Donald Lee Huseby

Wasilla resident Donald Lee Huseby, 79, died at Elmendorf Regional Hospital in Anchorage due to cancer.

A celebration of life in honor of Don Huseby is at 2 p.m., Sept. 1 at Matanuska Assembly of God, 12801 W. Arctic Ave., Palmer.

Donald was born Feb. 9, 1932, in Two Harbors, Minn., to Carl and Esther Huseby.

Donald graduated in 1950 from North Central School of Agriculture in Grand Rapids, Minn. He later enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served his country from 1951 to 1955. During his service, Don received the National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal “S,” United Nations Service Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal “E” and China Service Medal.

After serving in the Navy, Don worked in carpentry, logging and trucking. He also once owned Chub Lake Resort (1962-63) in Minnesota. Don moved to Alaska in the early ’70s and continued carpentry, construction and trucking. Don worked all over Alaska, including remote sites for the Federal Aviation Administration and eventually retired. While a resident of Alaska, Don lived in both Wasilla and Palmer (the Butte). Don enjoyed attending Assembly of God churches. He enjoyed gold mining, tending his animals, gardening, canning, dip net fishing, fishing, cutting firewood and tugboats.

The family wrote: “He loved the outdoors! No one stayed busier or worked more than Don. He was hard to keep up with. He never met a tree he didn’t like. Some called him an Ironman, or Paul Bunyan. He was loved by his family and many friends and they will miss him greatly.”

Preceding him in death were his father, Carl Huseby; mother Esther Huseby-Lahti; and longtime companion, Lois Ann Colton.

Don is survived by sister, Paula Johnson of Two Harbors, Minn.; brother, David Huseby of Silver Bay, Minn.; brother, Raymond Huseby of Beaver Bay, Minn.; sister, Carla Beck of Two Harbors, Minn.; brother, Leo Lahti of Beaver Bay, Minn.; brother, Marvin Lahti of Cathlamet, Wash.; former spouse, Lois Huseby of Florida; former spouse, Miriam Huseby of Washington; son, Cordell Huseby-Baum of Florida; son and daughter-in-law, Bob and Jessie Huseby-Baum of Palmer; son and daughter-in-law, John and Jacque Huseby of Palmer; grandkids, Samantha, Tyler, Austin Huseby, Justice and Warner Baum; and several nieces and nephews.

Valley Funeral Home and Crematory cared for the family.