Sorted by date Results 83 - 107 of 415
Clarence "Chuck" E. Helland died Dec. 6 at Wrangell Medical Center. He was 82 years old. "Cancer came back and it took over quickly," the family wrote. He was born April 28, 1939, to Joseph and Leah Helland, in Roosevelt, Montana. Chuck Helland lived in Wrangell for 38 years. He worked as a chipper operator at the 6-Mile sawmill, then as a cannery worker and later served as a steward for the Alaska Marine Highway System. He retired from the state ferries, and with Julie Wigg, "the love of his...
Leona Kohler Davidson, a 15-year resident of Wrangell, died Nov. 22, at age 86. She was born May 30, 1935, to Leo James Kohler and Delia Nikolai, in Talkeetna. Davidson moved to Wrangell in 2006 after retiring as a statistician for the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage. She was an avid gardener all her life. "We did moose hunting trips and fishing trips, camping too," her family wrote. She believed in God and was a spiritual person, but was not affiliated with a church. Her husband,...
Former Wrangell resident Warren Deville Powers Jr., 85, passed away Dec. 3 in Azle, Texas. Powers was born in Seattle on Dec. 4, 1935, to Warren D. and Isabelle Powers Sr. He grew up in Wrangell, commercial fishing with his dad and working in the logging industry. He later moved to Anchorage and then to Texas with his wife, Sylvia. He lived in Texas for 34 years and was a long-haul truck driver, mostly driving to the East Coast but also all 50 states and Canada. Powers was preceded in death by...
After a courageous four-year battle with cancer, Mark Dwayne Seimears passed away on Nov. 26, 2021, in Wrangell, at age 65. Mark was born on Feb. 20, 1956, in Everett, Washington, to Margaret and Robert (Bob) Seimears. He grew up the youngest of three children including Gail Ottesen and Robert Seimears. In 1960, the family headed north to Alaska along the Alaska and Cassiar highways to Telegraph Creek, British Columbia. From there, they boarded his grandfather's riverboat, the Judith Ann, to...
Linda Sue Jack, 71, a 49-year resident of the community, died Nov. 25 at Wrangell Medical Center. She and her husband, David Jack, moved from Oklahoma and arrived in Wrangell on Nov. 19, 1972 - on their anniversary. Linda Jack was born Oct. 23, 1950, in Medford, Missouri, and attended high school in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. She worked about 40 years at the Wrangell Medical Center, retiring a few years ago from her job handling insurance claims, her family said. She was active in The Church of Jesus...
"It is with great sorrow that we share the death of Robert Wickman III, 58, on Sept. 21, 2021, in Anchorage, from complications of COVID-19," his family wrote. "A resident of Ketchikan, he was devoted to his wife Roseanne, and his son, Robbie, and was a steadfast supporter for all his extended family. He took pride in being a leader in both Yellow Taxi Co. and his beloved Boy Scout Troop." Bob was known for many things, including a boisterous laugh, dedicated work ethic, and always putting...
Long-time Wrangell resident Lester Allan Schultz, 60, died Oct. 23 at the Wrangell Medical Center. A memorial service and celebration of life is planned for 1 p.m. Nov. 14 at the Elks. The event is a community potluck. His family will spread his ashes at the family cabin at Olive Cove. Schultz was born July 27, 1961, in Petersburg, but grew up and lived in Wrangell. "His whole life was here," daughter Shayna Schultz said. He fished commercially with friends in his 20s, and enjoyed hunting with...
Leonard Charles Angerman was born at home June 12, 1935, and died Sept. 22, 2021, at Wrangell Medical Center. "His 86 years were full of bumps and obstacles, which he met with courage, hope and a positive attitude," the family wrote. One of the toughest was the death of his 51-year-old father. His mother had $500, four children, and a cab business to run. His parents, Fritz and Helen, had emigrated from Austria and were hard workers who successfully instilled that into their children Fred,...
Former Wrangell resident Pacita "Cita" Laws, 76, passed away peacefully at home on Aug. 29, in Hemet, California, surrounded by her family. She was a beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and auntie. Cita was born in 1945 to Theodore and Edna Cabot and raised in Wrangell. She graduated high school in 1964. Although she moved away in her early 20s, Wrangell remained close to her heart. She often returned to visit family and friends. On her visits, she would often go out fishing,...
Survivors include daughters Becky (Gary) Koenig, Loretta Crockett, Donna McKay, Wilma Stokes-Leslie, Heidi (Mark) Armstrong; 21 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Dick; sons Rick and David; and daughter Harriet Bangs....
Wilma, 92, passed away peacefully on August 28, 2021, surrounded by her family. Wilma was born to David and Rebecca Churchill on June 25, 1928, in Craig, Alaska, Prince of Whales Island. She was the eldest of five children. Wilma enjoyed village life during a time when traditions of both tribal and small Alaska towns honored their elders and graciously respected individual rights. Wilma was an advocate for Alaska Native civil rights. She was of the Haida Nation, Raven Moiety, Yak-Laa-Naas Clan...
Lucille Margaret Merrill, age 85, passed away at Providence Hospital in Anchorage on July 21. Lucille was born in Tacoma, Washington, in 1935. It wasn't long before her adventurous family took on a project that would define her life. They built a boat and sailed to Alaska on a summer voyage. One of their stops was Wrangell, and they fell in love and decided to stay and work commercial fishing. While attending school, she would spend her summers with her family fishing. Thinking she was missing o...
Services for William I. Churchill will be held Saturday. Churchill, 88, a lifelong Wrangell resident, died July 8. Graveside services are planned for 2 p.m. Saturday at the old cemetery, with a memorial potluck to follow at 3 p.m. at the American Legion Hall. For the memorial, the family asks that people bring “any items or Native artwork that Bill made for you, to share for a moment.” In lieu of flowers, the family asks people to donate to American Legion Post 6 or a charity of their choice....
Clayton died suddenly in his home of 45+ years in Coffman Cove, Alaska. He was born in Santa Barbara, CA, and shortly after birth moved to Alaska when his mother, Marcella Smalley "Opheim," returned home. While not born in Alaska he was the essence of an Alaskan man, hardy, handy, possessing the inner strength and will to conquer whatever came his way. He was raised in a fishing family, spending summers at the family fish camp on Prince of Wales Island with his siblings and grandparents, Roy and...
Longtime Wrangell resident Chuck Traylor, 86, died July 13 at Wrangell Medical Center. As Chuck would say, he had a good run, his family wrote. He was born in Nebraska in 1934, and his family was in and out of Alaska several times in the 1940s and early 1950s before settling in Alaska permanently. In 1948, the Traylor family was living at the floating logging camp in Hood Bay on Admiralty Island. There, Chuck and his sister, Vona, adopted a starving orphaned fawn, raised it, and released it....
William Irving Churchill, "Uncle Bill," 88, passed away July 8 in Wrangell, where he was born in September 1932. Bill led a full and wonderful life, served in the U.S. Navy, was a member and commander of American Legion Post 6, a Native artist and teacher, tugboat captain, grandfather, great-grandfather, father, brother, uncle and friend to many. While in the Navy, Bill was a combat air crewman and wore his title very proudly. He was decorated with several medals for his actions in the Korean...
"It is with deepest sorrow that we announce the passing of Edward Franklin Teague, beloved father, grandfather and great grandfather who passed away in Bend, Oregon, surrounded by family, on June 6, 2021," his family wrote. "Anyone who ever met Frank knew he was a master storyteller. Frank was never happier than when he was holding court over morning coffee or during happy hour on the back of the boat entertaining everyone with his stories. Like all great storytellers the stories had a little...
William I. “Bill” Churchill Sr. died July 8 at the Wrangell Medical Center. The lifelong Wrangell resident was 88 years old. He had worked as a tugboat captain, and was well known for his carving and Native artwork. A memorial service is planned for Aug. 14 in Wrangell. A full obituary will follow in the July 22 Sentinel....
Theodore Ira Case, better known as Ted Case, has died at the age of 94. He was born Oct. 25, 1926, and died June 18, 2021. He was born in Pe Ell, west of Chehalis, Washington, and after finishing school in Pe Ell he joined the U.S. Navy, serving aboard an aircraft carrier. After World War II, he tried logging, but after nearly cutting off his wrist, he tried fishing. He moved to Point Baker, on the northern end of Prince of Wales Island, around 1950. He was successful at longlining and worked...
Family and friends are invited to a celebration of life of Minnie Evangeline (Larsen) Kalkins at 5 p.m. Saturday at the American Legion Hall. Food donations may be dropped off at 3 p.m. She died Sept. 7, 2020....
Edward “Frank” Teague, 87, of Wrangell, passed away on June 6, 2021, in Bend, Oregon. An obituary will be published at a later date. A memorial is being planned, but not finalized at this time. The retired fisherman lived in Wrangell, moving to the community after years as a truck driver working out of Anchorage....
Stephen Dale Urata, 69, died May 24 in Anchorage. Steve was born on Oct. 8, 1951, in Wrangell. He was the second son born to Jack Ichiro and Ann Haruco Urata. He is survived by his older brother Jack and younger sister Angela. He attended grades K-12 in Wrangell and excelled academically, graduating in 1969 as valedictorian. Steve was a young leader and attended the Alaska Boys State Program. A talented trumpet player, he toured nationwide with the National High School Honor Band. He attended th...
Joanne J. Roberts, a 27-year Wrangell resident, died May 13 at the SouthEast Regional Health Consortium's Mt. Edgecumbe Medical Center. She was 74, and died of pulmonary disease, her family said. "Wrangell was her style," her family said. Roberts moved to Alaska with the U.S. Army in 1976 and later, when she grew tired of big cities, left Fairbanks and moved to Wrangell, where she tended bar, worked aboard commercial fishing boats and hunted. "She lived a colorful life." "She was married five...
Gina Rose Smalley, 52, died at her home in Chehalis, Washington, April 9. The cause was COVID-19, the family reports. Born on Feb. 9, 1969, in Ketchikan, Gina later moved to Wrangell, where she raised her children with Jody Smalley and worked at the hospital. She moved to Sitka in 2003 and continued to work with the elderly until 2020, when she moved to Chehalis and continued to work in home health care. Survivors include her ex-husband, Jody Smalley, their daughter Danika-rae and son-in-law...
Ronald Grant "Papa" Koch, 72, who served as Wrangell Parks and Recreation director 1986-1997, died May 4 at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City. In addition to his time in Wrangell, he worked as director of parks and recreation for cities in South Carolina and Washington state. Ron loved photography, fishing (even though he was a terrible fisherman, his family said), playing golf and was an avid swimmer. He participated in the 1968 Olympic trials in swimming. He loved...