ANGELITA MARIA GAST

Angelita (Angie) Maria Gast, 53, died Aug. 28, 2005, at the Elmendorf Air Force Base hospital. Services will be held today, Friday, Sept. 2, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 1201 Bogard Road, Wasilla. Visitation will be from 10-11 a.m., with a service at 11 a.m. and a reception to follow at the church. Officiating will be Father Kasper.

Mrs. Gast was born in Santa Maria, Calif., to Frances Salazar and Refugio Resendez. She became an Alaska resident in March 1989, living in Wasilla. She worked from June-November 1989 as an office manager for the Department of Environmental Conser-vation on the Exxon Valdez oil spill and then from April 1990-present as an evidence custodian with the Alaska State Troopers.

Mrs. Gast was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, associate member of Vietnam Veterans of America and the Alaska Peace Officers Association. She enjoyed fishing, snowmachining, four-wheeling, hunting, knitting, crocheting, photography, gardening and taking care of her family.

Her family wrote, "She was like a breath of fresh air when she entered a room. All who knew her loved and respected her. We will miss her dearly."

She is survived by her husband, Noel Gast; sons and daughters-in-law, Artie and Sherri Limon of Bakersfield, Calif., and Ernie and Anna Garcia of Santa Maria, Calif.; sons, Christin Russnak of Santa Maria, Calif., and David Russnak of Wasilla; stepson and wife, Robert and Sherri Gast of Santa Maria, Calif.; mother, Frances Quezada of Nipomo, Calif.; sister and husband, Mary E. and James Truax of Watson, La.; brother and wife, Gabriel and Marie Resendez of Santa Maria, Calif.; brothers, Jesse Resendez of Santa Maria, Calif., Gilbert Resendez of Oxnard, Calif., and Jose Resendez of Santa Maria, Calif.; brother and wife, Frank and Tracy Renteria of Sterling Heights, Mich.; brother, Joe Renteria of Santa Maria, Calif., and six grandchildren, Nicole, Kristen, Patrick, Cheyenna, Joseph Wilson, all of Wasilla.

The family requests that any memorial donations be sent to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 1201 Bogard Road, Wasilla, AK 99654. Arrangements are with Kehl's Palmer Mortuary.