ARDEE RUSSELL HOLMAN

Longtime Alaskan Ardee "Cowboy" Russell Holman, 71, died July 23, 2005, in Portland, Ore., from injuries he received in a fire near Cantwell.

There will be a remembrance and sharing for him in September at the Arctic Circle Club of North America in Wasilla.

Mr. Holman was born April 4, 1934, in Marmarth, N.D., to Ray and Irene Holman. His parents moved the family into the town of Marmarth in 1943 so the kids could attend public school. He graduated from Marmarth High School with the class of 1952.

Mr. Holman worked with Consolidated Freight Way during high school and then enlisted with the Navy after graduation and served his country until his discharge in 1956.

He took his Uncle Howard's advice and went to a heavy-equipment school in Weiser, Idaho. After finishing the school, he took his first job in the "cowboy" state of Wyoming. This allowed him to work in both Wyoming and Montana, but it wasn't long until he was drawn to Alaska.

He arrived in Alaska in 1963 with Wyoming plates on his truck, so he became known as "Cowboy" to his many friends.

Mr. Holman worked as a heavy-equipment mechanic throughout Alaska, however, due to health problems he changed professions and started a well-drilling business.

He moved to Wasilla in 1974 and started CB Drilling. He had a part in drilling many of the water wells in the Matanuska Valley during the economic growth of the late '70s and early '80s.

Mr. Holman eventually sold his drilling business and retired from the Operating Engineers in 1993.

He then spent much of his time in his machine shop fabricating almost anything, including his inventions.

His friends wrote, "Cowboy will be remembered for his mechanical genius, his quick wit, unwavering honesty and unconditional generosity. He would give you anything if you needed it and especially loved helping kids. All in all, he tried to act tough and mean. However, he was actually pretty much a softy."

He is survived by his two sisters, Marge Johnson and Margaret DeGrand, both of Baker, Mont.; two nieces, Connie Lohof of Baker, Mont., and Miranda Turley of Caliente, Nev.; nephews, Cody Johnson and Art DeGrand of Baker, Mont.; aunt and uncle, Howard and Violet Lintvedt of McCammon, Idaho, and grandnieces and nephews and great grandnieces and nephews.