Annie Clara Hess Demming

Longtime Palmer resident Annie Clara Hess Demming, 87, died Aug. 7, 2012, at All About Care Assisted Living Home in Anchorage from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

She was born March 21, 1925, in Brooklyn, N.Y., the only child of Marjorie and Fredrick Hess. She graduated in 1942 along with 21 other students from Montgomery High School at Montgomery, N.Y. She went on to Kingston Hospital School of Nursing in Kingston, N.Y., and graduated as a registered professional nurse in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps on Sept. 4, 1945. She was awarded $5 as the student with the highest final exam mark obtained in class for diseases of the eye.

Annie met Richard Edwin Demming while he was recovering from injuries sustained in a battle in Saint Lo, France, at Rhodes General Hospital, Utica, N.Y. A family story relates that Dick told one of his army buddies soon after he met Annie that he was going to marry her, even though he didn’t know her.

After a long distance love affair while Dick went to New York State Ranger School in Wanakena, N.Y., Annie and Dick were engaged Nov. 9, 1945, and married on Dec. 24, 1946, at the Little Church Around the Corner in New York City. In spring 1947, they packed up their 1936 Ford and drove to Alaska behind the Army on the newly created Alaska Highway. Annie celebrated her 21st birthday somewhere in Canada.

They settled in Palmer, where Dick had a job with the National Forest Service. Dick became a surveyor and was hired by Mr. Bailey to survey Bailey’s Hill, a mile north of Palmer. As he didn’t have enough money to pay Dick, he gave him 2.5 acres of prime view property where Annie and Dick built their family home. Annie started as a part-time nurse at Palmer Valley Hospital on Feb. 13, 1960, and soon thereafter became head of its Medical Records Department.

Studying through correspondence classes, she was awarded her certification as an accredited record librarian on Aug. 12, 1965. She was head of this department until her retirement Oct. 2, 1987. She was a founder of the Alaska Medical Record Association in 1969 and served as secretary and president of the board. Annie was a lifetime member of the American Legion Auxiliary, member of the board of directors for Valley Hospital and for a short time a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. She was proud to earn her Associate of Arts degree in English on May 8, 1981. On Oct. 27, 1987, she was awarded a Distinguished Service Award from the city of Palmer and has a scholarship named after her from the Mat-Su Health Foundation for students pursuing a health-related career.

Annie’s free time was mainly dedicated to the Episcopal Church in Palmer. Annie was among a group of dedicated people who started the Episcopal Church in Palmer, as she and Dick grew tired of driving the dirt road to Anchorage for religious milestones in their family. She served in many capacities for St. Bartholomew’s Church in Palmer, including organist, and for the Episcopal Diocese of Alaska. Annie was honored in 1996 by the Episcopal Church of Alaska with membership into the Society of St. Simeon and St. Anna, which honors the elders of the Alaska Diocese who by their life and ministry serve as an example for all.

Annie loved to fish, especially for halibut. For many years, she and Dick drove to Homer to fish from their boat known as the “Freddie,” in honor of her father. For many decades she had two huge vegetable gardens and was especially proud the first year her corn plants produced enough ears for several dinners. She had many flower gardens and enjoyed any kind of flowers, especially roses. Annie was a great homemaker by producing jams, jellies and canned goods from her garden, processing of wild game, raising chickens and egg sales, as well as through her skills in sewing, knitting and crocheting and providing her family with clothes.

Preceding her in death were her parents; infant son, John Richard; son, John Frederick; and husband of 52 years, Richard.

Surviving are her children, Bill (Cheryl) of Anchorage, Charlie (Kimberly) of Mukilteo, Wash., and Valerie (Gernot) of Anchorage; grandchildren, Anya (Nicholas) of Liberty Lake, Wash., Nicholas (Kelly) of Anchorage, Aubrey (Troy) of Fairbanks, Christina of Palmer and Gregory of Wasilla; and great-grandchildren, Logan and Gage of Liberty Lake, Wash., Austin, Emma and Roland of Anchorage and Austin, Kyle and Katlyn of Palmer.

The family wishes to thank the staff at All About Care Assisted Living Home for their caring service, especially Mercy; Denise at Aurora Specialized Services as mom’s care coordinator; the staff at Dr. Lucht’s medical office, particularly Terri; the staff of the Blue Team at Providence Family Medical Center, specifically Pat; and staff at Providence Hospice, especially Stellina and Fran.

Services are at 2 p.m., Aug. 18 at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, 323 N. Alaska St., Palmer, with refreshments in the parish hall following the service.

Annie requested that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Annie C. Demming Memorial, which will be used for the purchase of life-saving equipment at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. Send donations to 2800 Gillam Circle, Anchorage, AK 99517.

Arrangements were by the Cremation Society of Alaska.