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John T. Wolfe
Nikiski resident John T. Wolfe Sr. died Monday, June 17, 2002, at Central Peninsula General Hospital. He was 82.
A celebration of his life will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the home of John and Melanie Wolfe, 47430 Holt Lamplight Road in Nikiski. For more information, call 776-7507.
Mr. Wolfe was born Feb. 29, 1920, in Rison, Ark. He moved to Alaska in 1984. Before moving to Alaska, Mr. Wolfe was a mechanic, working for Boeing in Renton, Wash. He also worked as a property manager in Washington and in Anchorage before retiring in 1995.
"Papa loved his family and his little dog, Emmitt. He spent time watching ball games with the grandkids. Papa enjoyed life. We never knew when he was ready for a road trip. He was a full-time grandpa, " his family said.
He is survived by three daughters, Bonita Quale and her husband, Carl, Glenna Moore and her husband, Billy, of Nikiski and Darlene Nealy of Oroville, Wash.; three sons, Lonnie Osborne and his wife, Sharon, Jack Osborne and his wife, Shirley, of Portland, Ore., and John Wolfe Jr. and his wife, Melanie, of Nikiski; two sisters, Eloise Burgess and her husband, Ted, of Wenatchee, Wash., Tiny Husbands and her husband, Cal, of Portland; two brothers; Jimmy Wolfe and his wife, Dorothy, of Wenatchee, and Chuck Wolfe and his wife, Sue, of Bellingham, Wash.; many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.
Ed Borden
On a cold winter night two years ago, Ed Borden revved up his snowmachine to launch it off a snow berm onto the bed of his shiny new pickup truck. He overshot the mark and shattered the cab's back window.
He sighed.
"Well, that went better than I expected, " he drawled.
It was hardly the first time something went wrong in Borden's half century of life, one driven by dreams of mushing and littered with misadventures from Birmingham, Ala., to Kasilof.
Borden ran the 1984 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, finishing second to last, and ran countless smaller races and sled dog journeys after that, including the Serum Run from Nenana to Nome. In the summers, he piloted a state Department of Fish and Game boat on the Kenai River, surveying anglers and writing tickets. He labored for hours all winter building dog sleds for other mushers.
And he told stories, some of which were true, mostly.
Borden, 52, died peacefully at his home Saturday after a short battle with cancer.
He was one of the more colorful characters in the woodsy network of neighborhoods surrounding the Kasilof River. Friends describe him as testy, opinionated, stubborn and ornery, but also loyal, friendly, generous, a good cook, blessed with comic timing -- and kind.
"I don't think a lot of people knew that because of Ed's gruff exterior. He sure did have a big heart, and he kept that hidden sometimes, " said Gary Titus, a friend who once worked with him on the Kenai River.
"I don't think there's anybody around here who has as many friends as he did, " said Bob Toll, a neighbor who ran the 1984 Iditarod with Borden.
Ed Borden was born July 24, 1950, in Birmingham, Ala. As a boy, he would bring home live catfish and bats. The catfish wound up in the bathtub, or his sister's goldfish aquarium. And the bats would surprise whoever opened the closet.
Making a living as a carpet layer and hospital lab technician in his 20s, Borden spent his free time racing cars, and, eventually, "He got to fooling with huskies, " said Donnie Brooks, a childhood friend who married Borden's sister. Borden would dodge traffic around suburban Birmingham streets on a wheeled cart pulled by his dogs.
He couldn't shake the dream. He showed up in Alaska in 1981 with a handful of Siberian huskies, a Malemute and a lap dog named Matahari.
The first Alaskan to see Borden's Jeep rumble off a state ferry in Juneau was Ken Gair. At the time, Gair was a ferry terminal manager and one of Juneau's few dog mushers. He would become one of Borden's longtime friends.
"I really don't know exactly what he had on his mind, " Gair said. "I think he was running away, but he was also running to."
It wasn't long before the two mushing green-horns embarked on a dog sled journey from Skagway to Atlin via Carcross, then back. It was a round trip of roughly 300 miles.
"When we got back to Skagway all we could talk about was running the Iditarod, " Gair said. "And a lot of those dogs Ed had on that trip he ended up taking to Nome. It anchored us in dog mushing, both of us."
Borden won first place in the KSRM Kenai Peninsula Champion-ship sprint sled dog race in 1987.
On the Kenai River, Borden liked to think of himself as enforcer, and he did write his share of tickets, co-workers say. But mostly, he helped boaters who were in a bind.
A lifetime of health problems, from bad knees to the onset of muscular dystrophy in the late 1980s, limited Borden's sled dog career. But he always maintained a small kennel. He put his passion for huskies into building sleds, and was race marshal for the Kasilof-based Tustumena 200 sled dog race.
Last year, before he knew about the cancer, he embarked on what would be his final sled dog journey, the 2002 Serum Run from Nenana to Nome.
"Running the Serum Run was a hell of a victory for him, " said Dean Osmar, the 1984 Iditarod champion, Borden's neighbor and long-time friend.
Borden is survived by his girlfriend, Jane Faulkner; son and daughter, Zachary and Annie Borden, both of West Palm Beach, Fla.; sister Patricia Brooks and brother-in-law Donnie Brooks of Gallant, Ala.; sister, Margaret Adams of Birmingham, Ala.; and ex-wife, Loretta Borden of West Palm Beach, Fla.
He also leaves 16 sled dogs and a pet beagle, Peewee.
He also viewed the people of Kasilof as his family. "I cannot believe the support he has gotten from this community, " Faulkner said.
A memorial service is planned for 4 p.m. Dec. 14 at the Tustumena Lodge.
His ashes will be scattered by dog mushers at Ptarmigan Head, a knob above tree line in the Caribou Hills with vistas of the Kenai Mountains, Kachemak Bay and Cook Inlet.
Memorial donations can be sent to the Tustumena 200 Sled Dog Race, P.O. Box 220, Kasilof, AK 99610.
Florence M. Lindman
Former Alaskan Florence M. Lindman died Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2002, at Bethany Covenant Home in Minneapolis.
Funeral services were held Nov. 16 in Pillager, Minn.
Mrs. Lindman was born Feb. 1, 1918, in Duluth, Minn., to Peter and Maria Lindstrom. She graduated from Denfeld High School in Duluth and received an associate's degree from Bethel College in Minnesota. She also graduated from Bethel Seminary with a bachelor's degree in theology.
She married Pastor Carl Lindman and together they served churches in Pillager, Anchorage and, most recently, in Soldotna at the Soldotna Bible Chapel.
She had many talents and interests. She wrote crossword puzzles, painted and was an avid reader. As a writer, she won awards in journalism and wrote articles for Christian publications. She taught Sunday school classes and led Bible studies for many decades. Together with her husband, she traveled to Brazil to assist missionaries there.
"She was always a godly woman and a wonderful mother. She was kind, loving and always interested in everything her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were doing. She was completely unselfish and giving. She always put the needs of her husband, her family and the ministry first, " her family said.
She was preceded in death by her parents, three sisters and two brothers.
She is survived by her husband Carl Lindman; sons and daughters-in-law, Robert and Marilyn Lindman of Lino Lakes, Minn., and Gary and Marsha Lindman of Soldotna; daughter, Barbara Lindman of Shoreview, Minn.; daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Dan Carlson of Mounds View, Minn.; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and her 102 year-old-sister, Anne Stone of Pasadena, Calif.
Condolences can be sent to Carl Lindman, Bethany Covenant Home, 2301 Hayes St. N.E. Minneapolis, MN 55418.
Ricky G. Lester
Soldotna resident Ricky G. Lester died Monday, Nov. 25, 2002, in Soldotna. He was 51.
Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Peninsula Memorial Chapel. Pastor Chuck Thornton will officiate.
Mr. Lester was born Jan. 22, 1951, in Wisconsin. He graduated from high school and had one year of technical school. He also served in the U.S. Air Force as a welder.
He moved to Alaska in 1999, residing in Soldotna. He was self-employed. He made log furniture and owned the Twisted Root.
Mr. Lester enjoyed mushing. He had a unique quality of losing his team on the trail.
"Rick had a very special talent for creating artistic pieces from twigs and logs. Many peninsula homes and businesses enjoy his unique wood creations. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him, not only his family, but also his many friends, " his wife said.
"Dad loved other kids just as much as he loved us, " his daughter Shantelle said.
"When it came to working with his hands, he was an educated man, " his son Jacob said.
Mr. Lester is survived by his wife, Donna; sons, Ryan and Jacob Lester; and daughters, Trina and Shantelle Lester.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to a trust fund for his children, Jacob and Shantelle, at Wells Fargo Bank, 44552 Sterling Highway, Soldotna, AK 99669 to account No. 8200315326.
Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.
Arthur Hutchison
Soldotna resident Arthur Hutchison died Monday, Nov. 25, 2002, at Central Peninsula General Hospital in Soldotna. He was 84.
Memorial services were held Friday at the V.F.W. Post No. 10046 Hall in Soldotna.
Mr. Hutchison was born March 16, 1918, in Blackfoot, Idaho. He graduated from high school and enlisted in the U.S. Army on April 26, 1942. He served during World War II and was honorably discharged Oct. 17, 1945. While in the military, he was a corporal for the 2496 Quartermaster Truck Co.
Mr. Hutchison worked as a mechanic in San Bernardino County, in Lancaster, Calif. He also had worked as a dairy farmer in Jerome, Idaho. He retired in 1979.
He moved to Alaska in June 1979 and resided in Soldotna. He was a member of the V.F.W. Post No. 10046 and the AMVETS. He enjoyed hunting and fishing.
"He was an honest, hardworking and loving husband and father. He was proud of his short but honorable tour of duty in the Army, serving in Morocco, Italy and North Africa, " his family said.
Mr. Hutchison is survived by his wife, Virginia Hutchison of Soldotna; sons, Richard Jones of Porterville, Calif., and Robert Hutchison of Chatteroy, Wash.; daughters, Weslene Jacobson of Kelso, Wash., and Donna Burgman of Porterville; grandchildren, Karla Gilliam of Boulder, Colo., Tawni Jacobson of Kelso, Jennifer Reopelle of Chatteroy, Shawn Gililland of Porterville and Tamara Gililland of Boulder; and numerous great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the charity of the donor's choice.
Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.
Marvel Ardel Jeffries
Soldotna resident Marvel Ardel Jeffries died Monday, Dec. 2, 2002, at her home surrounded by family. She was 57.
A viewing will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday at Peninsula Memorial Chapel. At her request, cremation will follow the viewing.
Mrs. Jeffries was born Nov. 28, 1945, in Eugene, Ore. She lived in Clamath Falls, Ore., before moving to Soldotna in 1994. She was a working homemaker.
Mrs. Jeffries enjoyed family, the outdoors and hot rods.
"She extended friendship to everyone she met. She was a loving wife, mother and friend. We will miss her deeply, " her family said.
Mrs. Jeffries is survived by her husband of 30 years, Walter; son and daughter-in-law, Russell and Tricey; son, Michel Yeaple; daughters and sons-in-law, Lisa and Scott Blischke and Cindy and Vince Anderson; 14 grandchildren; a sister; three brothers; and mother and father, Betty and Ray Winters of Washington.
Memorial donations may be sent to the family at P.O. Box 2337, Soldotna, AK 99669.
Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.
