Molly Yurkovich, 100, passed away in the Fairbanks Pioneers’ Home on June 20, 2010.
Molly was born Aug. 3, 1909, to Joseph Pasquan and Maria Susich Pasquan, in Roslyn, Wash. Molly grew up and met her husband, John Yurkovich, in Roslyn. Molly and John married Dec. 29, 1928, in Detroit, where John worked for Ford Motor Co.
In August 1931, John and Molly moved to Alaska, first residing at the Jonesville Coal Mine, and then at Suntrana Coal Mine. While living at the Suntrana Coal Mine, Molly became pregnant with their only child. Because of a lack of medical facilities, Molly and John traveled by train to Seward and by steamship to Oakland, Calif., where their son, Eugene Gary Yurkovich, was born on Aug. 30, 1935.
On May 5, 1936, Molly, John and new baby Gene set sail on the Alaska Steamship to Alaska, then by train, arriving at Suntrana Coal Mine on May 15, 1936, where they lived until 1940.
In 1940, Molly and John moved to Fairbanks so their son could start school, and they bought a home at 302 Well Street. Molly lived in the family home until she moved to the Pioneers’ Home.
When they arrived in Fairbanks, Molly worked at Northern Commercial Co., then transferred to Municipal Utilities System, as chief clerk, until her retirement.
Molly enjoyed traveling throughout the United States as well as Europe, especially Yugoslavia, where both she and John’s parents were born.
Molly was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her son, and all of her brothers and sisters.
Molly is survived by her sister-in law, Costello Yurkovich; many nieces and nephews of Washington; her daughter-in law, Tena Yurkovich; grandchildren and their spouses, Gary and Carolyn Yurkovich of Fairbanks, Gina and Paul Hufman of Fairbanks, Susie and David Hanns of Aurora, Colo., and Diana Yurkovich of California; great-grandchildren, Morgan and Wyatt Yurkovich of Fairbanks and Chet and Chauntelle Hanns of Aurora, Colo.; great-great grandchildren, Cheyenne and Chanele Hanns of Aurora, Colo.
A special thank you to the staff of Fairbanks Pioneers’ Home for the years of care and love given to Molly.
A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m., Thursday, June 24, at the Fairbanks Pioneers’ Home, 2221 Eagan Ave.

Robert Louis Wegener

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Longtime Fairbanks resident Robert Louis Wegener passed away peacefully at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital on May 14, 2010, with family by his side. Robert, the first of six children to parents Dorothy and Louis Wegener, was born Aug. 23, 1938, in Scribner, Neb. Robert sold auto parts for more than 25 years in Springfield, Ill., before coming to Fairbanks, where he worked for many years at River’s Edge Resort.
Robert is survived by his wife, Judy, and daughter, Hilary, of Springfield, Ill.; his brother Larry Wegener and wife Carol and their children, Bobbie and Tammi; his brother Louis Wegener and wife Iwalani and their children, Kahalani and Keala; and his sister, Sheryl Boyer, of Fairbanks, and her son, Brandon Logan; and his great niece, Jamie Marie Logan. He is preceded in death by his parents, Dorothy and Louis; his brother, Eugene; and sister Betty.
Robert asked that any donations be made to the American Cancer Society in his name, and he requested that no service be held. Arrangements were entrusted to Chapel of Chimes Funeral Home.

Our beloved father, brother, uncle and friend Albert Vent died June 10, 2010, at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.
Albert was born Nov. 7, 1943, to Robert and Mary Vent of Huslia.
He served in the U.S. Navy. He was honorably discharged. He fought a brave fight with cancer for the last 10 years of his life. He lived with his kind and caring niece, Nakon’ Vent, and her son, Warren.
Albert was a humble outdoorsman. He loved to camp at the cabins up the Huslia River. He was very polite to everyone. His gentle and caring nature was displayed right up to the end as he asked everyone, “How are you doing?” He genuinely cared for everyone.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Mary Vent; siblings, Erma Nollner, Flora Huntington, Christine Anseth and Elmer Charles.
He is survived by his daughter, Tanya Yatlin; siblings, Catherine (Steven) Attla, Yolanda Sophie Sam, Freddie (Lorna) Vent, Herbie (Shirley) Vent, Warner (Alberta) Vent, Hazel (Ed) Krause, Mabel Vent, Eddie Vent, Gilbert (Christine) Vent, Carla (Larry) Saunders, Sharon (Paul) Vent, and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, June 14 in Huslia.

North Pole resident Kenneth Howard Thies Sr., 65, died of natural causes at his home on June 26, 2010.
Kenneth was born Aug. 8, 1944, in Geneseo, Ill.
In younger years, he served his country in the U.S. Army stationed in Korea, Germany, Georgia and Kansas. Then he served in the reserves in Alaska. His military career expanded more than 26 years. He received numerous awards and medals. He was employed with University Redi Mix as a commercial driver nearly 20 years.
Kenneth was a member of Teamsters Union Local 959 in Fairbanks, a lifetime member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10029 and the National Rifle Association.
His family stated: “Our beloved son, dad and brother loved his military career, which gave him the opportunity to travel and see the world. His loves and hobbies included photography, rebuilding John Deere tractors, moose hunting and collecting firearms and military memorabilia. He was most happy when he moved to Alaska in 1988 and chose the state for his final place to reside, vowing to never leave.”
He was preceded in death by his father, Howard Thies.
He is survived by his mother, Elizabeth Foster, of Hallsville, Mo.; brothers, Dwight Thies, of Centerview, Mo. and LaVerne Thies, of Kewanee, Ill,: sister, Cynthia Ray, of Hallville, Mo.; his life partner of 17 years, Catherine Cook, of Fairbanks; children, Carl McDonald, of Missouri, Debbie LaCasse, of Kansas, Kenneth Thies Jr., of Alaska, Wendy Ewing (Thies), of New Mexico, and Jamie Perkins and William Perkins, of Alaska; 14 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
A funeral will be held in Centralia, Mo., at a later date. He will be laid to rest with full military honors.
Arrangements were entrusted to Chapel of Chimes Funeral Home.

Gladyse Marie Christensen Tarble, 86, passed away June 5, 2010, at the Denali Center, surrounded by her children.
Gladyse was born in Hythe, Alberta, Canada, on March 17, 1924, to Percy and Bessie Wells.
Gladyse would laugh while telling the story that because she was born on St. Patrick’s Day, she was named Patricia, until the next door neighbor, Gladyse Sharkey, came over and reminded Bessie that she had promised to name her next daughter after her. For one week, she was Patricia!
While working as a waitress in Dawson Creek, B.C., she met Fred Christensen, a U.S. soldier who was with the U.S. Corps of Engineers working on the Alaska Highway. They fell in love and were soon married. Sons Gary and Rod were born while they were living in Canada. After World War II, they moved to Fairbanks, as did many ex-soldiers who loved Alaska. They built their home and lived in College when two daughters, Karen and Sharon, were born. Gladyse volunteered at the College Woman’s Club and made many lifelong friends. Gladyse and Fred were part owners in Pioneer Wells and Arctic Pumping and Thawing.
Gladyse worked at several downtown restaurants including Woolworths, and her favorite Co-Op Fountain where she enjoyed serving all the teenagers heading to the Upper Limits. The last years of her life, she lived in North Pole at the Holiday Heights Senior Center where she was very happy and proud of her home. 
“We love you Mom and will miss you and your great sense of humor and being there for us tremendously,” wrote her family.
Gladyse was preceded by her husbands, Fred “Chris” Christensen and Cal Tarble.
Gladyse is survived by her four children, Gary and Fran Christensen, Rod and Janice Christensen, of Fairbanks, Karen and Bill Tompkins, Sherri and Mark Lindsoe, of North Pole; her grandchildren, Shannon (David) Daniell, Christopher (Jennifer) Lindsoe, Jesse (Ashley) Lindsoe, David (Cindy) Tompkins, Kasandra (Jared) Robinson, Kristen (Don) Pressler, Mike (Susan) Kramer, Debbie and Diana McCarty, Jeff (Sandi) Weaver, and Bobby Weaver; her great-grandchildren, Alexis, Megan, Daniell, and Katelyn Tompkins, Colbi Lindsoe, Krista Tristan, and Wyatt Robinson, Tyeler, Alyah and Mia Tompkins, Peyton Mallory Pressler, Kendall Kramer, Corrina, Cody, Tyler, Hunter, Jeremy McCarty, Lucas Taylor, and Aiden Weaver; her great-great-granddaughter, Ava; her sisters, Doris Carter and Helen Martin, of Canada, and many loved nieces and nephews in Canada and California.
Donations can be sent to the Breast Cancer Detection Center or Denali Center Birch Lane. Cards can be sent to Christensen Family c/o Karen Tomkins 284 W. 6th Ave. North Pole, AK 99705.
Arrangements were entrusted to Chapel of Chimes Funeral Home.

Sam Stoker

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Longtime Fairbanks resident Sam Stoker died at home Friday, June 11, 2010.
He was born July 9, 1938, in Alva, Okla., where as a boy, he brought home bones and fossils he’d collected from the surrounding plains and became a crack shot, an A-student and an Eagle Scout.
Sam studied history, government and mathematics at the University of Oklahoma, lettering in marksmanship and earning a degree in combined studies. His graduate work was in creative writing at the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop.
After traveling for nearly two years, first in Alaska then in South America, Sam returned to Oklahoma where he convinced the OU Research Institute to send him to Fairbanks as a researcher on a vole study. It was one of the most fruitful turnings of his life, focusing his interests and triggering his passions.
He enrolled at University of Alaska Fairbanks, completing a Master of Science in 1973 and his Ph.D. in 1978, both in biological oceanography. His research took him to the northern Bering and Chukchi seas, and to Little Diomede Island for several seasons, where he studied subsistence harvest and marine mammal populations.
These seasons were among the highlights of Sam’s life. He loved Little Diomede, the work, the people and his adventures with them, and he still is remembered there.
Sam was an active scholar for more than 30 years, producing studies for state and federal agencies and commissions including the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, and the International Whaling Commission.
He studied bird, fish and marine mammal populations in northwest Alaska, monitored the subsistence harvest of seals, walruses and whales, and studied both prehistoric and present ecological conditions of the seas that support them.
From 1986 to 1991, Sam was Gov. Steve Cowper’s special adviser on biological resource issues. When the Exxon Valdez ran aground in 1989, spilling 11 million gallons of Alaskan crude into Prince William Sound, he began work that lasted the coming decade, for the state then for Exxon, on oil spill assessment, response planning and mitigation efforts in the Sound.
Wherever he was, Sam Stoker was comfortable in a flannel shirt and jeans, at 20 below or 70 above. He figured he was fully provisioned for camping if he packed a tin of instant coffee and a fishing rod, adding a box of Pilot bread and a jar of peanut butter if it was going to be a long trip. He was happiest canoeing a river on the North Slope, watching whales in Prince William Sound or anywhere in Africa watching elephants.
In his lifetime, Sam was a man of finely honed skills. He was a marine biologist and researcher, a writer, an artist, a gardener who produced tender and tasty sweet corn, and a photographer. He leaves behind two unpublished novels and a collection of beautifully balanced mobiles.
Sam is survived by his beloved life partner and wife of 30 years, Patty Kastelic; by his aunt, Alice; his half-sister, Jan; his cousins in the Lower 48; and by an extended family of friends in and beyond Alaska.
Sam’s potluck will be held July 10 at home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Fairbanks Community Food Bank or Heifer International.

Mike Stickler (1945-2010)

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Retired Alaska State Trooper Capt. Mike Stickler passed away quietly at his home on Saturday, June 19, 2010, after a long illness.
He was born on April 6, 1945, and lived with his family in Coos Bay, Ore., until joining the Navy in 1962. While in the Navy, Mike did two tours in Vietnam and spent his time on the U.S.S. Hornet, the U.S.S. Piedmont and the U.S.S. Manatee. In 1971, he was discharged as a warrant officer and in 1973 joined the North Bend Police Department in Oregon.
In 1981, he joined the Alaska State Troopers. He stayed with AST until he retired in 2002. After retiring, Mike worked five years for the Transportation Safety Administration.
Mike loved being a trooper and would say God called him to help people who needed helping, and keep us all safe. He also loved Alaska, liked to hunt and fish, loved to read and thought the world of his family.
Mike is survived by his wife, Kim; his children, Michelle, Mike, Brian, James, Nicole and their spouses; 13 grandchildren; his brother, Dean; and his sister Deb and their families.
The family said, “We all loved him and he will be missed, but we know he is with God now, and couldn’t be happier.”
A memorial service and potluck honoring Mike’s life will be held at 6 p.m., Wednesday, June 23, at Door of Hope Church. Please bring a dish to share. For directions, please call
457-4673.
Arrangements were entrusted to Chapel of Chimes Funeral Home.

Judy Louise (Hagy) Neff, 63, of Fairbanks, passed away suddenly on June 4, 2010, at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.
Judy was the only child of Jerome Leroy and Edith Pearl (Olsen) Hagy, born April 6, 1947, in Colfax, Wash. She grew up in Riverside, Wash., and Winthrop, Wash.
In April 1964, the family left Washington and came to Alaska to embark on a new life full of opportunities. Judy returned to Winthrop to graduate with her class in 1965 but returned to Fairbanks afterward. In 1966, Judy married Wendell Robb Neff Jr. and had two daughters. As a family, they shared good times on the Interior river system camping, boating and fishing.
Judy worked as a bookkeeper in the construction industry throughout her career, most recently working on-call for Dynamic Painting Inc. since 1997. During her semi-retirement, she picked up genealogy as a hobby, which quickly became her passion. She traveled the Pacific Northwest and discovered old records and homesteads, which helped her create a detailed documentation of her ancestry.
Judy also enjoyed cooking, gardening, sewing, photography (that led her to Hawaii and Mexico) and spending time with her daughters. She always had a cat in-house and a few strays she put food out for. Animals were drawn to her, and she had a yearling moose spend an entire winter on her deck.
She is preceded in death by her mother and father, Edith and Jerry, and her maternal and paternal grandparents.
She is survived by her daughters, Christie and Jill, (husband Tim Jauhola).
Judy was always willing to lend a hand or an ear, and her compassion, love and kindness will be missed.
Please consider a donation to Pet Pride, P.O. Box 70229, Fairbanks, AK 99707, in memory of Judy.
A private memorial for family and friends is being planned. Please contact Jill at 322-3732 or Christie at 799-6166 for information.
A special thank you to friends and family for their support and understanding during this time.