Emery George Jadack

Emery George Jadack, 83, died peacefully Aug. 14, 2011, at his home surrounded by family after a short battle with cancer.

Emery was born Aug. 12, 1928, in Milladore, Wisc., the fourth of five children born to Ella (Reedle) and William Jadack.

As a young boy, he was very athletic and had a passion for baseball, which he played into his young adult life. He graduated from high school in 1946. After high school graduation, he worked for the Milwaukee-Sioux Railroad as a brakeman and with his brother in the Milladore Feed Store. Emery served in the Army from 1951 to 1953. He moved to Alaska in 1965 with friends and worked on the North Slope as a heavy equipment operator. He bought property in Beluga in 1975 and shortly began working at the Beluga Electric Plant and also as a heavy equipment operator for various construction companies. Emery was a member of Local Union 302 Operating Engineers and the American Legion.

On Nov. 22, 1973, he married Helen Hopp and became an instant father and grandfather. He joined the rest of the family in their Catholic faith on Nov. 29, 1989. They shared homes between Anchorage and Beluga. In Beluga, they spent numerous hours fishing, gardening, picking blueberries and riding three-wheelers with his family. In 2008, they sold the house in Anchorage, where he lived for 35 years, and moved to a neighborhood in Wasilla surrounded by family.

Emery was also an avid hunter. His love for hunting and fishing began as a child in Wisconsin and it continued throughout his life. It was a love he passed on to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. On March 31, 2008, he hooked a monster pike, which was his pride and joy, weighing 28 1/4 pounds and measured 49 1/2 inches long.

Surviving are his five daughters and their husbands, Judy and Mel Christianson, Joan and Leon Crapps of Anchorage, Jeanne and Mike Schachle, Janice and Mike Marsh, and Joyce and Ed Lamm of Wasilla; 16 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; sister, Florence Brandl of Anchorage; and brother, Warren Jadack of Holcombe, Wisc.

Preceding him in death was his wife of 38 years, Helen Jadack, who died Aug. 12, 2011. He was also preceded in death by brothers, Maury Jadack and Wallace Jadack of Milladore, Wisc.; and great-grandchildren, Alex and Cindy Crapps.

Visitation is from 6 to 8 p.m., Aug. 17, with the Rosary at 7 p.m. at the Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel, 1015 South Check St., Wasilla. A mass to celebrate Emery’s life is at 2 p.m., Aug. 18, at Holy Family Cathedral in Anchorage.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation care of Kaden Schachle, one of Emery’s great grandsons, CFF Alaska Branch 645 G Street, Suite 100 PMB 738 Anchorage, AK 99501, or The LAM Foundation, care of Ann Toskey, one of Emery’s granddaughters, 4015 Executive Park Drive, Suite 320, Cincinnati, Ohio 45241.