Fire claims former medic

December 9, 2005

MARY AMES/Frontiersman reporter

WILLOW - When a fire swept through a Willow area home Monday afternoon, it destroyed a house and took a well-known and respected member of the emergency services community with it.

Laurie McCutcheon, 49, a former Mat-Su Borough medic, was home alone in the Giordano Drive house she shared with her partner when a neighbor who saw the fire through the woods reported it at about 1:15 p.m., according to Alaska State Troopers.

The 16-by-28 cabin had burned nearly to the ground when the first fire engine and first trooper arrived, according to Jack Krill Sr., acting district five fire chief. It wasn't clear at first whether McCutcheon was at home or out with a caregiver, Krill said, until they were able to dig though the debris once the fire was out.

Deputy state fire marshal Daniel Jones did not immediately return a phone call Thursday, but Krill said he spoke with Jones the previous night about the investigation.

&#8220Right now it is accidental, undetermined,” Krill said.

Krill said a propane cooking stove may have been the origin of the blaze, but damage to the kitchen was too extensive for investigators to say for sure.

&#8220There really wasn't much left of it to take a look at,” Krill said.

Krill said McCutcheon was a longtime member of the borough emergency services.

&#8220She was very active and very well-liked,” he said.

McCutcheon's daughter, Kel Jacobs, described her mother as a very creative woman who touched people from all walks of life.

&#8220We lived in Anchorage and she joined the Society for Creative Anachronism,” Jacobs said. &#8220She met someone in that group who encouraged her to move to Willow about 1987. She joined the ambulance service and was chief for a few years.”

Jacobs said it takes a special type of person to be on the ambulance, someone who always keeps a cool head.

&#8220We call adrenaline the ‘stupid drug,' and mom never let it get the best of her,” she said. &#8220Mom would say, ‘Calm down and let's see what's going on.' She cared and she listened.”

McCutcheon was chief until she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in December 2002, Jacobs said. Her mom was scared when she heard the diagnosis in Seattle, but said, &#8220God must want me to teach people about this now,” according to Jacobs.

McCutcheon remained active as a volunteer, then became an honorable member and devoted time to the board of supervisors, Jacobs said.

Steve Linkhart worked with McCutcheon on the Willow Ambulance Service. Linkhart said he remembers her patience and her ability to listen above all.

&#8220I'll most miss the advice, she always had a good solution no matter what the problem,” he said. &#8220She was a good sounding board to kick around ideas.”

McCutcheon was a bartender around the area for 21 years, working at Gilmores, Four Corners, Kashims and the Klondike, and she could sing, Jacobs and Linkhart both said.

&#8220She made up a song and sang it on her answering machine,” Linkhart said.

This year's Iditarod checkpoint at Yentna River Station will be dedicated to McCutcheon, who was the official Couch Potato Headmaster there every year, Jacobs said.

&#8220We have a big bonfire with kids,” Jacobs said. &#8220The kids would ask the musher what number they were as they went by, count the number of dogs and tell my mom, who relayed the information to the station. Mom knew the kids were our future volunteers.”

McCutcheon's partner, Brian Blanchard, was out of town working at the time of the fire, Jacobs said.

&#8220He's a wonderful man, too,” she said.

A memorial service for McCutcheon will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Willow Community Center.

&#8220It is open to all,” Jacobs said. &#8220Mom would want everybody to celebrate.”

Contact Mary Ames at

352-2284 or mary.ames@

frontiersman.com.