Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 441
Beulah Eleanor Luhr passed away on Sunday, June 11, 2023, at her home in Petersburg surrounded by her children. Beulah was born in Chester, Montana on October 12, 1934, to Robert T. Reid and Vena (Ward) Reid. Her family moved to Petersburg, Alaska in 1939 and she resided there for the last 84 years. Beulah grew up in Scow Bay, graduated from Petersburg High School and married the love of her life, Donald Luhr, on May 31, 1952. In high school Beulah worked for the telephone company, back in the... Full story
Myra Arlene Sarber passed with her family by her side April 14th in Sunnyside Oregon. Myra was born the sixth child of seven in Spokane WA, to Thelma Irene and Faber Sebastian Wondzell. In 1951 her family moved by steamship to Wrangell in the Territory of Alaska. 1955 brought a consistent and loving stepfather, Albert Ronning. She married her lifelong love Homer Sarber in Petersburg AK, in 1962, and they settled down in Ketchikan to raise their family. Myra and Homer lived in Ketchikan for 35... Full story
Troy E. Anderson, 77, of Petersburg Alaska, passed away on May 23, 2023. Troy retired in 2003 after working for the City of Petersburg for 25 years. He loved fishing and being outdoors in general. He was predeceased by his parents, Florence (Penny) and Marvin Anderson; brothers, Tim and Chuck Heikkila. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Roseanne Anderson; son, Brian Anderson; daughter, June Downey; four brothers, Joe, Jerry, Marty and Wayne Heikkila. His presence will be greatly missed on... Full story
Art Hammer was born on July 7, 1921 to John and Marie Hammer in Petersburg, Alaska. He was born at the family's house on Lumber Street, where he joined siblings Jennie, Agnes, and Norman. His brother James joined the family five years later. As a child Art could be found helping his Dad work on the house they were building on Hammer's Slough, rowing up Petersburg Creek, or fishing with friends. All of Art's educational years were completed in Petersburg. He was a member of the Petersburg High... Full story
Long-time Petersburg resident Dennis Sperl survived a near fatal stroke in March of 2015, but returned home to make the most of eight "bonus years" with dear family, friends, and caretakers before succumbing to a brief illness on April 13, 2023. Dennis was born in Bremerton, Washington, on September 3, 1943 to Clara and Walter Sperl and his older brother David. A sister, Moretta, joined her two older brothers a couple of years later. In 1946 the Sperls moved to Juneau where Walter worked as the... Full story
Harper Tasche Jordan, 61, died at his home in Kent, Washington on March 6, 2023. Tasche Mark Daniel Jordan was born March 29, 1961 in Chehalis, Washington, to Paul and Frieda Jordan. Growing up in beautiful rural Petersburg influenced his lifelong passions for music and nature; he composed and recorded a soundtrack for the U.S. Forest Service at age 13, and learned to play all the instruments in his high school band's storage room. Harper graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Music degree... Full story
James Chase Swainson was born on August 27, 1967 in Ellensburg, Washington to Jim Swainson and Susan Goettlicher. James split his time living between both parents – traveling between Alaskan towns to live with his dad Jimmy and stepmom Sparky in Petersburg, with his mother Susan and stepfather Tom Larson in Sitka, and later with his mother and stepfather Mark Goettlicher in Anchorage. After graduating from East High School in Anchorage, James moved to Seattle and lived in the University District... Full story
Jack Duane "Jake" Phillips, a well respected Southeast Alaska fisherman, died February 9, 2023 at the Sitka Pioneers Home. He was 91. As he requested, no services will be held. Jake was born June 11, 1931 at St. Ann's Hospital in Juneau. His parents, John F. and Ida M. (Barber) Phillips, worked at the Chichagof mine and Jake's early years were at the mine. When it closed, the family moved to Sitka. Jake worked many jobs as a young man – crewed on a freighter, was a taxi driver, construction w...
Darlene Elaine Brewer Anderson, 78, who loved her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and her community, passed away unexpectedly with her youngest daughter by her side at Mat-Su Regional Hospital in Palmer, Alaska on December 21, 2022. She was born in Hagerstown, Maryland on October 13, 1944, and the eldest of 5 siblings, to the late Francis Edward Brewer and Ruth Elizabeth (Snyder) Brewer. In her young years, Darlene attended Catholic school and sold her mother's baked goods, with...
Paul Arnold Anderson, 77, passed away with family by his side at home in Petersburg, Alaska on January 16, 2023 after a short battle with throat cancer. He was born in Seattle, Washington on August 2, 1945, to Gustav Nathaniel Anderson Jr. and Patricia Ann Anderson. Paul lived in Ballard, Washington with his parents and 4 siblings, Knute, Patty, Erik, and Mark. He attended Whittier Elementary school from 1951 until 1953 when the family moved to Petersburg, Alaska where he finished up his schooli...
Colleen Nicholson was born on November 7, 1928 in Idaho Falls, ID, the eldest child of George “Bud” and Alice Mortensen. Her father was a cook and butcher by trade who ran restaurants in western Montana. Her brother Buddy (Jim Mortensen) and sister Ruthie (Rhoden) rounded out the family. The restaurant business was especially tough during the Great Depression, so the family moved often, living in Sheridan, Dillon, and Butte, MT. With the onset of World War II, her father heard of an opp... Full story
Robert George Olsen (Bob Sr.) was born January 7, 1954 to Ray and Gladys Olsen in Arlington, Washington. He was their fourth son, joining older brothers John, Jim, and Ray Jr. Soon to follow was the youngest brother of the bunch, Mike. In 1967 the family moved from their cattle ranch in Washington to pursue logging opportunities in Alaska, which landed them in Petersburg. It was a family business and every one of the Olsens had a hand in the operation. By the time he was fourteen Bob was...
Tasha Lee Prus, age 57, passed to her eternal life peacefully surrounded by loving family on January 9, 2023, after a long illness. Tasha was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on April 3, 1965. As a member of a military family that moved many times, her childhood sparked her love of travel. After college she worked on a fish processing barge in Alaska. When it stopped on Mitkof Island, she fell in love with the small fishing village of Petersburg. She made her vision of living there come true when sh... Full story
Mike A. Davis, a resident of Sitka, died December 31, 2022 at Mt. Edgecumbe Medical Center. He was 70. Mike was born January 19, 1952 in Grants Pass, Oregon to Ronald E. Davis and Lillian E. Shotridge. The family moved to Anchorage in 1964, then to Juneau in 1966 where Mike graduated from Juneau-Douglas High School in 1971. He attended a computer programming school in Lake Oswego, Oregon. After graduating he returned to Juneau to work for the State of Alaska. Later he moved to Petersburg, where... Full story
Steven John Espeseth, 70, passed away October 22, 2022 of natural causes in Fosston, Minnesota. Steve was born August 4, 1952 in Petersburg, Alaska to Arne and Louise Espeseth. He graduated in 1970 from Lincoln High School in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. With the money he saved being a commercial fisherman, he went to pilot school in Colorado. Soon after he achieved his pilot's license, he bought a Cessna 150 plane and went to Florida where he took up scuba diving. He returned to Alaska to... Full story
Darlene Joy Candee, 90, of Lake Havasu City, Arizona passed away peacefully on November 13, 2022 with her family by her side. Darlene was born on November 6, 1932 to Bernard V. and Grace E. Cuff Morrison in Tacoma, Washington. She graduated from Rathdrum High School with honors, then attended Kinman's Business University where she took secretarial and bookkeeping courses. In 1950 she married her high school sweetheart, James W. (Pat) Briggs and settled in Olney, Montana where their children... Full story
We are heartbroken to announce the death of Thomas "Tom" McKeown Jr., 63. Tom was born on March 22, 1959 in Orange County, California. He was the fourth child of Thomas Nealy McKeown, Sr. and Mae Jean "Mickey" McKeown, joining his sisters Gail (Sawyer), Carolyn (Hurtt), and Barb (Herbert). He passed away peacefully on November 24, 2022 surrounded by his family. Tom worked as a mechanic and could fix anything. After retiring, he enjoyed working in his shop, playing dice with his grandchildren,... Full story
Sigrid Medalen passed away peacefully on October 12, 2022 after a short illness. Sigrid Carol Dokken was born on March 8, 1931 to Syvert and Clara (Oium) Dokken, one of 7 children. She grew up on their family farm along the Mouse River at Towner, North Dakota. She attended school through eighth grade in a one room country schoolhouse. After graduating from high school in 1949 in Towner, North Dakota Sigrid went to summer school in Minot, North Dakota and got her teaching certificate. She taught... Full story
David Juel Marifern, age 30, of Shoreline Washington passed away unexpectedly Sunday, September 25, 2022 not far from Ballard, where he started his life. David was born in Ballard, Washington on April 27, 1992 to Barbara and Bruce Marifern, brother to his sister Samantha Marifern. He grew up and attended Petersburg High School where he swam competitively. Raised in a fishing family, he took pride in participating in different fisheries throughout his young years. David has always had a heart... Full story
Peter O. Ellert, longtime resident of Petersburg, Alaska passed away on September 22, 2022. Pete was born on November 26, 1959 in Holyoke, Massachusetts and grew up in Blandford, a small town in western Massachusetts. He graduated from Gateway Regional High School in Huntington, Massachusetts in 1978 and immediately joined the United States Coast Guard, serving from 1978 to '81, he was stationed in Ketchikan and Petersburg, Alaska. After serving in the Coast Guard, Pete fell in love with and set... Full story
Richard Keith Burrell was born on February 11, 1949 in Lebanon, Oregon to Loren (Dick) & Doris Burrell. He was the second child in a family of six. Richard's father owned a logging company and the family traveled the West Coast logging. They settled in Eureka, California when he was one and spent six or seven years there before moving to Chilliwack, British Columbia for two years and then on to Campbell River, British Columbia. He said the Campbell River part of their adventure held some of his... Full story
Mark Steven Laurila, 62, passed away at his home in Anacortes, Washington on Saturday, September 3, 2022. Mark was born in Ishpeming, Michigan on June 17, 1960 to Charles Laurila and Sally (Makinen) Hall. Mark was a 1978 graduate of Republic-Michigamme High School, Republic, Michigan. Following his high school graduation, Mark moved to Petersburg, Alaska where he resided for many years working as a commercial fisherman. Mark eventually moved to Washington state and made his home in Anacortes.... Full story
James (Buddy) W. Mortensen was born on June 29, 1930 in Dillon, Montana and died peacefully from lung cancer at his home in Bend, Oregon on May 4, 2021. Jim Mortensen grew up in Petersburg and was a graduate of Petersburg High School where he was the smallest member of the band and played the largest horn: a sousaphone. After graduation he and some friends went off to explore the Pacific Northwest. His father shook his head and wondered if the kid would ever amount to anything. Jim attended... Full story
Marilyn Mae Prus was born in Grand Rapids Michigan on August 19, 1936 to Erwin and Birtha Dressle. On September 9, 2022 she was met at the bridge by her spiritual teacher and he walked her the rest of the way to heaven. In 1954 Marilyn married Donald Prus in Massachusetts and they were honored that nine souls allowed them to bring them into this world. She prayed that she inspired these souls and others to love life and the God who gave it to them. Marilyn pursued an education after raising her... Full story
Alex Steven Reid (Sandy) was born to Alexander John Reid and Mary Hungerford Reid on February 29, 1948 in Petersburg, Alaska. Sandy was raised in Petersburg, attended Petersburg Elementary School and graduated from Petersburg High School in 1966. During his childhood years, he spent summers all over Southeast Alaska at his family's logging camps. He learned to build almost anything from parts and pieces that he could scrounge up. He was interested in anything he could put a motor on. That kind... Full story
