Darlene ‘Granny’ Tanner

Darlene “Granny” Tanner, 81, was born Sept. 22, 1931, in Wichita, Kansas. She peacefully entered into Heaven with family at her side on March 3, 2013, at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Wasilla due to complications from a fall that broke her femur nine days earlier.

In 1947, Granny met and married the love of her life, Al Tanner, who died in 1995. Together they had four children.

Granny’s pioneer spirit brought her to Alaska in the summer of 1959, when her husband asked her to move here. She didn’t hesitate to leave Missouri with their four small children, driving her 1955 Chevy to Alaska to join her husband, who had previously come up and found work.

She and the children packed what personal belongings they could, each into their own cardboard box, leaving everything else behind but a few blankets and pillows. They left Missouri for an adventure of a lifetime to Alaska. In those days, it was almost unheard of for a woman to drive up the Alcan, let alone with four small children. It took many days for them to reach their final destination, Chugiak.

During her 53 years in Alaska, she lived in Anchorage, Chugiak, Wasilla and Palmer. Most recently, she lived at the Alaska Veterans and Pioneers Home in Palmer, where she had resided the past 11 years.

Darlene was known as “Granny” to all who knew and loved her. During her life in Alaska, she owned and operated the Dairy Delight in Peters Creek in the 1960s. She cooked for the Jesse Lee Home, the Chicken Burger in Anchorage and operated the Little Kobuk Drive Inn at Big Lake. She worked at Tanner ’n Sons Lighting Store in Wasilla in the early ’80s for several years, and helped her son run Yukon Don’s B&B in Wasilla during the late ’80s into the early ’90s.

Granny loved the Lord with all her heart and is dancing in Heaven now with her daughter-in-law, Coleen Tanner; great-grandson, Luke Delia; grandson, Chris Stringer; grandson, Douglas Michael Tanner; and her husband, Al Tanner. She is planting her favorite flower — sunflowers — everywhere. She had a green thumb when it came to flower gardening.

A legacy she passed on to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren was to always love one another unconditionally.

Granny had a passion for cooking. She loved to listen to music, especially Gospel music, and she looked forward to the Alaska State Fair each year as she enjoyed looking at all the exhibits. In the last 11 years, she enjoyed Friday afternoons for the ice cream socials at the Pioneers Home. This, the family said, they will miss terribly, as it had become a weekly family tradition for them.

Granny’s patience, kindness, wisdom and nurturing love impacted everyone she met. She had a heart of gold. Granny truly was a blessing to everyone she met in her lifetime. She will be terribly missed by her family, but we are comforted in knowing she is in a better place, free of pain and that we shall see her again someday.

Granny’s youngest great-granddaughter was born the night before she died in the same hospital. Mom and baby Rylee Grace were literally rushed upstairs to be with Granny about 30 minutes after Rylee’s birth, breaking many hospital rules, but bringing immense joy to her granddaughter Ardena and to the rest of Granny’s family that were present in her hospital room.

Rylee was laid on Granny’s shoulder crying and, as always was the case with babies and children over the years, she quit crying once she felt the presence of her great-grandma. Granny hung in there for the birth of her 22nd great-granddaughter, as five minutes after Rylee entered this world, Granny started on her way out.

Granny is lovingly survived by her only daughter, Diane, and son-in-law Art Mongeau of Palmer; son, Yukon Don and daughter-in-law Beverly Tanner of Wasilla/Talkeetna; son, Doug Tanner of Big Lake; and son, Darrell Tanner of Washington.

Granny is also survived by her 14 grandchildren: Ali and husband Jason Kollander; Ari and husband Brad Aho; Ardena and husband Rich Owens; Arlon and wife Brooke Mongeau; Aaron Tanner; Jesse and wife Jennifer Tanner; Kristi and husband David Mock; Zach Tanner; Teagen Tanner; Boone Tanner; Misty and husband Glenn Vanderwheele; Mindy and husband Jeff Parker; and Joni VonSeggren and Dawn Michelle Matson. She’s also survived by 22 great-grandchildren: Alison, Austin, Alec, Kambree, Sayr, Jordyn, Drake, Rylee, Mazzie, Mylz, Meadow (who is arriving in June), Taylee, Lil’ Doug, Jenna, Grayce, Jackson, Quinn, Taya, Koby, Chloee, Jayke and Jasmyne; and one great-great-grandson, Alexandyr.

The family held a joyous “Celebration of Life” on her 80th birthday at the Palmer Pioneer Home with her family and friends present. There are no funeral services planned.

Any cards and/or condolences may be sent to the family, c/o Diane Mongeau, 681 Williwaw Way, Palmer, AK 99645.

Cremation arrangements were provided by Kehl’s Funeral Home in Palmer.