Arnold Andrews

Arnold Lee Andrews, 86, known as “Bud” to friends and family, died at his Palmer home on Dec. 11, 2007, following a lengthy illness with cancer.

Andrews was born in East Corinth, Maine, on Aug. 29, 1921.

He served in the U.S. Army’s 18th Combat Engineers from 1939 to 1945. His unit deployed to Yukon Territory and did the initial construction of the longest stretch of the Alaska Highway. Later, he was assigned to the Aleutian Islands for 18 months. On May 26, 1945, Andrews married Irene Robertson in Washington, D.C. They started a family in Maine, later moving to New York state.

Andrews’ time in the Yukon during World War II sparked an interest in the north, and the family drove cross-country to Alaska in 1961. He lived in Anchorage until five years ago when he and his wife moved to Mountain Rose Estates in Palmer.

Andrews grew up with a deep love of the outdoors. He enjoyed camping, canoeing, fishing, hunting and archery throughout his life, and shared that passion with his family and many friends. He retired from the state Oil and Gas Conservation Commission in 1986. He was a member of First Assembly of God Church and Calvary Church in Anchorage.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Dec. 18 at First Assembly of God, 15th and C Streets, in Anchorage. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Irene Robertson; son Terry (Dava) Andrews; daughters Wenda (Gordon) Gust and Alma (Kerwin) Krause; eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.