Jack Root fell ill and passed March 18, 2008.

He is survived by Colleen, his wife of 48 years, and their three children, Robert of Spokane, Wash., and Nickole and John of Wasilla.

Root was born in Hazelton, N.D., in 1930 and grew up in Montana. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy when he was just 15 to help fight in World War II. After the service, he was a peace officer and game warden for the state of Montana, where he met Colleen. They married in 1960. The couple lived and raised their children to enjoy the outdoors. Moving to Alaska in their golden years, Root was able to enjoy the last few years of life in Alaska’s great outdoors. He was a husband, father, grandfather, outdoorsman, steel artist and friend, and will be missed by all, his family said.