Elmer Gene Clugston

Known as Gene to friends and family, Elmer Gene Clugston passed on Jan. 16, 2016, at JBER Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska, from stage IV pancreatic cancer, surrounded by family and friends. He was 78. A celebration of his life will be held this Thursday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m., at the UP Presbyterian Church in Palmer.

Gene was born on Feb. 12, 1937, in Oklahoma and raised in Colorado. He was the second of seven children born to Clifford Dayton and Ollie May (Billings) Clugston.

Gene graduated from Rifle Union High School in 1955. He served three years with the Army’s 9^th Infantry Division in Germany. Gene worked for The Atomic Energy Commission in a uranium mine in Moab, Utah, and for the Union Carbide Company in the uranium and vanadium mill in Rifle, Colorado.

On June 1, 1963, Gene married Marilyn Louise Langstaff, of Rifle, Colorado. These two promptly followed the North Star to Alaska, where they then raised four kids.

Gene was an avid hunter and fisherman. He enjoyed reading, camping, berry picking, fishing, four-wheeling, hunting, boating, carpentry projects with friends and family, listening to Celtic music and watching his grandchildren grow. He traveled frequently to the Lower 48 to visit with family and friends.

Gene worked as a carpenter, camp manager, foreman, materials coordinator, leadman and superintendent on many job sites all over Alaska with Carpenter Local 1281 and several non-union companies until retirement. Gene’s work history included; Iditarod Elementary School and Alcantra Youth Camp in Wasilla; Homestead Elementary in Eagle River; Base Camp at Deadhorse; camp/housing/quarters at Amchitka/Elmendorf AFB/Kodiak and Fort Richardson, AC Couplet bridge/Greuning High School in Anchorage, pipeline camps, post office in Barrow, sewage disposal plant in Girdwood, high school and gym in New Stuyahok, homes in Kipnuk, Alukanuk, Mountain Village and Newtok, Palmer hospital and Palmer Pioneer Home, as well as Pioneer Peak Elementary in Palmer.

Gene was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Jimmie; sister, Myrtle Ellen Lawhead, and his ex-wife, Marilyn.

Gene is survived by his brothers, Joe, Jerry and Everett Clugston; sister, Mary Dutton; sisters-in-law, Sharon and Carolyn Clugston; brother in-law, Ed Dutton; daughter, Lucy Klebesadel, of Palmer, Victoria and Jeanette Clugston, of Wasilla and his son, Leon Clugston, of Wasilla; son in-law, Bill Klebesadel; daughter in-law, Kathy (Polushkin-Kuzmin) Clugston; his grandchildren, Corey Buzzard, Nicholas Langham, Anfisa Kuzmin, Damian Kuzmin, Jennifer and Danielle Klebesadel and Christianna Clugston.

Gene’s ashes will be spread on top of Maclaren Summit, near Delta Junction, in June 2016. Gene was a great man who was loved by many and will be greatly missed.