you to all who have helped us along this journey.”

Friends and colleagues said she will be missed.

“I think Teri was an extremely innovative artist because she worked with traditional and non-traditional materials to communicate big ideas, sometimes complex and sometimes controversial ideas, in a nuanced way,” Sheldon Jackson Museum Curator Jacqueline Fernandez-Hamberg said in an email to the Sentinel. “Her Superman Series, for example, involved her weaving modern composition materials in traditional Tlingit regalia, and focused on the connections between art and science.”

Fernandez-Hamberg said what she found striking about Rofkar was “not just her generosity of knowledge but her generosity of spirit.”

“Many elders teach but Teri was always engaging and warm during the process,” Fernandez-Hamberg said. “When I was fairly new to Sitka, she invited me to participate in a field study she led for staff from National Museum of the American Indian. In later years, whenever she worked as an artist in residence at Sheldon Jackson Museum, she was always willing to answer any questions about our baskets – that’s just the kind of culture bearer she was.”

Fernandez-Hamberg said a favorite memory was when Rofkar worked with staff at the Sheldon Jackson Museum to bring robes she had woven from around the country to be worn by dancers during the UAS commencement celebration when she was awarded her honorary doctorate.

“I never saw her so happy,” Fernandez-Hamberg said.

Kelsey Lutz, curator at Sitka National Historical Park, worked with Rofkar the last three years in several capacities.

“I feel like we’ve lost somebody who was so kind, not just kind as a person, but generous with her knowledge,” she said.

Rofkar was a demonstration artist at the park, and provided pieces for exhibit as well as cultural information, Lutz said.

“To begin with, few people have that knowledge, but she seemed to have no boundaries with who she shared it with – it’s wanting people to understand and learn,” Lutz said. “That’s what was so great about her: she was generous with her knowledge.”

Diane Kaplan, executive director of the Rasmuson Foundation, commented: “Alaska and the world lost a beautiful soul. Teri Rofkar was an influential, accomplished indigenous artist as well as one of the kindest, most generous people I’ve ever met.”

The National Endowment for the Arts cited her contributions as well, and forwarded Rofkar’s comments from a 2009 interview:

“I’m hoping that the pieces that I create are the teachers,” Rofkar told the NEA. “They’ll be looking at them, you know, 200 years from now, ‘Ah, this is what they were doing.’ And I think for me our artwork has such an essence of place. It’s such a reflection of just a dynamic kind of lifestyle but the huge land, the glaciers, the animals, the ocean, it’s so strong and powerful up here. The art has to equally be so strong and powerful.”

Randall Kurt Williams

Services for Randall Kurt Williams, a lifelong Sitkan, will be 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, at the United Pentecostal Church, 101 Cascade Creek Road.

A potluck luncheon will follow.

Randy died Dec. 3 at his home. He was 58.

He was born Jan. 15, 1958, in Sitka, the son of Janette (Wright) and Victor Innocent Williams. He attended Sitka schools, and went to work for Alaska Lumber & Pulp in 1975. When it closed in 1993, he worked for the City of Sitka, the U.S. Forest Service and Sitka Producers Co-op.

He married Lana James of Angoon on Sept. 28, 1979, at Angoon Assembly of God Church.

In Sitka, he is enjoying attending the United Pentecostal Church, where he was baptized.

While Randy was with Sitka Trail Works, he took on building the steps on many trails, including the Mosquito Cove Trail, Gavan Trail, Thimbleberry and the Verstovia trail.

“He would think about it, and measure and plan ... he wanted it perfect,”  a family member said.

He also worked with U.S. Forest Service cabin and trail crews, and got to build more trails.

He enjoyed hunting and fishing, but boxing was his great love.

From the time he was young he was interested in it, and collected and read Ring Magazine and other boxing news. His dad was a boxer, with the nickname “Tiger” Williams, and so was his grandad, Daniel Wright, but Randy taught himself how to box from his reading, and he figured out his own training and exercises. Through locals Bob Colliver, a boxing program was established in Sitka, and in May 1981 Randy got a trip to Anchorage. He had three back-to-back bouts there, and scored knockouts within minutes in all three. That’s when he was given the name “Ice Man” Williams.

He had other successful matches during the 1980s, and always followed boxing closely. His favorite boxer was Mohamad Ali, and he loved to quote his “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.”

When Randy got a new cell phone he asked his wife to help him put a photo on his wallpaper. When she opened up his photos she saw three of Ali. “What?” she said. “All you have are Ali pictures!” He answered, “I know. Isn’t it cool.”

“Randy was an awesome boxer,” a family member said. “But his biggest fight was with the pain he lived with daily. Not many people knew about his suffering.”

Randy was preceded in death by his first granddaughter, Paulette James; his father, Victor Williams; his grandparents Martha and Daniel Wright; his uncle and auntie Russell and Gwen Wright; and good friends Tom Farquhar, Tom Widmark, Wendy Richardson, Geraldine Kinville and Karen Tally.

He is survived by his wife, Lana Williams of Sitka; daughters Ann Marie James of Juneau and Leanna Williams of Mapleton, Ore.; son Aaron Williams of Sitka; grandchildren Samuel Dick, Johnathan Dick and Margaret Dick, all of Sitka, and Victor Williams, Samantha Williams and Charlie Ann Davis of Oregon; his mother, Janette Wright of Sitka; brothers Doug Williams and Mike (Mary) Williams, all of Sitka; uncles Everett Wright of Juneau and Ervin Wright of Anchorage; and aunt Loretta Wright.

His nephews are Benjamin Williams of Sitka, Jason Williams of Arizona, Doug Williams Jr. of Anchorage, Casey Johnson of Anchorage, Gaven Johnson of Anchorage; and his nieces are Rabekah Johnson, Stacie Johnson, Jamie Johnson and Kelly Wright, all of Anchorage.

His cousins are Mary Johnson, Neal Gillian, Elizabeth Williams, Joe Williams, Jeff Wright, Daniel Wright, Becky Wright, Mandy Wright, Deanette Griffen, Todd Wright and Donnie Griffen.

Clarence Buzz Dick will be the pallbearer, and honorary pallbearers are Aaron Williams, Samuel Dick, Johnathan Dick, Victor Williams, Mike Williams, Doug Williams, Jeff Wright, Danny Wright, Jason Williams, Doug Williams Jr., Leonard Nielsen, Jim Nielsen, Joe Johnson Sr., Herman James, Paul James, David James, Alan James, Russell James, Elliott James, Paul Chulik, Pastor Chet Rathban, Will Turner, James Weaver, Kale Pastel and Mike Hartshorn and Demitri Merculief.

Also, Josh Sachsenmaier, Al Duncan Jr., Chad Deguzman, Kelly Klingler, Roger Tally Sr., Greg Wright, Rusty Johnson, Henry  Larsen-Wilbur, Shorty Larsen, Jesus Nieves, Ron Vanveen, Ned Chapman, Jim Richardson and Neal Gillian.

Memorial donations may be sent to Randy’s wife, Lana Williams, 909 Halibut Point Road, Apt. 44, Sitka, AK 99835.

Services have been scheduled for Dorothy Logore Tsonis, a member of St. Michael’s Cathedral and a longtime Sitka resident.

A memorial  will be held 7 p.m. tonight at the cathedral, and a Divine Liturgy will be held there 9:30 a.m. Thursday, with burial at noon at the Russian Cemetery.

Dorothy Logore Tsonis was born Jan. 1, 1941, in Washington Heights on Manhattan Island in New York City. Her family often teased her that thousands had gathered to welcome her birth on New Year’s Day that year.

She entered Queens College and began work toward her baccalaureate degree, but ultimately earned her bachelor of arts degree at Sheldon Jackson College, where she worked in food service, moving toward her goal “three credits at a time,” and reaching it in 2003.

After the tragic, catastrophic fire that destroyed 17 structures including St. Michael’s Cathedral  in downtown Sitka in 1966, she came to Sitka with her husband, Father Anastasy “Ernie” Tsonis, at the invitation of then-Bishop Theodosius (Lazor) to begin the effort to rebuild  historic St. Michael’s Cathedral.

Dorothy loved Sitka, and after moving to Wisconsin in 1969 she returned in 1978 and spent the rest of her life here.

Fluent in French since high school, Dorothy had an encyclopedic mind, remembering personalities and historic events with clarity and detail, especially anything and anyone related to her half-century in Sitka.

She prayerfully and joyfully attended services at the Cathedral until just days before she was forced to seek medical attention in Seattle, where she died unexpectedly on Dec. 21.

She was preceded in death by her husband. She is survived by her daughter, Maria, also of Sitka, and her son, Andrew, of San Francisco, who has returned for the burial services.

Lawrence Alfred “Buddy” Widmark Sr., a U.S. Army veteran and lifelong Sitkan, passed away at his daughter’s home on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016. He was 89.

A viewing for family and friends  will be held 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday, Dec., 29, at Prewitt Funeral Home. A graveside service with color guard will be held at 1:30 p.m. at Sitka National Cemetery.  A luncheon will be provided at the Sitka American Legion Post 13. 

Buddy was born May 1, 1927, in Juneau, the son of Lawrence and Julia (Parker) Widmark Sr. He was Raven of the Deisheetaan/Beaver clan.

Buddy retired from the Alaska Lumber & Pulp. He also worked as a longshoreman; drove cab; and worked at various other occupations. 

Buddy was a lifetime member of  Alaska Native Brotherhood Camp No. 1; and Sitka American Legion Post 13. He coached Little League in his early years and was nicknamed “coach.”

He also was an avid fisherman.

Buddy will be dearly missed by all the people who knew him.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Frances (Benson) Widmark Sr. (Edenshaw); his parents Lawrence and Julie Widmark; his sisters, Florence, Irene, Annette, Georgiana, Agnes and Winnie; his daughter, Beverly Widmark; his sons, Anthony Edenshaw, Randy Edenshaw, Perry Edenshaw, Thomas John Widmark and Charles Andrew Widmark; daughter-in-law Agnes “Jeannie” Widmark; and grandsons Anthony “Tony” Pruss and Michael John Widmark.

He is survived by his daughters, Frances Widmark, Sally Gregory, Stephanie Edenshaw (Tara and Michelene); and sons Clifford “Chad” Edenshaw of Anchorage, Lawrence “Woody” Widmark (Robert and Lester) of Sitka and Anchorage. Numerous great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews and cousins also survive.

Pallbearers include Tracy Shaffer, Lester Widmark and Keith Perkins.   Honorary pallbearers include Harold Kitka, Charlie Daniels and Gil Truitt.

Memorial donations and condolences may be sent to: Sally Gregory or Frances Widmark Jr. at: 905 West 29th Place, Anchorage, Alaska 99503.

Arrangements are with Janssen’s Evergreen Memorial Chapel.

Ann DeLill-Johnson

Ann DeLill-Johnson, a resident since 2001, died peacefully on Dec. 26, 2016, at Sitka Community Hospital. She was 77. 

She was born April 1, 1939, in Ithaca, N.Y., the daughter of Earl and Helen (Booth) DeLill. 

She graduated from Cornell University in 1961 where she earned a degree in microbiology from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and was active in the Sage Chapel Choir. She enjoyed her years studying at Cornell while working summers in the Adirondack Mountains, feeling that the “faculty, lectures, concerts, forums, sports, music and friends she encountered there had prepared her for experiencing the wide diversity that would take place in her future.”

After graduation she moved to Madison, Wis., where she started a career in science working as a microbiologist for the University of Wisconsin’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Later she relocated to Mount Desert Island in Maine where she worked as a professional assistant in research at the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor. Her 20 years there spanned work in areas of neuromuscular diseases, infectious diseases, embryo freezing and genetic quality control. 

Disillusioned with her career as a woman in science, she left the Jackson Lab in the mid 1980s to pursue a career in business banking, eventually becoming a certified trust auditor for the Bar Harbor Banking and Trust Co. Unfortunately, Ann developed lupus and found she could no longer work full time. Health problems forced her to leave this new career and in 2001 she relocated to Sitka, to enjoy her grandchildren. 

She re-joined the work force part-time in 2005, establishing Channel Rock Bookkeeping, a small freelance business.  She also went to work part-time at what is now Alaska Pacific Waste.

Despite being in her retirement years and having ever-decreasing mobility as the lupus progressed, Ann found work and its personal interactions to be a motivation that kept her moving.  She dearly loved the “guys” that she worked with, as they took every care to make sure she made it to work every day.  She often said this was the job that had made her the happiest.

She was also a member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, a former member of Ocean Wave Quilters and many other various organizations.

In a personal reflection to her Cornell classmates some time back, Ann wrote “the section above for honors and awards is blank – but that does not mean that I have not experienced many in my life. They are not on plaques and paper, but are memories of a wonderful life being highly regarded by many people – some with famous names, some not. Golfing, river rafting (Wisconsin), playing guitar and singing in Bar Harbor coffee houses, hiking, canoeing and fly fishing (Maine). What an honor to be a mother and watch the children grow and discover their life path to travel .... I had nine wonderful years owning ‘Duck Puddle Farm’ on four acres of mixed woods, caring for pond, lawn, gardens and house. Then my life took me from Mount Desert Island in the Atlantic Ocean in Maine to Baranof Island in the Pacific Ocean in Alaska. I can no longer be active as in the past – but my life is filled with the wonders of nature. I see whales, sea lions, sea otters, bears, mountain goats, deer, swans, geese, eagles, ravens, gulls in a setting of mountains and glaciers. Now I am rewarded to be a grandmother and be able to listen as my older granddaughter shares the pull between her desire to study philosophy and her passion to be a diesel mechanic.  There have been many painful moments along the way but it has not prevented my life from being an awesome trip ...”

Ann is survived by a brother, James DeLill of Newhall, Calif.; a son, Richard E. MacPike of Bennington, Vt.; a daughter, Patricia A. MacPike and son-in-law Karl Wolfe of Sitka; two grandchildren, Hannah and Jasmine; niece Vicci (James) Zimmerman; and great-nieces Andie Sieb, Jordyn, Julia, and Joelle Zimmerman.

A memorial service will be held 4 p.m. Jan. 9 at Sitka Lutheran Church. In lieu of flowers, expressions of remembrance can be made to SAIL Community Playground Project, 514 Lake St. Ste C, Sitka, AK  99835 or Shriners Hospitals for Children P.O. Box 1510, Ranson, WV  25438-4510.

William “Bill” Osbekoff Sr.

William “Bill” Osbekoff Sr., a Sitka resident for more than 46 years, passed away Dec. 16, 2016, at Ketchikan General Hospital.

He had been in an extended care facility in Ketchikan for the past three and a half years. He was 79.

No service is planned.

Bill was born in Chignik, Alaska, on Jan. 21, 1937, the son of John and Anna (Kalmakoff) Osbekoff. At a very early age, he and his older brother, Ted, were placed in the Kodiak Baptist Mission orphanage by their father, who could not take care of them.

Bill attended Wrangell Institute and graduated from Mt. Edgecumbe High School. He spent three years in the U.S. Army, serving in Korea. After his discharge from the service, he returned to the Kodiak area and worked at various jobs in the fishing industry and as a country singer.

In October 1966, he arrived in Sitka and found it a place he could call home. In March 1967 he began working at Mt. Edgecumbe High School in various positions, eventually to become a pipefitter. He worked there – except for the few years the school was shut down – until his retirement.

On July 11, 1970, he married Etsuko Tomita at St. Peter’s Episcipal Church in Sitka. A few years later they had twin sons.

Bill loved all aspects of sports, including playing basketball and softball, and coaching youth baseball.

Singing was a constant in his life, with which he made a living when younger, then to entertain when invited to, and to just sing at home for hours and hours.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents and brother Theodore.

Survivors are his wife of 46 years, Etsuko; his sons William Osbekoff Jr. and Dennis (Kristy) Osbekoff; and grandchildren Gabriel and Olivia, all of Sitka.

David Tedin

Former Sitka resident David Tedin, of Lynden, Wash., died Jan. 1, 2017, at Peace Health St. Joseph Hospital in Bellingham, Wash. He was 75.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 7 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lynden. Rosary will be 6:30 p.m. Friday at Gillies Funeral Home, Lynden.

Dave was born and raised in South Dakota, the son of Martha Bailey and Albert Tedin. He graduated from Tioga, N.D., high school in 1959, and moved to Omaha, Neb., where he met Rita Haniszewski. They were married in 1962. Their daughter Mary Pat was born that year and the three of them moved to Sitka the following year. Michael was born shortly after the move to Sitka. Christopher was born in 1964, and Mark followed in 1968.

David joined the carpenters union and worked at Alaska Lumber and Pulp mill in Sitka until 1971 when he went to work for H&H Construction. With H&H, he built many houses, remodeled buildings, and generally reshaped the town of Sitka through the 1970s and 1980s. He retired in 1993.

In 1999 after their children moved away from Sitka, he and Rita moved south to be closer to them and their grandchildren. Not wanting to do anything extreme, Dave moved only as far as Lynden, Wash. One of the mottos he lived his life by was “everything in moderation, including moderation.”

He was active in the Catholic Church in both Sitka and Lynden as a Lector and Eucharistic minister. A profoundly Christian man, he was also accepting and tolerant of others’ faith and beliefs.

He enjoyed travel, woodworking, and cooking as hobbies. He also enjoyed gardening, both to beautify his own home and to provide fresh ingredients for the dishes he cooked.

He is survived by his wife Rita, of Lynden; daughter Mary Pat (Robert) Mitton and sons Michael (Erika) Tedin, and Mark (Wynne) Tedin, all of Seattle, and Christopher (Tina) Tedin of Oak Park, Ill. He is also survived by three grandchildren, Catherine, Abigail, and Arrow. 

He will be greatly missed by his family, fellow parishioners, neighbors, and friends.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Joseph Catholic Church, 205 12th St, Lynden, WA 98264. Condolences may be left in David’s online guestbook at www.gilliesfuneralhome.com.

The family extended a special thank you to the staff at Peace Health St. Joseph Hospital “for the compassionate care shown to David and the entire family during his final days.”

Dr. William Bruce Sallenbach

Dr. William Bruce Sallenbach passed away January 5, at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. He was 71.

He was born in St. Louis Mo., July 23, 1945.

After receiving his doctorate from Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, Calif., he worked in the state  for several years before moving to Kenai, Alaska, in 1981. He had lived in Sitka since 2001.

He was well known throughout Southeast Alaska as a child psychologist and a professor at the University of Alaska Southeast Sitka and Ketchikan campuses, teaching psychology, early childhood development and Eastern philosophy.

He also was employed at the Ketchikan Gateway Center, Hoonah Head Start program, Sitka Tribe of Alaska, and SEARHC, as well as handling state correspondence for children and families in need.

He is survived by his four children,  Doug, Terra, Claira and Victor, and five stepchildren, Brian and Kevin Fadley, Max, Raquel and Savanna Littrell; and 13 grandchildren.

He was dedicated to his practice of Buddhism, loved the arts and traveling.

Services will be held at Prewitt Funeral Home 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14. The public is invited to come.

Carey Lee Wileman

Carey Lee Wileman, 82, former resident of Fort Scott, Kansas, more recently of Sitka, died December 24, 2016, in the Sitka Community Hospital Long Term Care Unit due to complications from multiple myeloma.

 She was born May 1, 1934, at Mercy Hospital in Fort Scott to Elva and Alice Carey (Wood) Shackelford, the last of the couple’s six children. She married Melvin W. Wileman of Stotesbury, Mo., on July 4, 1953.

Carey Lee grew up on the family farm near Stotesbury, Mo. At a young age, her brother Robert and brother- in-law Earl Shelton taught her woods craft and hunting skills. This led to her being assigned, in addition to her many other farm chores, the tracking of the family’s hen turkeys to find where they were laying their clutches of eggs in the woods, so they could be brought back to the house for incubation.

She was an accomplished horse woman. Her favorite horse “Dynamite” was a gift from her sister Rosalie Stout.

Some of Carey’s fondest memories of life on the farm were summers her nephews from Southern California would visit and she would teach them the rural way of life, teaching always with kindness, compassion and humor.

She loved to catch and eat fish, supplementing the family table with bounty from the Little Osage River that ran through the farm. Her love of fishing lasted a lifetime, as in later years she made numerous trips to Sitka to fish for halibut and salmon. Carey’s normally calm, unflappable demeanor changed abruptly with a salmon on her line, she would laugh joyously and “talk” the fish all the way to the net. On the occasion a sea lion would steal her catch, she would uncharacteristically exhibit her seldom-seen wrath upon the creature, and had she followed through with her threats she most certainly would have been guilty of severe violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Carey loved to listen and dance to country western music. She was an accomplished cook and baker. Her chocolate pie was the most requested dish at family gatherings.

Carey attended grade school in Stotesbury and graduated early from Hume, Mo., High School. She moved to Fort Scott, and worked for Western Insurance Company until her marriage. The couple settled in Stotesbury, but relocated to Southern California in 1956, where Carey worked most notably for American Savings and Loan.

In 1960 a move took her  to Southern Arizona, where she obtained a security clearance and worked at a U.S. Navy Surveillance and Tracking Station during the early days of manned space flight. Relocating in 1964 to northwest New Mexico, Carey began her career as an office manager in the trucking industry and was employed by such firms as Whitfield, ICX, and RAC Transport.

In 1989 she moved back to her birthplace, Fort Scott. She enjoyed semi-retirement and made life-long friends while working and volunteering in Fort Scott. She absolutely adored spending time with her nieces, nephews, grand- and great-grand nieces and nephews.

Carey came to Sitka in 2014 for health reasons.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Melvin W. Wileman in 2002; parents Elva and Alice Carey Shackelford; and siblings Jessie Shelton, Rosalie Stout, Earle Shackelford, Robert Shackelford, and Anna Marie Endicott.

Carey is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Charles and Jammie Wileman of Sitka; grandson James (Shannon) Wileman of Anchorage;  granddaughter Melissa (Tom) Henshaw of Sitka; four great-grandchildren, Max Henshaw, Alyssa Henshaw, Camryn Wileman and Oliver Wileman; sister-in-law, Catherine Shackelford; and nieces Betty Graham, Amy Boyd, Linda Lee of Fort Scott and Carey Mooney of Nevada, Mo.

Many other beloved nieces, nephews, grand- and great-grand nieces and nephews also survive.

Funeral services were held Jan. 11, 2017, at the Cheney Witt Chapel in Fort Scott. A graveside service followed at East Liberty Cemetery, Stotesbury.

Memorial donations in Carey’s name may be made to: Care to Share/Sharing Bucket P.O. Box 133, Fort Scott, KS 66701.

The family expressed appreciation to: Robert C. Hunter, M.D., for his knowledge and compassionate care, above and beyond; Sitka Community Hospital’s Home Health Care Team and Long Term Care Unit Team for their expert care and advice; Center for Community staff and wonderful care givers for support and care; Brave Heart Volunteers for education and visitation; Janet Vidad, Can, for all her compassionate care; Care to Share/Sharing Bucket for always remembering; and Cindy Litman, Nancy Barge, Judi Blankenship, Brandy Peer, Barbara Arndt, Anna Winters, Lureen Stedman, Richelle Murphy and Dawna Bell for visitation.

Carey lived her life honestly, lovingly and with caring, her family said.

Timothy Jay Olmstead

Timothy Jay Olmstead passed away Friday, Jan. 13, 2017, with his wife Louise by his side, at Sitka Community Hospital. He was 59.

A celebration of his life will be held 2-5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, at the Sitka Elks Lodge.

Those wishing to take a dish are asked to contact Elaine Steinbach at 747-8504.

Tim was born May 24, 1957, to John and Sara (Brisk) Olmstead in Grafton, N.D., and raised in Forest River, N.D.

He moved to Sitka in 1983, where he met and married Louise Dennard Sept. 27, 1985, during low tide at Totem Park.

In Sitka, he was employed at Ed Martin Construction, Sitka Northern Sales (Mike Elerding), Alaska Pulp Corp., Sitka Community  Hospital and Avis Rent a Car. In North Dakota he was involved in farming and custom combining and worked at Steiger Tractor Factory.

Tim enjoyed fishing, hunting, gun collecting and motorcycles, and Christmas was his favorite holiday.

Tim dearly loved his family, near and far. And they loved him.

“I’m glad I got to know Uncle Tim  – he could put a smile on anyone’s face,” his nephew Tyler said.

Another nephew, Travis, said “Tim was always my favorite uncle and I miss him already,” and Todd said “the time that we spent with Uncle Tim was memorable – some of the best summers were when he came to visit.”

In 2015, his niece and nephew, Renae and Tyler Anderson, took him in while he underwent cancer treatment, and he became very close to Renae, Tyler, Jessica and family while he was in Washington state.

Tim was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Patricia Vold; his brothers, Henry Olmstead and Robert Olmstead; niece Jacki Vold; nephew David Olmstead; great-nephew Joshua Stocks; his parents-in-law Argyll and Louise Dennard; and his four-legged buddy Quin.

He is survived by his wife, Louise, and brother-in-law Robert Dennard, both of Sitka; his furry child Duke and furry nephew Rosco; sister and brother-in-law Alice and Orvin Johnson of Lake Park, Minn.; brother Larry Olmstead of North Dakota; and many, many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family requesdts donations be made to the Sitka Animal Shelter, 2098 Jarvis Street, or the Sitka Volunteer Fire Department, 209 Lake St.

Stephen Harold Brenner

***Please note: A prayer vigil for Stephen will be held 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 22, at St. Gregory’s Catholic Church. A celebration Mass will be 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23, at St. Gregory’s with a reception to follow in the lower level of the church. 

Stephen Harold Brenner was born August 26, 1943, in Storm Lake, Iowa, the son of Harold and Eileen Brenner. He died at the age of 73 on Jan. 18, 2017, at his home in Sitka after a lengthy illness.

The cause of his death was from a very rare condition called frontal-temporal dementia, which began prior to his retirement from Spenard Builders Supply. It’s important to understand one of the effects of this very debilitating disease caused Stephen to react in conversation in ways not normally seen in his known personality, a family member said.

Stephen was raised on the family farm and upon graduation from high school in 1962 left the farm seeking job opportunities not found in the mid west. He drove from Iowa to Fairbanks, where he began working in sales for Yukon Office Supply. 

In 1967 Stephen met Bonnie Reeder, who was attending the “A 67” state centennial celebration being held in Fairbanks. 

That meeting with Bonnie was followed by a great phone and letter courtship leading up to their marriage on April 26, 1968, in Sitka. 

Stephen had earlier been promoted to manage the Ketchikan office supply store, and they began their life together there.

 In 1970, daughter Stephanie was born, followed in 1972 by their second child, Michael.

Ketchikan remained their home until 1978 when Stephen was transferred to Anchorage. He took on a new job in 1980 with Spenard Builders Supply and was quickly promoted to the assistant manager position at their store in Sitka. The family moved here in April of that year, and in 1986 Stephen was promoted to store manager, a position he held until his retirement in June 2005, completing 25 years at Spenards.

Stephen was an avid outdoorsman enjoying hunting and fishing with friends and his family.

He appreciated a good meal, conversation and wine, and there was always room at the table for new friends. 

He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who spent countless hours playing with his grandkids. 

He contributed to a wide variety of civic organizations; Ketchikan Chamber of Commerce, Exalted Ruler of the Ketchikan Elks Lodge, Sitka Community Hospital Board, Sitka Historical Society. In addition to the local Boy Scout organization, the Sitka Sportsman’s Association, and St. Gregory’s Catholic Church.

He is survived by: his wife, Bonnie, of Sitka, his daughter Stephanie Brenner Stoner and Andy Stoner of Sitka; his son Michael and wife Dawn of Oregon City, Oregon; three grandchildren, Carl Brenner of Sitka, and James and Lauren Brenner of Oregon City; sister Nancy Haukap, Sioux City, Iowa; and brothers Allen, Dennis, and Robert, all of Phoenix, Arizona. 

His brothers-in-law Steve Reeder and wife Sallie of Cave Creek, Arizona, and Fred Reeder and wife Debbie of Sitka; and many nieces, nephews and cousins also survive.

A prayer vigil will be held 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 22, at St. Gregory’s Catholic Church. A celebration Mass will be 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23, at St. Gregory’s with a reception to follow in the lower level of the church. 

Honorary pallbearers are Glen Madsen, Frank Miles, Steve Reeder, Fred Reeder, Hal Spackman and John Litten.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to St. Gregory’s Building and Restoration Fund at P.O. Box 495 Sitka, AK 99835

Virginia May Erickson

Virginia May Erickson, 83, a longtime resident of Sitka, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Dec. 28, 2016.  

Virginia was born in 1933 in Bala, Kansas, to Kermit and Hazel Olsen. Her early years were spent in Nebraska and Idaho until 1942 when her father, Kermit Olsen, took a job working in the Washington shipyard during World War II.  In 1945, at the age of 12, she and her mother traveled to Sitka, via Alaska Steamship, to join her father, who had come to Sitka to fish.  He fell in love with Sitka, so he purchased a commercial fishing boat. The family then lived and fished out of Kalinin Bay, on Kruzof Island, during the summer seasons.

During the next few winters, Virginia attended school in Nebraska, where she met Charles Erickson, who had served in the Army during WWII. After marrying in Ong, Nebraska, in 1949, the couple moved to Sitka, where they purchased the salmon troller Talatchee, which they operated from their home base in Kalinin Bay.  In 1956, as a family of four quickly becoming five, it was time to give up the Kalinin Bay homestead and move into Sitka permanently.

She owned and operated Ginny’s Yarn Shop and was a lifelong member of the Women of the Moose.

During her long life in Sitka, Virginia served as a volunteer for nearly 50 years at the White Elephant Shop and was a recipient of several awards acknowledging her exemplary contributions to the community of Sitka. 

At the age of 5, in Pocatello, Idaho, she became an accomplished violinist and was already playing in the school orchestra.  As a young woman in Kalinin Bay, Virginia’s favorite place to be was out in her row boat.  As a young mother, she would pick berries to make her delicious jellies and huckleberry liquor.  She drafted her own knitting patterns that she would use to knit amazing sweaters and blankets for her family and friends.  As she got older and the grandchildren came, she easily reverted back to the role of young mother and helped to raise her first born grandchildren, SueAnn and Michael.

Besides knitting, her talents included baking and cake decorating.  She lovingly baked and decorated all the family birthday and wedding cakes, along with the cookies and candies for every holiday.  Christmas was her favorite holiday and she went above and beyond to celebrate it with her loved ones.  From the cookies and treats, to the beautiful decorations and amazing food, down to her special egg nog recipe. She even created her own special blend of homemade Kahlua.  She also did ceramics, out of Sitka clay, and created beautiful works of art.

She had a variety of interests which included movies from the ’80s and archaeology.  Her sister, Dorothy, surprised her with tickets to see the King Tut exhibit, in Seattle, in 1978.

Virginia loved to travel, especially road trips! Growing up, her parents took her on many road/camping trips, including skiing, hiking and horseback riding, throughout Idaho and Wyoming.  This love continued throughout her adulthood and the family camper was born.  She packed her children and her grandchildren into whatever car, bus or camper they had that year and off on many adventures they went. 

Her family and friends knew her as a very devoted mother and grandmother, who was always there for her family.

“She had a ready smile and was quick to find humor in any situation,” her family said. “She would tell it like it is, with a smile on her face, and then hand you the shirt off her back. She liked to act tough but, in reality, she had a heart of gold.  She is missed more than she could ever believe.  She was the glue that held us together.”

She was preceded in death by her parents, Kermit and Hazel Olsen; her husband, Charles Erickson; and their son, Archie.

She is survived by her siblings, Eric Olsen (Linda) and Dorothy Olsen of Sitka; and her children, Geraldine Wirta (Frank), Debra Cushing (Greg), and Gayle Erickson (Diana), all of Sitka, and Nancy Biesen of Mukilteo, Washington; and her grandchildren,  SueAnn Mudry (Joe), Michael Penman (Nikole), Johanna Kinnear (Rob), Rebekah Cushing (Clarence), Aaron Cushing (Christianne), Guenevere Whipple, Barry Biesen (Sarah), Hannah Biesen, Nicole Rioux (Jonah), Daniel Erickson, David Erickson, Abigayle Erickson, Elias Erickson, Ahna Cushing, and Maia Cushing.

Her great-grandchildren are Gabriel Sexton, Shiloh Sexton, Samantha McBryde (Connor), Sophie Mudry, Joey Mudry, Noah Penman, Caleb Kinnear, Asa Kinnear, Cooper Kinnear, Haley Sweet-Cushing, Taylor Cushing, Casey Cushing, Sequioa Cushing-Wadkins, Jonna Rioux, Josiah Rioux, Tremaine Whipple, Izabella Whipple, and Isaac Biesen.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Sitka White Elephant Shop.

Carl R. Southbloom

Former Sitka resident Carl R. Southbloom passed away on Jan. 9, 2017, in Centralia, Wash. He was 80.

He was born April 23, 1935, in Ontario Canada, where he was raised.

He was active in the Soul Winners group of the Salvation Army.  This group performed “Big Band” Christian music and produced several  musical records.

In his early 20s he moved to Detroit, Mich., where he met Florence, who became his wife for 53 years.

After enlisting in the U.S. Air Force and marrying Florence, Carl was stationed in Bermuda where he served for two years.  It was in Bermuda that he discovered a love for the game of golf.

After being discharged from the Air Force he accepted an offer from the RCA Company for a position as a telecommunications technician in Alaska. During his first 10 years in Alaska, he resided in many cities and outposts –  Cape Newenham, Sparrevohn, Tok, Anchorage, Cordova, Yakutat, Skagway. The family moved to Sitka in 1970, and  Carl spent the next 18 years enjoying his family, hunting, fishing, boating and all that Sitka had to offer.  The family’s first home was the Cable House.  Carl worked on the first floor and the family lived upstairs.  He told stories of hearing footsteps….

Carl truly loved living in Sitka and hoped to retire here but it wasn’t to be.  Alascom called him to Juneau where he did retire in 1992. By this time, both sons had moved to the lower 48 and Carl and Florence decided it was time to join them by moving to Centralia, Wash.

During his retirement years, Carl enjoyed playing golf, playing cards with his friends, and traveling the world with his youngest son.  His travel experiences include all of northern Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and many other locations.  His most recent trip was just a month ago when they traveled to Germany.

Carl and Florence decided that the Sitka National Cemetery would be their final resting place.  Florence was laid to rest there in September 2012 and Carl will join her soon.

Carl is survived by his brother Gerald (Sandy); sisters Myrna and Pam (Jim); sons  Bruce and Brian (Stephanie) along with their children Laura (Nick) Rheaume and Glenn (Stacy) Beatty and grandchildren Gage and Clara.

Carl was very active in the Salvation Army during his younger years and continued to support the organization  during his lifetime. The family suggests that those who would like to make memorial donations, consider the Salvation Army.

Virginia (Ginny) Lutz

Virginia (Ginny) Lutz quietly passed away on January 24 at her home in Sitka. She was 58.

Ginny was born on October 13, 1958, in Marshall, Minn., to Charles H. Lutz Jr. and Lonita (Reding) Lutz. Following formative years at Holy Redeemer Elementary school, she graduated from Marshall High School and earned a BA in biology from Southwest Minnesota State University.

In the fall of 1986 she came to Sitka to study fisheries at Sheldon Jackson College. In July 1989 Ginny began her career at the USDA Forest Service as a cartographer using GIS to make maps of the Tongass National Forest. She performed that job until her retirement in May 2012. During her tenure with the Forest Service, she enjoyed and valued many coworkers from all over Southeast Alaska. She was a dedicated employee, conscientious and always a team player.

Ginny was unfailingly polite and self-effacing in her interactions, her family said. She had a smile for everyone and genuinely liked people. She entertained one and all with her humor. She was very private with her own life, but an attentive listener and cared deeply about other people. She was a kind and generous friend to many.

Ginny provided a wonderful example of how to live life to the fullest. She had always loved to travel and continued to do so in her retirement. Following her cancer diagnosis, she took advantage of medical trips to Seattle to explore the city and often added other destinations. She spent time in Interior Alaska, Arizona and Hawaii, and toured in China.

Ginny had a life-long love affair with bacon, ice cream, chocolate, and books. Computers … not so much. She disliked phoniness, TV commercials, fishy tasting fish, and politics.

She is survived by her father Charles of Marshall, Minn.; sister Maria Yablonka and husband Mike of Santa Ana, Calif.; niece Amanda Kor of Santa Ana; sister Margaret (Peggy) Granger and husband Chris, niece Grace Granger and nephew Caden Granger of Orange, Calif.; and companion, Margaret Andrews of Sitka.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Lonnie, and a nephew, Andrew.

Ginny was a life-long conservationist. She took every opportunity to be on the water. She hiked, picked up rocks and shells everywhere, watched birds, and photographed plants, wildlife, water and mountains in all the places she traveled. She suggested memorial donations to the Sitka Sound Science Center, 834 Lincoln Street, Suite 200, Sitka, AK 99835, or to the Ocean Conservancy, 1300 19th Street NW, 8th Floor, Washington, DC 20036.

In keeping with Ginny’s wish for privacy, no formal services have been planned.

Edward Maurice Miller

Edward Maurice Miller, of Sitka, passed away Feb. 3, 2017, at SEARHC Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital. He was 86.

Born Jan. 5, 1931, in Ypsilanti, Mich., to Maurice and Maude  Miller, he enjoyed most of his life living in Alaska. Ed was a passionate man with a wonderful sense of humor who enjoyed spending time with family and friends.

For many years he worked as a helicopter pilot, and flew around the world. Fast Eddie, as he was known by many, learned to fly in Ann Arbor, Mich., and went on to log an incredible number of flight hours in Jet Ranger helicopters, some 30,000 hours in the air.

Ed gained his experience flying in Southeast Asia, South America, and the United States. Some of his flying jobs included oil exploration expeditions in Singapore and Anchorage; mountain surveys in Argentina; mining explorations in Quebec; and assisting on various U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Government contracts in California and Juneau, before coming to Sitka to do local flying and work for the Alaska Pulp Corporation.

Ed generously donated much of his time flying for various local organizations, including the Salvation Army and Mt. Edgecumbe High School.

Edward was preceded in death by his parents, Maurice and Maude Miller; his sister Mabel (Henry Ritz); and daughter Lincinda Gamble.

Edward is survived by two sons, Michael Gamble and James Gamble of Eugene Ore.; a daughter, Tina (Gamble) Dullock of Jackson, Mich.; seven grandchildren, Tia and Bea Davis, Philip Dullock, Andrew and Brenda Dullock, Catherine (Gamble) and Neale Maske, Lindsey (Gamble) and Paul Thomas, William Gamble;six  great-grandchildren, Courtney Davis, Deryck and Ethayn Dullock, Henry and Samuel Maske and Brennan Thomas;  and several nieces and nephews.

The family expressed gratitude to the nurses and staff at SEARHC “for their loving care and support, and all of Ed’s friends here in Sitka who helped him along the way.”

Per Ed’s wishes, he has been cremated. A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Memorial donations may be made in Ed’s name to the Salvation Army and the Elks Lodge in Sitka.