Chuck Helland leaves 38 years of Wrangell family and friends

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 life," enjoyed fishing, family and friends. They had purchased a 20-foot boat and went sportfishing as much as they could.

"They really were into family," and Helland was always willing to help family with work and repair projects at their homes.

Helland was preceded in death by Julie Wigg.

Survivors include three stepchildren Alora Wigg and her son, Troy Winchester; Romona Wigg and her partner Penny Johnson; and Fred Wigg and his son Taylor Wigg and his partner Ashley Nicole, with grandchildren Darren Wigg and Alania Fell; and also grandchild Delila with Bulmaro Ramirez and their son (great-grandchild) Kai Wigg; grandchild Tori and Dante, and their children Aliyah and Kyrie (great-grandchildren); and grandchild Christina and Yuancie-Lee and their children Elias and Azalea (great-grandchildren).

The family has set up an account at First Bank to help with funeral expenses, or friends can send donations to the Ketchikan Mortuary, in care of funeral director David Halko, PO Box 8181, Ketchikan, AK 99901.

Services will be planned for a later date.