Frank Edward Gagnon

May 23, 1941 - September 12, 2024

Frank Edward Gagnon, Jr., passed away on September 12, 2024 after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 83 years old.

Frank was born in Kodiak, Alaska on May 23, 1941 to Matanuska Valley pioneers Frank and Wanda Soper Gagnon. Frank was raised in Palmer and joined the Navy at the age of 17, where he served in the engine room on a destroyer. He returned to Palmer and married Marjorie Blatchford from Seward. They had two children, Edward and Christina. Frank worked at the Evan Jones coal mine in Sutton until it closed, then worked on the North Slope from its earliest days until the 2000s. He retired from the Operating Engineers Local 302 and married Joan Mogg in 2005. They traveled the states before settling in Sedro-Woolley, Washington. He returned to Palmer following Joan's death and spent the final months of his life visiting with friends and family. He enjoyed traveling and watching TV with Eddie and Tina. Upon seeing Palmer again after being gone so many years, Frank remarked, "Sometimes you have to leave a place to realize how much you love it." He is greatly missed and his children are appreciative of the time they had with him back in Palmer.

Frank was preceded in death by his wife Joan Gagnon and his brother Glen Gagnon. He is survived by his children, Edward Gagnon and Christina Gagnon, his granddaughter, Halimat Gagnon and his sister Dottie Gagnon Wicker. A potluck celebration of life will be held on May 24, 2025 at the Palmer Moose Lodge from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.