Dec. 10, 2006

Dennis Caasi

Dennis Caasi, 48, died Dec. 3, 2006, at Providence Medical Center in Anchorage. All services will be held in Guam.

He was born Oct. 3, 1958, in Oka Tamuning, Guam. He served in the U.S. Marines and in the Air Guard Reserve. He moved to Alaska in March 2000, living in Kodiak until 2006, when he moved to Anchorage. He worked as a high voltage electrician in Piti, Guam, until March 2000. He went to work for the Deca Store in Kodiak until 2006, then moved to Anchorage to work at the Deca Store as lead worker. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, cooking and gardening.

His family wrote, &#8220Daddy, Dad or Dennis' cooking filled our tummies with everlasting joy. Besides his favorite pastime, he filled his family's hearts with love that will last forever.”

He is survived by his wife, Deding Caasi; sons, Dennis Caasi II and Joey Aguon; daughters, Denisha Caasi, Marla Babauta, Denise Leon Guerrero and Mana Guerrero; grandsons, Gerard Aguon, Jay Aguon IV, Christian Aguon, Jordan and Jerald Martinez and Jerimiah Leon Guerrero; and granddaughters, Kailiana and Jercila Martinez, Katelyn Aguon and Hannah Leon

Guerrero.

Memorial donations can be made to: Deding Caasi, P.O. Box 7338, Agat, Guam 96928.

Local arrangements were provided by Witzleben Family Funeral Home and Crematory.

Margaret Mae Drum

Margaret Mae Drum, 74, died Nov. 26, 2006, at Providence Medical Center in Anchorage.

She was born Jan. 2, 1932, in Ashtabula, Ohio. She moved to Fairbanks in 1966, and lived there until 1985 when she moved to Anchorage. She lived in Anchorage until 2000, moved to Port Bolivar, Texas, then back to Anchorage in 2005. She was a homemaker.

She attended the United Methodist Church and enjoyed sewing, reading, crafts and jewelry making.

Her daughter, Rose Baize, wrote she was &#8220biological mother of eight, mom to many more. She taught me that being a good and loving mother would be the most important thing I would do in my life. I will miss my mentor.”

Daughter, Rebecca Klippenstein, wrote she was an &#8220Army wife, mother and grandmother. Margaret was always calm. A kind, loving and patient woman. Her bright eyes and beautiful smile will be missed. The world was a better place for her being with us.”

Son, Robert Drum, wrote, &#8220One of the things about Ma that was always a surprise to me was, despite her quiet exterior, she was a storehouse of vast and amazing knowledge. I could ask her anything and she always knew the answer. I think the best gift she gave me was simply this, ask the question. If I could tell Ma one more thing, it would be, Thank you for helping me become the man I am today.”

Daughter-in-law Crystal Drum wrote, &#8220I couldn't have asked for a better mother-in-law, she was caring and accepting immediately. She was also a thoughtful grandma. I don't think she ever forgot my daughter's birthdays or a holiday, no matter how far away she was. She was a beautiful person and it was my pleasure and joy to know her. I'll miss her smile.”

Son, James Drum, wrote, &#8220When thinking of Ma, I only have fond and happy memories.”

Daughter, Wilma Mailander, wrote, &#8220With the mother's love of her children, my mother would go without things that she needed for her own self, time after time. Just to make sure her children had what they needed.”

Son, Kenneth Drum, wrote she was &#8220a loving mother to everyone who needed a safe place to sleep and a good meal. Being an Army wife, she had a soft spot for her Army boys, and was a second mother to many of them. She was loved by many, gentle and caring, she was always willing to listen. A talented cook, her holiday meals were legendary.”

She is survived by daughters, Rose Baize, Wilma Mailander and Rebecca Klippenstein; sons, James Drum, Donald E. Drum, Walter J. Drum, Kenneth Drum and Robert Drum; sisters, Gale Hodgkinson and Joyce Bogar; brothers, Walter Hodgkinson, Pat Hodgkinson, Roy Hodgkinson, Dale Hodgkinson and Tim Hodgkinson; and eight grandchildren.

Internment will be at Fort Richardson National Cemetery with her beloved husband, Donald L. Drum.

Local arrangements were provided by Witzleben Family Funeral Home and Crematory.

Richard Heard DuBois

Richard Heard DuBois, 70, died peacefully at his home in Wasilla Dec. 4, 2006, following a battle with cancer. His wife and sons were at his side.

A memorial service will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2006, at First Presbyterian Church in Wasilla.

He was born June 8, 1936, in Akron, Ohio. His family moved to Oxford, Ohio, in 1946. He graduated from the Ohio State University with a business degree. Employed by Goodyear, he worked in Italy for two and a half years and returned to Oxford to complete a master's degree in education and media studies at Miami University. He began his teaching career in Liberty, Ind., followed by eight years teaching in the International Teaching Fellowship program. In Taiwan, he taught business courses and was an administrator in the Taipei American School; and in Iran, he taught second grade at the American School of Isfahan. When Americans were forced to flee Iran in 1979, he returned to the United States. His passion for teaching and travel then led him to Alaska, where he taught in the Mat-Su School District from 1979 until his retirement in 1999. He taught special education at the elementary and high school levels, the summer high school work-study program and the three-year old preschool program.

In 1982, he did a one-year exchange to Australia, serving as a special education consultant in Melbourne. While there, he met and married his wife, Sally, and they returned to Alaska to raise their family and teach. During retirement, he remained actively involved in business activities, a lifelong interest, traveled with his family and friends, read, gardened and thoroughly enjoyed attending high school sporting events. An avid sports fan, he watched many sports, including his beloved Ohio State Buckeyes football team. Over the years, he joined his Sigma Chi fraternity brothers at their university's homecoming games.

He modeled honesty and hard work for his own children and others, his family writes. He advocated for children's health and safety, and promoted quality education for all children stating, &#8220We must do what is good for the students.” He influenced many young people and adults to pursue advanced education.

He was a lifelong member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, the National Huguenot Society, and was a member of the Palmer Elks Lodge. He served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Dorothy and Harold DuBois; and sister, Sally Newsome.

He is survived by his wife, Sally; their sons, Trevor and Dustin; cousins, Jerry Evans and Tom Evans and their families; and sisters-in-law, Nancy Richards and Bonnie Benish and family.

Arrangements are with Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel. Memorial donations may be made to The Children's Place, P.O. Box 871788, Wasilla, AK 99687, or a favorite charity.

Margaret ‘Maggie' Jean McCullough

Margaret ‘Maggie' Jean McCullough was born Dec. 26, 1935, in Vancouver, Wash., and died Dec. 5, 2006 following a lengthy illness at the home of her daughter in Wasilla.

She was a 1953 graduate of Del Norte High School. After high school, she traveled extensively, but in 1970 found herself back in Crescent City where she made her home up until July 2006, when she moved to Alaska to be with her daughter in the last stages of her illness.

She worked as a legal secretary for attorneys in Humboldt and Del Norte counties prior to her 20 years of service with the county of Del Norte. She began her Del Norte career with the Social Services Department in December 1974 as an intake officer, and progressed to become the County Welfare Fraud Investigator. She gained peace officer status and held that job until her retirement in December 1994. Additionally, she was a member of the County Felony Investigation Team.

She was active in the early years of the Del Norte Taxpayer League, and was a member of the International Footprinters Association.

She loved travel, loved riding horses in her younger years, but most of all she loved her cats.

She is survived by her daughters, Debby Allen of Wasilla and Kim Duncan of Eureka, Calif.; granddaughters, Wendy J. Ingram of Wasilla, Patricia D. Soellers and Heather A. Ingram of Kingman, Ariz., and Courtney Duncan of Medford, Ore; and great-grandchildren, Jacob, Sean, Adrianna, David, Anissa and Anthony.

She was preceded in death by her father, Ernest &#8220Hap” Maxwell McCullough; and mother, Eleanor &#8220Betty” McNamara.

Her ashes will be scattered by her daughter in Alaska.

Arrangements were with Valley Funeral Home and Crematory in Wasilla.

Alan Richard Butts

Alan Richard Butts died Dec. 5, 2006, at his home, Fox Run RV Campground near Palmer. His death was attended by family members and loved ones, both spiritual and physical.

He was born to Eugene and G. Jean Butts in Seattle on Aug. 11, 1950.

He previously had been a member of the Seattle chapter of the Bandidos motorcycle club, but left that world behind when he became one of Jehovah's Witnesses at the age of 37. He resided in Palmer from 1982 until his death, except for long stays in Powell, Wyo, Raymond, Wash., and Homer, where he participated enthusiastically in preaching work. He served his God Jehovah faithfully until the time of his death, and looked forward to being resurrected to serve Him forever on the Paradise earth, his family wrote. Many people in Alaska, Wyoming and Washington learned about Jehovah through his preaching work.

He is survived by his wife, Letha; his mother, Jean Butts; his siblings and their spouses, David and Karen Butts, Linda and Steve Jones, and Cathy and Dale Wolcott; his ex-wife, Margaret L. Butts; his in-laws, Bob and Margaret Sloan, Roberta Soolook, Sean Sloan, Diana Sloan and Arletta Sloan; his children, Glen, Margaret, Christine, Robert and Mitchell; his grandchildren, Marissa, Kendra, James, Jeffrey, Christopher, Allisha, Kaitlynn, Steven, Bethany, Gracelynd, and Michael; great-grandchildren Alliana and Trinity; his nieces and nephews, Damon, Tiffany, Braden, Joey, Allie, Jeffrey, Gary, John, Janiene, Jason, Erica, Morgan and Jordan; and his surrogate grandchildren, Zach and Tessa.

A memorial service is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, 2006, at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, near the Alaska State Fairgrounds in Palmer on Blunck Road.

All are welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Worldwide Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses through a local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.