Feb. 23, 2007

Ryan Michael Shaughnessy

Palmer resident Ryan Michael Shaughnessy, 33, died Feb. 17, 2007, on the Glenn Highway in Anchorage due to a car accident.

He was born May 30, 1973, in Anchorage. He graduated from Bartlett High School in 1992, and from Alaska Technical Training school in June of 1996. He had worked for Alaska Sales and Services body shop since January 1998.

He was studying to become a Jehovah's Witness.

His hobbies included anything that had to do with vehicles or motorcycles, and he loved to read.

His family wrote that &#8220He loved his four children and wife very, very much. He will be missed by his family. Ryan was quiet and shy, but had a funny sense of humor when you got to know him.”

He is survived by his wife, Erika Shaughnessy; children, Desirae, Corbett, Adrianna and Brandon; father, Dennis Shaughnessy of Anchorage; mother, Susan Weeks of California; sister, Kerri, her husband David Ward, and their children Taylor and Grayson of North Carolina; and grandmother, Mary Shaughnessy of Colorado.

A service is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, 2007, at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, with Kurt Lamoreaux officiating.

Steven McVeigh

Wasilla resident Steven R. &#8220Steve” McVeigh, 39, died Feb. 19, 2007, at home.

A visitation and viewing will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, 2007, at Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel, 1015 S. Check St., in Wasilla.

Steve was born April 2, 1967, in Buena Park, Calif. He was employed by Carrs/Safeway in Wasilla from 1988 until the time of his death, except for two years leave.

He had formerly lived in Delta Junction and Palmer.

He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Viola Conlin of Victorville, Calif.

Survivors are his daughters, Courtney and Morgan McVeigh of Wasilla; former wife, Heather McVeigh of Wasilla; parents, Roger and Sandy Fleming of Fairbanks; other mom and family, Marla Martin, Charles and Michelle Martin, and Kathleen Ward, all of San Diego; nieces, Tabitha Morgan and Alexis Abbott of Wasilla; and nephew, Dylan Abbott of Wasilla.

Doris Underwood

Wasilla resident Doris Joy Aldridge Underwood, 72, died peacefully of natural causes Feb. 18, 2007, at Elvie's Homecare in Wasilla.

Funeral services are scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 23, 2007, at Shiloh Baptist Church in Waldo, Ark., with son-in-law the Rev. Rodney Kovtynovich officiating.

Pallbearers will be William R. Underwood Jr., Sam Underwood, Timothy F. Underwood, Rodney Kovtynovich and Edward Winberry. Visitation was Thursday evening at Smith Funeral Home in Stamps, Ark. Burial will be at the Shiloh Cemetery in Waldo.

She was born Oct. 15, 1934, in Waldo. She graduated from Camden High School in Camden, Ark. She was a resident of Wasilla since June 1, 2005. She resided in Wichita Falls, Texas, for 15 years prior to moving to Alaska. She was a bank teller in Truth or Consequences, N.M., from 1969 to 1972, and was a Wal-Mart cashier in Graham, Texas, from 1995 to 1998. She was a member of Schrock Road Community Church in Wasilla.

Her family wrote, &#8220Doris loved taking care of her family. She loved cooking big meals and sharing them. Doris always said that, ‘If you left the table hungry, it was your own fault.' Doris was loved very much and will be missed. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. We know that she is with Jesus and that we will one day rejoice together again.”

She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Robert Hugh and Esther Aldridge; sisters, Margaret Davis and Clarice Dyess; and brothers, Charles Winnon Aldridge, Herschel Derril Aldridge and Robert Hugh Aldridge Jr.

Survivors are her beloved husband, William Ray Underwood of Wasilla; daughter, Anita Kovtynovich of Wasilla; sons, William R. Underwood Jr. of Wichita Falls and Timothy F. Underwood of Tacoma, Wash.; sister, Linda Winberry of Waldo; grandchildren, Amy, Alicia, Sam Anastacia and Lucas; and great-grandchild, Kaylie.

Arrangements are with Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel of Wasilla.

Wendell Austin Dunham

Wendell Austin Dunham, 60, a 26-year resident Trapper Creek, died Feb. 16, 2007, after a lengthy illness.

He was born March 7, 1946, in Dover-Foxcraft, Maine, to Wendall A. Dunham and Loretta May Nichols. He was raised in Milo, Maine, where he finished high school. After school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, receiving an honorable discharge on April 16, 1965.

After felling trees in the logging camps of northern Maine, he worked his way across the country, eventually to Alaska in the late 1970s. A few years later, he staked homestead acreage along a stream about 20 miles from the road system near the Kahiltna River, southwest of Trapper Creek, where he constructed his first log cabin by himself.

In the early years, he hauled supplies in by backpack, fording both Moose and Kroto creeks. An avid and excellent fisherman, he would catch rainbow trout for supper on his long, often difficult, hike home through prime bear habitat. A talented mechanic and carpenter, he also was employed as a sawyer for Irby Corporation during the construction of the intertie.

He was a quiet and intensely private man, known by many in both Talkeetna and Trapper Creek, but he reserved deep friendship for few. Always an honorable man, he was respected for his mechanical abilities, his no-nonsense approach to living, and for helping others. He was exceptionally well read, especially in history, and could be induced to share this knowledge, as well as memories of his many adventures.

He is survived by aunt Carol Leech of Bangor, Maine, with whom he was very close; two sisters, Hazel Hilberg of Kenmore, Wash., and Sherry Cartwright of Redmond, Wash.; and caregiver and longtime friend, Crystal Hyde of Trapper Creek.

He was delighted to have made contact with his sisters several years ago, after decades of separation. He especially enjoyed friendships with Don Elbert and Scott Hudson of Talkeetna, and Lon McCullough and Ron Robbins of Trapper Creek.

He requested no services, but a portion of his ashes will be respectfully scattered by plane over his homestead.

Arrangements were with Valley Funeral Home and Crematory in Wasilla.

Don Dessieux Moore Sr.

Don Dessieux Moore Sr., 94, living with his daughter in Wautoma, Wis., died at the Wild Rose Community Hospital with family at his side on Feb. 18, 2007.

He was born Sept. 25, 1912, in Eldon, Mo. He was the youngest son of Henry and Minnie May Moore.

He married Betty Meehan of Palmer in August of 1948.

After completing high school, he worked his way from Missouri to Alaska, settling there in 1938. On his way to Alaska, he worked on several construction projects which included the Hoover Dam, and witnessed the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge.

He honorably served in the U.S. Army during World War II in the Alaska theater of operations. He also worked for Independence Gold Mine and Jonesville Coal Mine, both in Alaska. He retired in 1976 from the Alaska Labor Union after working his last job as a demolition expert on the Alaska pipeline.

He loved Alaska and lived there for 68 years. He had a beautiful yard and garden.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty, and oldest son, Don Jr.

He is survived by his daughter, Michelle Podoll; two sons, Patrick of Copper Center and Michael of Allen, Texas.

He will be dearly missed by remaining relatives, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Services are scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 23, 2007, handled by Leikness/Stahl Funeral Home and officiated by the Rev. Mark Dobbertin of Faith Baptist Church of Wautoma.

Flowers may be sent to the funeral home.

His remains will be sent to Alaska for burial with his wife and eldest son.

Jerry Purser

Palmer resident Jerry Purser, 65, died of cancer Feb. 17, 2007, at home with his loving wife of 31 years at his side.

He was born in Cherokee, N.C., on April 13, 1941, to Alder and Geneva Purser.

He graduated from Andrews High School in 1959 and continued his education at North Carolina State University, from which he earned two degrees. In 1965, he earned his bachelor of science degree and began working as an agricultural extension agent with North Carolina State until 1975.

He was awarded a master of science degree in 1969.

In 1975, he accepted an extension agent position with the University of Alaska in Fairbanks. At this time, he also married Carolyn, his partner and friend for life. They moved to Palmer in 1979, where he became the agricultural resource agent with the University of Alaska, a position he held until his retirement in 1996. The university awarded him the prestigious professor emeritus in 1997.

His lifelong dream of mushing dogs became a reality in 1982, and remained a significant part of his life for the next 24 years until he was diagnosed with cancer. He treated his sled dogs as family. The highlight of his mushing career came in 2000 when he and his wife ran their dogs with Norman Vaughn in the Serum Run from Nenana to Nome.

Leisure activities always included other people. He was a gregarious individual with a magnetic personality, his family writes. A short conversation with him, and he was your friend for life. He and his wife carved a remote cabin complex out of the wilderness along the Yentna River, which he enjoyed so much. Over the years, he entertained countless friends and relatives there. In addition, he had a strong curiosity to see other parts of Alaska. To that extent, he, along with family and friends, pursued numerous hunting, fishing and floating adventures into the back-country of Alaska. He also was an avid reader with a voracious appetite for Alaska history, evident by his collection of books.

He had a kindness and generosity that was an inspiration to all that knew him, his family writes. His ever-present humor was infectious and warmed the hearts of all. He lived his life to the fullest, with honesty, compassion and integrity. His absence leaves a large void in the lives of many.

He is survived by his wife, Carolyn; sister and brother-in-law, Joyce and Bob Barton of Marble, N.C.; brother and sister-in-law, Floyd and Nancy Purser of Andrews, N.C.; sons, Frank Purser of Dana, N.C., and Charlie Purser of Raleigh, N.C. ; daughter, Tonya Purser-Bruechet of Spokane, Wash.; stepson, Mark Knighton, of Kingman, Ariz.; four granddaughters and one grandson.

At his request, he will be cremated and his ashes scattered along the Iditarod Trail in front of his cabin on the Yentna River.

The family requests that, in lieu of memorials, donations in honor of Jerry Purser be made to the Willow Dog Mushers Association., Attn. Erin McLarnon, P.O. Box 858, Willow, AK 99688

Arrangements were with Valley Funeral Home and Crematory in Wasilla.

Myrtle Louise Toner

Myrtle Louise Toner, 86, died Feb. 20, 2007, at the Mary Conrad Center in Anchorage.

She was born May 15, 1920, in Spokane, Wash. She moved to Anchorage in 1979. She also lived in Fairbanks and Wasilla. She worked at Bishop's Attic.

Her family wrote, &#8220She was fun-loving, had a witty sense of humor, loved adventure, and will be greatly missed.”

She is survived by her daughter, Nancy Guest; grandchildren, Kim Shaw, Mike

Guest, Ronni Schmidt and Makenzie Roberts; and great-grandchildren.

Local arrangements were provided by Kehl's Palmer

Mortuary.

John Gay

Eagle River resident John Gay, 87, died Feb. 15, 2007, at Mary Conrad Center.

A memorial service is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25, 2007, at Mary Conrad

Center.

Burial will be at Fort Richardson National Cemetery.

He was born May 25, 1919, in Spokane, Wash.

He served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War.

He played keyboard music at numerous senior centers. He enjoyed boating, model airplanes, fishing and all sports, especially volleyball and fast pitch softball.

Survivors include his wife, Barbara Gay; daughters, Sharon Weyhing of Nevada, Ruth Blanchard of Alaska and June Gaylor of Oklahoma; son, John P. Gay of Washington; 27 grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, friends and relatives.

The family requests memorial donations be directed to the American Diabetes Association or Disabled American Veterans.

Arrangements were made with Evergreen Memorial Chapel, 737 E Street,

Anchorage.