Edna M. Slather

Edna M. Slather, 79, of Wasilla, passed away May 14, 2006, at home in Wasilla of natural causes.

A memorial service was Thursday, May 18, 2006, at the Bogard Road Baptist Church in Wasilla, with the Rev. Fred Straud officiating.

She was born Nov. 21, 1926, in Ville Grove, Ill., and came to Alaska in September 1972. Prior to moving to Wasilla, she lived in Seward from 1989 to 1992.

She worked for the state of Alaska at the Palmer Pioneer Home from 1976 to 1986, when she retired.

She enjoyed gardening, cooking, painting, being with her grandchildren and reading.

Her family said, &#8220She never failed in taking care of her children and grandchildren”.

She is survived by daughters, Johanna Dunphrey and her husband Les of Wasilla, and April Laier of Libby, Mont.; sons, Richard of Seward, Edward of Wasilla, Walter and his wife Vivian of Webster, Wisc., and Fritz and his wife Kim of Wasilla; granddaughters, Debby Laier and Maria Slather of Hayward, Wisc., Shelly Shong of Winter, Wisc., Jessica Slather of Webster, Wisc., and Crystal and Amanda Slather of Wasilla; grandsons, Chris Laier of Dutch Harbor, John Slather of Fredrick, Wisc., and Quinn Dunphrey, Fredrick and Frank Slather, all of Wasilla, and Brad and Marty Sherwood.

She also is survived by a sister, Evelyn Black of Terre Haute, Ind.; brothers, Phillip Richards and his wife Vera of DeSoto, Mo., and James and Johnny Richards of San Antonio, Texas; and several great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Mary Richards; and husband, Fred Slather.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to Hospice of Mat-Su, 3051 E. Palmer-Wasilla Hwy.

Her ashes will be scattered on Baldy Mountain in Wasilla.

Valley Funeral Home of Wasilla assisted the family.

GILL FERRARO

Former Matanuska Valley resident Gil Ferraro, 72, passed away at his home in Pahoa, Hawaii, on April 26, 2006, after a long battle with cancer.

A memorial service will be in Hawaii in May. Another memorial service also will be held in Palmer sometime between July 13 and July 22.

He was born Oct. 26, 1933, in Glencoe, Ill., to John and Anna Ferraro. His first wife, Nancy McLean, died in 1957. He has been married to Barbara Bradley for 45 years. From 1965 to 1990, he and his wife lived in the Matanuska Valley. The couple moved to Colorado in 1990, and resided there until they moved to Hawaii in 2003.

After serving with the U.S. Marine Corps in Korea from 1952 to 1954, he became a carpenter in various types of construction both in Illinois, Colorado and Alaska. He retired from Anchorage Local 1281 in 1989. His main hobbies were hunting, commercial and recreational fishing, and he was also a private pilot while living in Alaska.

Survivors include his wife, Barbara; daughter, Leonora Prince (Bill); sister, Leonora Ferraro; and brother, Richard Ferraro (Wendy); as well as several nieces and nephews and special friends. His son, Johnny preceded him in death.

Contributions can be made to a local hospice or to the Hospice of Hilo, 1011 Waianuenue Ave., Hilo, Hawaii 96720.

MINNIE SUSAN ‘SUE' HEIKER

Lifelong Alaskan Minnie Susan &#8220Sue” Heiker, 83, died peacefully May 12, 2006, at the Palmer Pioneer Home.

A memorial service is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Saturday, May 20, 2006, at the Palmer Pioneer Home, 250 E. Fireweed Ave. in Palmer. The Rev. Henry Woodall of First Presbyterian Church of Wasilla will officiate.

She was born March 14, 1923, in Wrangell to Clarence &#8220Shorty” and Florence Bradley. She grew up in the small community of Wrangell, spending many hours with her grandparents. In 1940, Sue moved to Talkeetna with her parents to pursue gold mining. At the age of 18, she married Calvin Reeve, who worked as a gold miner. Subsequently, she spent time in California and Anchorage until about 1954, when she moved to Cold Bay with her husband and daughter. She was employed at Reeve Aleutian Airways. In later years, she worked as a clerk for the U.S. Postal Service in Cold Bay, becoming the postmaster from 1972 until 1978. Upon retirement, she briefly worked as a marine operator for Alascom.

Calvin Reeve preceded her in death in 1977. In 1978, she married Karl Heiker, magistrate for the Alaska Court System in Cold Bay. Upon Karl's retirement in 1985, they visited Vienna, Austria, before settling in Salem, Ore. Missing the Alaska environment, they returned one year later to the Palmer-Wasilla area, where they resided until her death.

Her family writes, &#8220While able, Sue loved to play the piano, read, crochet and enjoy a game of Scrabble with her husband. She always thought of others first, and was known for her radiant smile.”

She is survived by her husband of 28 years, Karl Heiker of Palmer; daughter and son-in-law, Kathleen (Reeve) and Robert Christensen of Wasilla; stepsons and daughters-in-law, Fred Robert and Petra Heiker of Wuppertal, Germany, and Erik and Debby Heiker of Wasilla; stepson Gernot Heiker of Juneau; stepdaughter Kyra Heiker of Germany; and four step-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to a favorite charity or the Palmer Pioneer Home Memorial Fund.

Arrangements were provided by Kehl's Palmer Mortuary.

LILLIE FRANCIS SCOTT

Soldotna resident Lillie Francis Scott, 88, passed away on Mother's Day, May 14, 2006, surrounded by her family at the Palmer Pioneer Home in Palmer.

At her request, there will be no services. A private family viewing was held on Mother's Day. Her ashes will be spread at Tangle Lakes at a later date.

She was born in Bula, Texas, on Sept. 11, 1917. She moved to Alaska in 1949, and through the years had lived in Whittier, Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Fairbanks, Anchorage, Valdez and Soldotna. She was a member of College Heights Baptist Church in Soldotna. Her enjoyment of camping, fishing and hunting was shared first with her husband, Chuck Gregory, and continued after his passing when she married Gordon Scott, with whom she shared the last 34 years of her life. She passed on her loved of Alaska to four generations.

Her granddaughter, Angie, remembers that, &#8220one of her favorite things was to cook for the people she loved, and dinner always was served with good humor and ‘just a little something sweet.' She loved campfires, snowmachining in the Caribou Hills, berry picking while singing to keep the bears away (and believe me, her singing would), snagging reds, growing Swiss chard, the color purple and making the best smoked salmon in the world. She loved quilting mixed with gossiping, painting pictures of the ocean, doing the daisy dance out in the boat to attract halibut and being punctual. I will always remember her laughing behind her hand with her eyebrows raised and that twinkle of mischief in her eyes.”

Her granddaughter, Susie, remembers that, &#8220if you came to Alaska and didn't go visit Grandma Scott, you were in trouble. And I, for one, never got in trouble with my Grandma Scott.”

The family would like to thank the staff of Heritage Place in Soldotna and the staff of the Pioneer Home in Palmer for all the loving care Francis received during her illness. She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Gregory; stepdaughter, Mary Lynn; grandson, David Douthit; three brothers and two sisters.

She is survived by her husband, Gordon &#8220Scottie” Scott of Wasilla; brother, Bill Clevenger of Newberg, Ore.; sister, Lois Lancaster of Midland, Texas; daughter, Nita Douthit of Soldotna; sons, Sonny Jackson of Kennewick, Wash., and Rodney Gregory of Wasilla; stepsons, Dan Scott of Wasilla and Jeff and Monty Scott, both of Petoskey, Mich.; special friends, Dorothy and Charley Diamond of Soldotna; 20 grandchildren; 37 great-grandchildren; and 2 great-great-grandchildren.

Memorial donations may be sent to the Alzheimer Re-source Agency, 1750 Abbott Rd., Anchorage 99507.

Arrangements were by Valley Funeral Home and Crematory.