BENJAMIN R. BREKKE

Valley resident Benjamin R. Brekke, 20, died at home Wednesday, July 28, 2004. A celebration of his life was held at 7 p.m., Friday, at United Presbyterian Church, 713 South Denali St. in Palmer. Mr. Brekke's friends, family, and co-workers are invited to attend.

Mr. Brekke was born Dec. 23, 1983, in Scottsdale, Ariz., to Gary and Laura (Parchmann) Brekke. In September 1991, Mr. Brekke and his family moved to Palmer.

Mr. Brekke earned his general-equivalency diploma after attending Palmer Middle and Colony High schools. While growing up in Palmer, he was active in the Boy Scouts and the Palmer Little League.

He enjoyed snowboarding, BMX dirt biking, four-wheeling and spending holidays with family in Rio Verde, Ariz. and Cincinnati, Ohio. He was very talented, both artistically and mechanically.

In 1995, he won first place in the Matanuska Electric Association Electrical Safety Poster Contest. At the company's annual meeting he was awarded a $100 savings bond and met George Takei -- Mr. Sulu -- of Star Trek fame, who was the featured speaker.

Mechanically, Mr. Brekke helped his father overhaul the engine in his first truck and enjoyed performing his own maintenance on his other vehicles. He recently purchased a new ATV and enjoyed riding it to work and throughout the area for pleasure.

In March 2002, Mr. Brekke moved to Phoenix to work for Valley Independent Newspapers as a pressman. He was learning to operate an open-web press. He was employed there for 18 months before returning to Alaska. At the time of his death, he was employed at Airframes Inc., a Super Cub airframe and aircraft-parts manufacturer in Big Lake. He was learning to be a metal worker and was keenly interested in learning to weld.

His family said, "Ben was a very loving, caring person who was committed to helping his friends and family. He loved adventure and exploring the outdoors in both the Alaskan wilderness and the Arizona desert."

Mr. Brekke was preceded in death by his grandfathers, James A. Parchmann of Cincinnati and Edward G. Brekke of Rio Verde, Ariz. Survivors include his parents, Gary R. and Laura Brekke; sister, Sonja Brekke; brother, Eric Brekke; grandmothers, Toni Parchmann of Rockford, Ill. and Lilia Brekke of Rio Verde, Ariz.; aunts and uncles, Edward and Lourdes Brekke of San Diego, Calif., Glen J. and Heidi Parchmann of Rocky Hill, Conn., Grant and Dede Brekke of Minnetonka, Minn., Ralph Parchmann of Portland, Ore., Tom Bugbee and Sherrill Brekke of Prescott, Ariz. and Mark Parchmann of Rockton, Ill.; cousins, Lulu, Destiny and Lilia Melissa Brekke of California, Rachel and Grant G. Brekke of Minnesota, Christopher and Brian Parchmann of Connecticut, Lilia Samantha Brekke of Arizona and Michele and Todd Pennington of Seattle.

Memorial contributions may be made in Mr. Brekke's memory to one of the three following organizations: United Protestant Church, 713 South Denali St., Palmer, AK 99645; Friends of the Palmer Public Library, 655 South Valley Way, Palmer, AK 99645 or Life Alaska Donor Services, P.O. Box 231809, Anchorage, AK, 99523.