Faye Irene Palin

Faye Irene Palin

Faye Irene Palin, 81, passed away after a short battle with lung cancer on Wednesday December 14, 2022 at her Wasilla home, with the love of her life, Jim at her side, along with their children, some of their many grandchildren, a great grandchild, and extended family.

Faye was born at Anchorage Hospital September 18, 1941, to Alaska Pioneers Fred and Irene Braun, who built their first home, still lived in today, in Bootlegger’s Cove, where Faye spent her childhood. Faye graduated from Anchorage High School in 1959, then went on to graduate from Oregon State University in 1963. After, Faye began building an incredibly successful career at Copper Valley Electric where she met her future husband, Jim. Faye and Jim married August 29, 1980 in Anchorage, shortly before moving to their forever home of Wasilla. Their marriage also brought her Jim’s four Palin rugrats: Kristene, Todd, James Dean, and Diana Dee.

Faye went on to work nearly 20 years at Matanuska Telephone, retiring in 2001 as a Senior Executive. She was well-known for her excellence in her personal and professional life. More than once, someone was heard saying about Faye, “that’s the kind of person I would like to be”. Faye was thanked by her many employees for her energy, wisdom, professionalism and the example she set for others.

Faye dedicated many years of her life to volunteerism, including several years on the Board of Directors for United Way of Mat-Su where she also served two years as Campaign Chair; thirteen plus years on the Board of Directors for the Alaska Museum of Transportation and Industry, where Faye also volunteered her time year after year in service to the Museum, where she worked through the remaining summers of her life. In 1994 Alaska’s First Lady Ermalee Hickel awarded Faye with a First Lady’s Volunteer Award, one of many awards Faye received throughout her life. She loved running, competed many times in the Alaska Women’s Run, and had the privilege to be chosen as an Olympic torch relay participant, carrying the Olympic torch in 1996 in Olympia, Washington.

Faye and Jim cultivated their love for golf in their early years of marriage. They went on to golf together on courses across the country during their extensive travels. After retirement, Faye and Jim began to “snowbird” to Palm Desert, CA., allowing them to enjoy golf year-round for the next 20 years. In 2018 they relocated their winter home to Lake Havasu City, Arizona and continued golfing until the last months of her life. Faye’s last significant travel adventure was to Antarctica in 2021, where she took many pictures with the penguins, a life-long dream fulfilled.

Aside from travel and golf, Faye loved working in her garden and created beautiful flower arrangements enjoyed by many. Faye was an excellent baker, ferocious reader, highly intelligent, capable businesswoman, and well-loved by her communities. She poetically penned the Palin Family Christmas letter year after year, sharing highlights of our lives with beloved friends and family.

Prior to her departure, Faye secured assurances from her children to look after and care for their father, which they happily agreed to. Faye’s husband and family tearfully expressed their love and gratitude for all she has given of herself throughout her beautiful and full life as she left this world for her next adventure. Faye embodied beauty, elegance, grace and love, combined with intelligence and wicked sense of humor, and was deeply revered by all who had the profound privilege to know her.