Joseph James Younack III, 61, died Feb. 5, 2008 at home is Sutton due to natural causes.

A memorial service will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11 at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Palmer. The Rev. Dean Mandrell will officiate.

Younack was born May 5, 1946 in Plainfield, N.J., and attended East Brunswick Vocational Tech in New Jersey before serving in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1964 to 1969. He lived in Sitka from 1967 to 1969 and has lived in Sutton since 1992. His employment included Rickel Home Center from 1970 to 1991, Sourdough Sporting Goods and Shemya Air Force Base. He was a member of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church and was a veterans’ van driver, a member of the Board of Fire Commissioners in Sutton and was involved with the Wasilla Christmas Dinner.

His special interests were making sure that veterans knew about their benefits, Meier Lake Conference Center in Wasilla, fishing and hunting.

“When Joe committed to a project, he did it with all his energy,” his family wrote.

Younack is survived by his wife, Patricia, of Sutton; sons Joseph E. and Paul Jay Younack of Alaska; daughter Sharon and granddaughter Veronica of Alaska; mother Wanda Recheck Younack, sister Patricia, nephews John and Steven Tokarzewski and niece Lisa Boehm, all of New Jersey; adopted mom Irene Paul of Sitka; adopted siblings Pat, Frank, George, Larry, Alfred, Patty and Roberta; adopted daughters Laura Eaton, Lisa Boyles, Sonia Montgomery and their children, all of Alaska.

He is preceded in death by his father Joseph Younack Jr. and adopted father Patrick Paul.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to a veterans service of your choice or to the Meier Lake Center, HC 33, Box 3181, Wasilla 99654.

Valley Funeral Homes and Crematory of Palmer and Wasilla assisted the family.