Dwane Allen Burgess

Sterling resident, Dwane Allen Burgess, 68, died Jan. 16, 2010, at Central Peninsula Hospital with his family by his side.

Memorial services will be held at noon Wednesday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Soldotna. Father Andy will officiate. His cremated remains will be scattered near a cabin in the Alaska Range and Culross Passage.

Mr. Burgess was born July 17, 1941, to Delta and Ray Burgess in Yakima, Wash. He graduated from Anchorage High School in 1960. Dwane then furthered his education by attending and graduating from APU in 1967. He has been an Alaska resident since 1948. He lived in Anchorage before making Sterling his final home. From 1960 to 1963 he was an apprentice plumber. In 1967 he started working for the Alaska Department of Corrections as a probation officer and retired in 1993.

He was baptized at the Woodland Park Presbyterian Church in Anchorage and was a member of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Soldotna. Dwane loved hunting, fishing, being a pilot and rebuilding and repairing never ending projects.

The family wrote, “Dwane was ready to offer a hand when a person was in need. He was very protective and loving husband and father. Dwane wanted people to remember him as a healthy vibrant Alaskan who loved accessing the outdoors by flying, boating, snowmachining and hiking.”

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Raymond Burgess; grandparents, Edna and Mohler Comegys.

He is survived by his wife of 13 years, Aida Burgess of Sterling; daughter, Francine Reuter and her daughter, Desiree Burgess both of Anchorage; step-son, Wayne Burgess of Honolulu; step daughter, Raquel Aguiar of Crestview, Fla., and grandsons, Anthony Esmeralda of Sterling and Sage Reuter of Anchorage.

Memorial donations may be made to a charity of your choice.

Arrangements made by Peninsula Memorial Chapels.