Helmuth ‘Jim’ Italo Cottini

Longtime Palmer resident Helmuth “Jim” Italo Cottini, 90, went to be with our Lord on Nov. 7, 2017, surrounded by family at the Palmer Pioneer Home. Jim was born in Pescadero, California, on April 17, 1927, and moved to northern Italy when he was six, where he grew up in Craveggia, Italy in the northern Alps bordering Switzerland. This is where he learned how to work hard and hike in the mountains. He moved to Alaska from Italy in 1947 to his father’s “Little Susitna Lodge” (Motherlode Lodge) in Hatcher Pass. He then moved to California to live with his mother and stepfather and worked as a sausage maker/meat cutter in Oakland. Jim served in the Korean War from July 1951 through November 1952 as a gunsmith repairing all sorts of rifles and machineguns. After the war he married Pia Gubetta on May 3, 1953, in Castro Valley, California.

They moved to Alaska in October 1953, driving the Alcan Highway and lived at the Little Susitna Lodge for a year helping at the lodge. In 1954 Jim & Pia purchased 160 acres at Mile 5 of the Palmer Fishhook Road. This is where they built their home, raised their family and “put down roots”. Jim worked hard on their Fishhook home where they also built and ran large greenhouses and a garden. Jim lived for hunting and fishing, raising his family on “Fishhook Beef” (moose), spruce hen, ptarmigan, salmon, and trout. Jim worked for 10 years at Koslosky’s as a meat cutter, then worked at Ft. Richardson for 23 years as a meat cutter and retired as the meat market manager in April 1987. In retirement he enjoyed spending time with his family and grandchildren, working around the yard, hunting, fishing and dip netting salmon.

Jim is survived by his wife of 64 years, Pia Cottini, sons Marc (wife Marina), and Pio (wife Bonny), daughter Tina (husband Fred), grandchildren Randy, Angie (husband Joel), Mario, Blaine, great grandchildren Kealeb, Maelee, Reagan, and sister Carole Wegner. His family said, “Dad was a loving father, grandfather and a very caring, kind, compassionate soul.”

Jim was preceded in death by his father Victor, mother Johanna, sister Elsie, and grandson Dennis. A Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at the Palmer Senior Center, 1132 S. Chugach St., Palmer from 3 to 5 p.m. Hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be served. In lieu of flowers please donate to a charity of your choice.