DAVID FIELDING

NEEL SR.

Longtime Wasilla resident David Fielding Neel Sr., 52, died Feb. 4, 2002, from injuries in a single-engine plane crash outside of Bethel.

A funeral service will be held in his home town of Paducah, Ky., at 2 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 10, at St. Thomas Moore Catholic Church. A wake will be held at 4 p.m. Feb. 16, at the home of Mike and Lisa Stewart on Grummon Road, first driveway on the left, in Wasilla. Call 373-4134 for directions.

Mr. Neel was born April 14, 1949, in Birmingham, Ala., to William H. and Anna Rose Neel. He spent his youth in Paducah. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and was transferred to Fort Richardson.

He drove the Alcan Highway to Alaska with his wife Nancy and son David Jr. in 1978. He worked as food inspector for the Army at Ft. Richardson and began a passion for flying while taking lessons at the Flight Club in Anchorage. During this time his second son, Bradley, was born.

In 1980, Dave left the military to stay in Alaska. He and Nancy established Arctic Wilderness Lodge, a remote hunting camp located at Happy Valley, where Dave was well-known throughout the state for his guiding and air charter services. He had accumulated more than 7,800 hours of bush flying time.

His family wrote, "Dave's generosity, humor and kindness will be missed by all. He loved his family and friends, he loved his life in Alaska and his spirit will soar forever."

He is survived by his wife, Nancy; two sons, David Jr. and Bradley, of Wasilla; parents William and Anna Neel of Paducah, Ky.; sisters and brothers-in-law, Susan and Joe Woods of St. Louis, Mo., Rita and Mike Shayeghi of Charlotte, N.C., Rosemary and Jim Langston and Marian and David Housholder, all of Kentucky; and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to a favorite charitable organization.

Arrangements were made by Kehl's Palmer Mortuary.