GENE L. HARREL

Wasilla resident Gene Lorene Harrel, 58, died at her home March 24, 2005.

A funeral service was held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Valley Funeral Home in Wasilla, with Pastor Fred Stroud officiating. Pallbearers were Joe Byrnes, Roy Wallis, Aaron Hall, Rick Benedetto, Toby Prescott and Greg Beal. Burial followed at Wasilla Aurora Cemetery.

Ms. Harrel was born in Stanley, N.D., on July 11, 1946. She moved with her family to Kenai in 1960, where she graduated from Kenai High School.

She also lived in Anchorage for a time and made Wasilla her home in 1997, to be close to her family.

She was a homemaker, an active member of the First Baptist Church in Wasilla and taught Sunday school. She enjoyed needlepoint, crafts and camping.

Her family wrote, "Gene was very loving and caring of her family. She was always heavily involved with her church."

She is survived by her mother, Lorene Jondahl of Wasilla; daughter, Gerri Elliot of Wasilla; daughter, Rose Harrel of Big Lake; son, Paul Wardlow of Florida; nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Donations may be made in care of Gerri Elliott at P.O. Box 879466, Wasilla, AK 99687-9466.

Arrangements were with Valley Funeral Home & Crematory in Wasilla.