Cassie Irene Framstad

Longtime Alaska resident Cassie Irene Framstad, 83, passed away at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage on June 24, 2014.

Cassie was born Aug. 27, 1930, in Owensboro, Kentucky, to William Higgs and Retta Higgs. She lived her life there until the age of 23, when she met my dad, Wayne Framstad, who was stationed at Fort Campbell. After a three-month courtship they were married. Dad was deployed to Korea and mom stayed in Kentucky, giving birth to her first child, Terri. After his return, they moved to Michigan, where three more children were born, Scott, Randy and Susie. In 1960, the family moved to California for the next nine years, where her last child, Timmy, was born. In July 1969, they made the long trek to Anchorage.

Mom worked at two school districts, Anchorage and Mat-Su, and was known as the “Lunch Lady.” She loved her jobs and the kids she served.

Throughout her life, mom loved bingo, dancing, her cats, the color purple, and laughing. She enjoyed laughing the most. She called it “getting tickled,” and when she “got tickled” her body would shake with laughter until her eyes filled with tears.

Mom was devoted to her family and unconditionally loved her children. Her youngest child, Timmy, died in 2002, leaving her heartbroken. Because of her resilience, she eventually started living again, but the pain never left. Some of the many traits Mom taught us were unconditional love, loyalty, responsibility, perseverance and compassion.

In 1985, mom and dad moved to Big Lake from Anchorage, where they resided until his passing on June 24, 1997. Mom then moved to Wasilla, where she lived until she passed away on the very same date as dad 17 years later.

She is survived by her daughter, Terri Duncan; sons, Scott (Heidi) Framstad and Randy (Nanette) Framstad; daughter, Susie (David) Butcher; granddaughters Tamara Moffitt and Janae Butcher; grandsons Justin Framstad, Jeremiah (Christina) Framstad, Josh (Shrii) Framstad, Scott (Brene) Framstad, Shawn Framstad, Steve (Cassie) Framstad, and Jonathan (Candice) Butcher; great-granddaughters Breanna Simon, Anna Chamberlain, and Jessie, Maralyn, Kassi and Jeanie Moffitt; great-grandsons, Jonathan Butcher and Christian Raines; great-great-granddaughters Emily Brown and Amelie Framstad; great-great-grandsons, Logan Framstad, Sirius Trandler-Framstad and William Framstad.

Cassie was preceded in death by parents William and Retta Evans; brothers William Higgs and John Higgs; husband Wayne Framstad; son Tim Framstad.

Arrangements were cared for by Valley Funeral Home, Wasilla Chapel.