Frank “Buddy” O. Mazoni

Longtime Valley resident Frank (Buddy) O. Mazoni, 59, died March 13, 2011, in Oregon.

He was born June 16, 1951, and graduated from Toms River High School in Toms River, N.J. His first trip to Alaska was in 1962 when he lived in Palmer. He traveled back to New Jersey after a short year of being in Alaska. In 1971 he moved to Hawaii, where he lived for a short period of time before making Alaska his permanent residence.

In 1972, he started working at the original D&A Shopping Center located in Palmer, where he was a box boy. Buddy bought the D&A Shoprite grocery stores in 1985, where he continued to do business in Wasilla until the business closed in 2010.

Buddy enjoyed bear hunting, fishing, skiing and snowmachining. He liked spending time at his cabin and also loved being out on the ocean. Most of all Buddy loved his family and enjoyed helping other people.

In the winter of 2010 he moved to Albany, Ore., where he resided with his daughter until his death.

Surviving are his brothers, Fred, Bill and Dennis Mazoni; sisters, Kathy Stadem, Mary Barnes, Sharon Doneborgh and Joni Delerinzo; former wife, Dana Mazoni; daughter, Olivia Armstrong; grandchild, Dillon Mazoni; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.