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Debby Best
Debby Best died Tuesday, May 11, 2004, after a battle with cancer at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital. She was 68.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 12, at College Heights Baptist Church on Kalifornsky Beach Road.
Arrangements were made by Fairbanks Funeral Home and Crematory.
Robert 'Bobby' Lance Bushnell
Kenai resident Robert "Bobby" Lance Bushnell died Saturday, May 29, 2004, at the Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, due to injuries sustained while he was riding his bicycle in Kenai on May 21. He was 10.
Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 5, at the Sterling United Pentecostal Church on Swanson River Road at Entrada in Sterling. Pastor Mitch Glover will officiate.
Bobby was born Oct. 19, 1993, in Fresno, Calif. He and his family moved to Kenai in September 1999. Bobby attended the third grade at Mountain View Elementary School in Kenai. He also attended Sunday school at the Sterling Pentecostal Church in Sterling. He enjoyed skateboarding and riding his bike.
"Bobby was a good boy, a loving son and a caring and compassionate big brother to his two sisters. He always did well in school. Bobby played hard and had a fun and wonderful life. We were very proud of him, " his family said.
Bobby is survived by his parents, Robert Kent and Jenny Rebecca Bushnell of Kenai; sisters, Allison and Brianna Bushnell, both of Kenai; grandmothers, Charlot Wing of Soldotna and Carole Knopf of Nebraska; grandfathers, Mike Ogle of Arkansas and Bill Bushnell Sr. of California; uncles, Bill Bushnell of Kenai, Chris Ogle of Soldotna, Jamie Ogle of Florida and Paul Bushnell of California; aunt, Janet Bushnell of Kenai; great-grandmothers, Thelma Hines of California and Alice Burroughs of Arkansas; great-grandfather, James T. Ogle of California; and cousins, Billy, Wesley and Nicky Bushnell, all of Kenai.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made for the family to account No. 7884730230 in care of Wells Fargo Bank, 11210 Kenai Spur Highway, Kenai, AK 99611.
Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.
George P. Sterbenz
Soldotna resident George P. Sterbenz died Thursday, May 20, 2004, at Elmendorf Hospital surrounded by his family after a lengthy illness. He was 60.
Anchorage Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.
Henri W. 'Hank' Maillard III
Sterling resident Henri W. "Hank" Maillard III died Friday, May 28, 2004, at his home in Sterling after a long-term illness. He was 66.
Memorial services will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, June 3, at Peninsula Memorial Chapel in Kenai. A gathering will be held following the services at Bing Brown's in Sterling.
Mr. Maillard was born Feb. 16, 1938, in Nenana. He lived in the Nenana and Fairbanks areas as a child and young adult. He lived in Washington for a short time before returning to Alaska. He was a horticulturist and a press operator. He moved to the Sterling area in 1974.
Mr. Maillard enjoyed hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities.
"Hank was a good, strong man who taught his children to have strength and dignity. He also taught them to stand tall and fight for what they believe in, " his family said. "He will be missed by all."
"Our dad was the strongest person that we've ever known. He was a true Alaskan and a good man, " his children said.
Mr. Maillard was preceded in death by is son, Henri; sister, Nancy; and great-grandson, Joseph Mason.
He is survived by his soul mate, Tilda McNatt of Sterling; lifelong friend, Wanda L. Schmahl of Sterling; daughters, Heather L. Watts of Palmer and Denise M. Wolk and Kathy McNatt, both of Sterling; son, Dennis M. McKoon of Kenai; brother, Howard Maillard of North Pole; eight grandsons; three granddaughters; two great-granddaughters; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.
Franklin D. 'Frank' Meinhardt
Kenai resident Franklin D. "Frank" Meinhardt died Wednesday, May 26, 2004, at his home in Kenai. He was 70.
A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday, June 3, at Kalifonsky Christian Center, Mile 17 of Kalifornsky Beach Road.
Mr. Meinhardt was born March 6, 1934, in Owen, Wis., the son of August and Mary Meinhardt. He was a graduate of Owen Wisconsin High School in 1952. He and his wife, Judy, were married April 20, 1963, in the Wayzata Community Church in Wayzata, Minn.
Mr. Meinhardt served in the U.S. Navy from 1954-74. He became a chief petty officer in 1968. His service included time spent in Adak; Bremerhaven, Germany; Norfolk, Va.; Kodiak; Keflavic, Iceland; Winterhaven, Maine; Sam Miguel, Philippines; Yokosuka, Japan; Homestead, Fla.; and his final destination, Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, where he retired in 1974.
He served aboard the Comseventhflt communications ship USS Providence (CLG-6) and the U.S. Seventh Fleet flagship USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5). His commendations include such medals as the Combat Action Ribbon for services in Vietnam and the Navy Unit Commendation for exceptionally meritorious service in combat operations against enemy positions in both North and South Vietnam.
Mr. Meinhardt was employed by Montgomery Ward in Anchorage from 1973 to 1979, at which time he moved his family to the Kenai Peninsula to work for Action Marine, which he and Judy eventually purchased in 1987 and ran until last year.
Mr. Meinhardt is survived by his wife, Judith W. Meinhardt of Kenai; daughters, Lisa Meinhardt of Kenai and Sherry Meinhardt of Jacksonville, Fla.; and daughters and sons-in-law, Kim and Larry Williamson and their children Joshua and Jacob, all of Jacksonville, Fla., and Amy and Lee Peterson and their children, Jonathan, David, Jeffrey and Amaris, all of Kenai.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Alaska's Extended Animal Life Sanctuary, Box 7545, Nikiski, AK 99635.
Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.
Dorothy 'Dot' Mae Gaines
Former Kenai Peninsula resident Dorothy "Dot" Mae Gaines died Tuesday, May 18, 2004, of cancer at a rest home in McKinney, Texas.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 1, at Prairie Haven Chapel in Hobbs, N.M. Burial will be at Prairie Haven Cemetery in Hobbs.
Mrs. Gaines was born Jan. 23, 1931, in Shroud, Okla. She moved to Hobbs, where she was employed with Jackson's Drug Store. She married Harry Gaines in 1965. The family moved to Anchorage in 1970.
In 1972, they moved to the Kenai Peninsula. Mrs. Gaines was employed as a department manager at Carrs Quality Center until her retirement. She enjoyed helping her husband every summer with "Harry Gaines Fishing Guide Service" on the Kenai River until his death in 1991.
In 1993, Mrs. Gaines left Alaska to travel back to Hobbs. She took care of her father, N.R. Gilmore, mother, Aileen Redden, and N.R.'s wife, Rose Gilmore, until their deaths.
"Dot was a wonderful wife and mother, a great cook and pie maker and loved to play cards, dice games and do puzzles. She loved her family and friends and took time for them. Dot laughed easily and had a kind way about her. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends, " her family said.
Mrs. Gaines was preceded in death by her husband, Harry Gaines; father, N.R. Gilmore; mother, Aileen Redden; brothers, Travis and Nathan Gilmore; daughter, Beckey Waldrop; granddaughter, Chrissina Waldrop; and stepmother, Rose Gilmore.
She is survived by her son, Jimmy Hamilton and his family of Houston, Texas; son, John Gaines and his wife, Kim; grandson, Sonny Gaines of Anchorage; sister, Shirley and husband, Burleigh Wood, of McKinney; nieces, Marie and Monica Wood of Texas; nephew, Burleigh Wood Jr. and his family of Texas; and grandsons, Sam Waldrop of Anchorage and Pat Waldrop.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to your favorite charity.
Paul Stuart Neff
Nikiski resident Paul Stuart Neff died Monday, May 24, 2004, due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident in Nikiski. He was 38.
A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 5, in the Stout Meeting House at Earlham College in Richmond, Ind.
Mr. Neff was born Sept. 18, 1965, in Atlanta, Ga. He moved to Indiana, where he was raised, and in 1983, he graduated from Richmond High School in Richmond, Ind. Neff furthered his education by attending Earlham College and graduated in 1987 as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Mr. Neff owned and operated rental properties in Richmond, starting in 1989. From 1991 to 1994, he worked during the summers for various canneries in Petersburg and Ketchikan. In 1996, he began working for Peak Oilfield Services in Nikiski before his present employment with Arctic Slope Regional Corp., where he had been employed since 1997. He had worked in Barrow as well as Nikiski.
He enjoyed hang gliding and playing ultimate Frisbee.
"Paul was a person of great promise. He embraced life fully and had friends from all walks of life. His life ended far too soon, " his family wrote.
Mr. Neff is survived by his parents, Samuel and Ruth Neff of Richmond; brothers, Robert Neff of Palo Alto, Calif., and Tony Neff of Georgetown, Ohio; sisters, Kathryn Holdhusen of Whitefish, Mont., Christina Neff of Seattle, Wash., and Cynthia Clements of Noblesville, Ind.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Mr. Neff's memory to the American Friends Service Committee, 1501 Cherry St., Philadelphia, PA 19102-1479.
Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.
Kay Francis Lane
Longtime Ninilchik resident Kay Francis Lane died Sunday, May 16, 2004, at South Peninsula General Hospital in Homer. She was 70.
Graveside services and burial were held Tuesday, May 18, at the American Legion Cemetery in Ninilchik.
Ms. Lane was born Feb. 21, 1934, in Memphis, Tenn. She moved to Ninilchik in 1983.
She was a member of the Ninilchik Full Gospel Church. She enjoyed quilting, fishing and hunting.
"Kay was a loving mother, grandmother, sister and a good friend, " her family said.
Ms. Lane was preceded in death by her sister, Glenna; sister-in-law, Betty Basham; and best friend, Viaola.
She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Randy and Sharon Wheeler of Ninilchik; daughter, Tanyha Henson of California; brother, Manuel Basham of Ninilchik; sisters, Jaque Abrams of Farmville, Va., and Pat Cross of Menifee, Calif.; granddaughters, Sarah and Bettyek Wheeler, both of Ninilchik, and Rebicca and Ianna Hensen, both of California; and grandsons, Allen Jones of Honolulu and William Wheeler and JC Wheeler, both of Ninilchik.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the family at P.O. Box 191, Ninilchik, AK 99639.
Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.
Donald Joseph Clift
Former Alaska resident Donald Joseph Clift died Friday, Aug. 15, 2003, of heart failure at the Merit Care Hospital in Fargo, N.D. He was 69.
Memorial services will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Peninsula Memorial Chapel in Kenai. Chaplain Martin Hall will officiate. A celebration of life gathering will follow the services at the AmVets Post No. 4. Interment will be in the Angelus Memorial Cemetery in Anchorage at a later date.
Mr. Clift was born Dec. 9, 1933, in Staten Island, N.Y. He moved to Alaska with his parents at age 10 and attended and graduated from Anchorage High School in 1951. He entered the U.S. Army in 1955 and received an honorable discharge in 1957 with a good conduct medal. He lived in Fairbanks from 1943 to 1969 and moved to Anchorage in 1969, where he lived until 1980.
While in Anchorage and Fairbanks, Mr. Clift worked for the Civil Service for many years. He moved from North Pole to Soldotna in 1982. He enjoyed traveling across the United States for two years and moved to Bemidji, Minn. He returned to Alaska to spend time with his family in 2002 and resided in Ninilchik.
Mr. Clift owned and operated Gnome Home Ceramics and Crafts in Fairbanks. He was a member of the Elks Lodge, AmVets Post No. 4 and the Kenai Men's Darts Association. He loved to go bowling in Fairbanks, Soldotna and Anchorage. He also loved fishing, camping, cooking and had a special interest in classic cars.
"He had a big heart and was very giving and strong," his family said.
Mr. Clift was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph W. and Edna Mary Clift; sister, Lynn Herrick; daughter, Martha Jane Tegoseak; and nephew, Randy Honeycutt.
He is survived by his former wife, Blanche Reed of Fairbanks; special friend, Gail Lindsey, and family of Bemidji; daughter and son-in-law, Edna and Keith Gerke of Nikiski; son, Robert Clift of Soldotna; daughter, Rose M. Clift of Fairbanks; nieces and nephews-in-law, Lori and Mark Rooker of Soldotna and Ellen and Clarence Sewell of Purcell, Okla.; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to Wells Fargo account No. 0081145713, in care of Edna Gerke, 53885 Alexander Road, Kenai, AK 99611.
Local arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.
