CARROLL I. GRIFFETH

Homer resident Carroll I. Griffeth, 76, died Nov. 20, 2002, at his son's residence in Palmer.

A celebration of life was held at Kachemak Bay Community Center in Homer, on Sunday, Nov. 24, with Rev. Floyd Seekins officiating. The final resting place of Mr. Griffeth's cremated remains will be at Hickerson Memorial Cemetery in Homer.

Mr. Griffeth was born Oct. 19, 1926, in Ashland, Maine. Being the adventurer he was, in 1957, he set out in a '56 Buick to follow his dream of bringing his family to Alaska. He started out in a tent as their temporary home and later settled in Rabbit Creek. In 1978 adventures led to Seward. He started "Adventure Cruises" acquiring the "Navagander" and "Juliet," which he navigated from Connecticut.

In 1983, he moved to Fritz Creek, Homer and continued to do charters and working for Laidlaw, driving the special education schoolbus, until his final retirement in 1993. Staking land on Golden Pond in Homer, he built a hunting cabin where the family shared some of his best days.

His children wrote, "Our Dad lived a life that most dreamed of. He loved to spend time in the great outdoors and had his favorite adventures hunting with his family from Maine to Alaska. He loved to be with his many family and friends. He was an inventor of things useful or not, but interesting just the same. He was an honest and hardworking man, with a sense of humor that carried us through. He was surely loved by all."

His grandchildren wrote, "Thank you for our Alaskan legacy."

He was preceded in death by his parents Nellie and Basil Griffeth; siblings, George and Ray, Alice Shaw and Pearl Cowett; son Floyd Griffeth; grandson Kevin Gallacher; and great-grandson Jona Griffeth.

Survivors are children, Colby and Paula Griffeth of Palmer, Peggy and Duane Dvorak of Kodiak, Kathy and Rodger Lingenfelter of Pennsylvania, and Victoria Griffeth; grandchildren, Kenneth, Clint & Tanya Griffeth, Robyn Gallacher, Stephanie Conde, Jermey and Amanda Talley, Monte Ferguson Jr., Vicki and Jenny Griffeth, Ryan Hitchcock, Myriah and Megan Griffeth; great-grandchildren, Jessica, Daniel, Allie, Kelsey, Noah, Hayden, Scarlet, Hope and Kaleb; wife, Beverly Griffeth, and her children, Wesley, Kenneth, Fritz Schacht, and Connie Rohl; and siblings, Norma Sherburn and Edna Greenleaf of Maine.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Carrol I. Griffeth Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 212, Kodiak AK 99615.