HALVOR ENGELSTAD

Halvor Engelstad, 82, died July 1, 2010, at Sunrise House Assisted Living Home in Wasilla from stomach cancer complications.

Graveside services with military honors will be at noon Wednesday at Ft. Richardson National Cemetery. Fr. Bill Fournier of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Wasilla will officiate.

Halvor was born Nov. 29, 1927, in Nome and resided in Alaska all his life. He lived in Dillingham and King Cove as a child. He attended Holy Cross Mission School in the primary grades and served in the U.S. Army in the early 1950s, stationed at Fort Richardson. He was a heavy equipment operator and worked at the Flat and Ophir gold mines in the 1960s, and at Healy Coal Mine in the 1970s.

He was a member of the Catholic Church, the United Mine Workers of Alaska and was a shareholder in Sealaska Corp., Bristol Bay Native Corp. and Becharof Village Corp. He enjoyed sports fishing, woodcarving, woodworking, writing, inventing and machinery.

His family said: “Halvor was a great grandson of the last Shaman of Shishmareff. He was a natural musician, playing many stringed instruments. He loved animals. He was a hard worker and provided for his beloved wife and her family for 36 years. He was kind and soft spoken. He was a wonderful brother and family man.”

Survivors are his wife, Dorie Engelstad of Wasilla; sister, Florence Kenney of Juneau; nephews, Christopher Kenney and Robert Kenney of Juneau, and James Brandon of Anchorage; and many other relatives whose names, occupations and places of residence are not known. He was preceded in death by his father, Yngvar Nicholas Engelstad; mother, Minnie Gabriel Engelstad; brother, Edwin Engelstad; and sisters, Anna Marie and Donya.

Arrangements are with Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel & Crematory of Wasilla.