Lawrence Bahovec (right) and his niece Lisa Messmer (left) at a celebration marking his achievement of reaching "centenarian" status last May. Bahovec received a personalized commendation from Governor Bill Walker for being one of the few people in Alaska to reach a century in age.
Lawrence Bahovec was a longtime resident of Wrangell, one of the oldest on the island. He was born on Jan. 4, 1917 in the city of Chicago, Illinois, but his family moved to Wrangell early in his life. He passed away on Dec. 6, 2018, at the age of 101. Relatives of Bahovec, friends, and other city residents came together at the Nolan Center last Friday for a memorial service, on what would have been his 102nd birthday.
Bahovec was born to a Yugoslavian baron and a Tlingit princess from the Sumdum tribe, according to the eulogy given at his memorial service. He and his younger sisters were split apart when they were sent to the Haines orphanage, when their father grew unhappy with the conditions they were living in.
Eventually, by the time he was in eighth grade, he found his way to Wrangell. Bahovec began his career as a fisherman after graduating from Wrangell High School and attending the University of Washington for three years. He met his first wife, Adella Leminex, in 1937. In 1960 Bahovec added to his busy life by purchasing the Brig Bar (now Rayme's Bar), which he operated until 2009. His first wife passed away in 1972, and Bahovec remained a "wild bachelor" until he met his second wife, Sylvia Vandervest in 1979. Between fishing and running the Brig Bar, Bahovec and his family also found time to travel the world. He visited places like Hawaii, England, Yugoslavia, New Zealand, Fiji, Virginia, and Maui. He was able to reconnect with his sisters on some of these trips.
"I think the most amazing thing that really moves me, with him, is the fact of talking to him about the longevity of life, the importance of life at his age and what he could teach me at a younger age so that I don't have to wait until I'm 100," said Chelsea Berg, granddaughter to Bahovec.
There were several life lessons that Berg said she learned from her grandfather. Forgiveness was a major one, she said. Learning to forgive and forget has been a struggle for her, she said, but she learned a lot about forgiveness from Bahovec. Another lesson he taught was about the "spirituality" of living things, that all people and animals have a soul and a purpose. There were some more practical lessons for enjoying a healthy life, as well. Berg said that she learned the importance of keeping one's mind busy and to exercise regularly from her grandfather.
Other people at the memorial service also took the opportunity to share memories of Bahovec. Joe Huke and George Joseph both worked for him when he ran the Brig Bar, and both agreed that he was a terrific boss and a good friend. Richard Oliver, who is from the same Tlingit clan as Bahovec, also shared some memories. Oliver first met Bahovec when he was 11-years-old, when he was sent to the Brig Bar with a note and some money to buy his mother some Pall Malls. Another fond memory of Bahovec came from Dave Joseph.
"He would always want me to take him for car rides, him and his two dogs Lavender Blue and Sir James" he said. "But he would always refer to them as 'the men,' even though Lavender Blue was a girl ... Of course I was always busy doing something, but I couldn't say no."
Besides sharing memories, the memorial service also contained prayer, music, and food. At the conclusion of the service, people were invited to stick around and enjoy dessert while watching old movies.
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