Elizabeth Catherine Mae (Whalin) Shepard

Lifelong Alaska resident Elizabeth Catherine Mae (Whalin) Shepard, 43, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer April 8, 2013, at her home in Wasilla, surrounded by her family.

She was born June 14, 1969, in Fairbanks to Ann and Scott Whalin.

A funeral service in honor of Elizabeth is at 3 p.m., April 12 at St Innocent Orthodox Cathedral, 4011 Turpin St., in Anchorage. Burial will follow the services at Angelus Memorial Park in Anchorage.

Elizabeth grew up in Fairbanks and also lived in Anchorage, Kotzebue and Wasilla. She worked for NANA Corp. in Prudhoe Bay as an office manager and was active in the Shaw Elementary Girl Scouts and the Jr. Avalanche Hockey team. When she lived in Scottsdale, Ariz., she was involved with the animal shelter and worked for the Mayo Clinic there.

Elizabeth will be remembered by her husband, Stan, as someone who had a big enough heart for the both of them and that she enjoyed fishing, and camping with her family; she also enjoyed sewing, beading, crochet, and baking for her family and friends. She was a member of St Innocent Orthodox Cathedral in Anchorage.

Pallbearers will be Stanley Shepard, Rich Randazzo, Brian Randazzo, Tim Tolen, Tony Jackson and Mike Lewis.

Survivng are her husband Stanley Shepard; children, Roman and Devon Shepard; mother, Ann Whalin; father and stepmother, Scott and Rebecca Whalin; sisters, Frances Greene, Joann Randazzo, and Mary Zimmerman; mother-in-law, Lolly Larsen; sisters-in-law, Karla Nusunginya and Nancy Shepard; and nieces and nephews, Nicole Randazzo, Briana Randazzo , Daena Geary, May (Punnik) Henry, Jeremiah Gallahorn, Isaac , Clancy, and Lars Shepard; Anastasia Buretta, Garrison Buretta, and Isiah Squires.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials in honor of Elizabeth be made to the Shepard family to help them with her funeral expenses C/O Stanley Shepard 4950 N. Sandburg Circle Wasilla, AK 99654

The family was cared for by to Kehl’s Palmer Chapel, 209 S. Alaska St., Palmer.