BARBARA POETZSCH

Wasilla resident Barbara Poetzsch died peacefully at home on Feb. 20, 2005, after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. She was surrounded by family and friends.

A celebration of her life will be held from 3-5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 26, at her home. Her ashes will be scattered in places that were special to her.

Mrs. Poetzsch was born June 1, 1929 in Decatur, Ill., to Augustus and Edna Miller. She earned a master's degree in education at Southern Illinois University and taught for many years at schools throughout the Midwest before moving to Arizona in 1971.

In 1973, Mrs. Poetzsch moved to Alaska in search of adventure and in the early years, taught at Central Lutheran Preschool and Bayshore Elementary in Anchorage. She later transferred to Ptarmigan Elementary School in Anchorage, where she taught kindergarten until her retirement in 1987.

In 1978, she married Carl Eric Poetzsch and, together, developed the Richmond Hills subdivision in Wasilla, where they built their home along Cottonwood Creek.

Her family wrote, "Barbara was an amazingly creative person and devoted extraordinary amounts of time and energy to teaching. Her classroom was a magical and colorful place that had a whole area set up as a comfortable book nook. She was recognized for her gifted teaching by her administrators, the school district and parents. Her greatest pride, however, was knowing that she helped hundreds of children learn how to read and more importantly, to love to read. She was always tickled that so many of her students were able to properly spell her unusual last name long before their parents.

"She delighted in her grandchildren and generously provided for their education. It was a joy for her to be able to read to them in their younger years and she was extremely proud of their achievements.

"Mrs. Poetzsch loved Wasilla and gave of her time and money to help develop more parks and playgrounds in the area. She also donated countless books and teaching materials to many schools."

Mrs. Poetzsch was preceded in death by her husband, Eric, in 2002. She is survived by her daughter, Laura Bliss Spaan; son-in-law, Michael, and grandchildren, Kayla and Tyler, all of Anchorage, and her son, Drake Bliss, of Cape Coral, Fla.

Arrangements were made by Valley Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donating a book to a local library.