Dee Woods

Lifelong Valley resident Dee Woods, 66, died peacefully in his Sutton home March 16, 2012, of lung cancer.

He was born in Palmer Oct. 1, 1945, and was raised in the Butte on his grandparents’ Colony farm on Bodenburg Loop. He also lived in Palmer.

He graduated from Palmer High in 1964, and his love for machinery and equipment led him to the Operating Engineers Local 302 where he worked on many projects throughout Alaska until retirement.

He and his wife also owned Dee’s Dozer and Trucking, where they enjoyed doing projects for homeowners throughout the Valley. Together with Larry and Barb Leppanen, the two families built and operated River’s Edge Campground on Granite Creek in Sutton for 14 years. He loved the outdoors in work and play, and was often found in and around his shop building another project. He volunteered in his community and would always lend a helping hand when asked.

Surviving are his loving wife of 44 years, Lynne; daughter and her family, Marnice and Darrin Marshall and their sons, Alexander and Jacob Marshall of Wasilla; and his son and his family, Russell and Kristen Woods with their daughter Emily and son Eric Bolen of Wasilla; mother, Dorothy Woods of Soldotna; sister and brother-in-law, Lila and Ed Krohn, Soldotna; sister, Kerry Tappenbeck, lives in Portland, Ore., with her husband Mike; mother-in-law, Joyce Motzkus of Palmer; brother and sister-in-law and family, Larry, Barb, Chelsea and LJ. Leppanen of Sutton; and niece, Deon MacMillan and her family, in Minneapolis, Minn.

He loved his family and was very proud to have them in his life.

No services are planned, but the family asks you “lift a glass to toast his life and tell Dee you care.” In his memory, friends can volunteer an hour or two at the Alpine Historical Park during cleanup this spring.

The family thanks everyone for their kind words, thoughts and prayers during his illness and death, writing, “We are humbled by your blessings.”