Hubert "Corky" Sager Jr.

December 19, 1928 - December 16, 2024

Hubert "Corky" Sager died on December 16, 2024, at Mat-Su Regional Hospital in Palmer, Alaska after a brief illness. He passed away just three days before his 96th birthday, surrounded by his loving family and friends.

Corky was born in the town of Midwest, Wyoming on December 19, 1928, to Luella "Lu" Sager and Hubert "Pal" Sager, Sr. He was an only child. Corky and his dad were trapping prairie dogs for ranchers in Wyoming for $.02 each when they decided to move to Alaska in 1945. The family packed up and traveled up the passage on the Steamship Alaska. Corky remembered vividly how they tossed a coin in the air to decide which way to go, and the coin toss pointed them to the Matanuska Valley. They homesteaded in Wasilla. Corky and his dad did a variety of jobs in their early Alaska years including working for the Alaska Road Commission and running traplines. He graduated from Wasilla High School in 1947 and always joked about being second in his class . . . of two . . . right behind Shirley Teague. Corky and his parents built the Riverside Lodge on the Alaska Highway twice, as it burned down once, and they rebuilt. Corky learned how to fly during this time and flew groceries into villages, most often the village of Northway. He was good friends with all the villagers, including Chief Northway. Corky loved everything driving and flying. One of his early heroines was Amelia Earhart. He was a truck driver at heart and loved being behind the wheel.

It was likely this love of driving that led him to Chistochina Roadhouse, near Glennallen, Alaska in 1959, where he met Madeline Smith. She was working as a waitress for the summer while visiting her brother who had moved to Alaska. They married on November 19, 1960, and settled in Delta Junction, Alaska, where Corky was living at the time. They had two children, Holly and Everett. Corky operated a trucking business in Delta Junction, Sager Trucking, and guided big game hunters across the Delta River with his dad for a period of time also. He and his family moved to Sequim, Washington in 1977 where they lived until the 1980s. He and Madeline moved back to Alaska in 1991 and lived in Anchorage, then finally back in Wasilla in 2003 until his passing.

Corky loved music and played the electric guitar, as well as being a famous spoon player. He would jam with different bands at various spots in the Mat Su Valley, including the Last Frontier Brewery. The crowds at the Last Frontier lovingly called him "Spoon Man." Corky truly had an Alaska Pioneer spirit. He was a trapper, gold miner, big game guide, bush pilot, truck driver, and business owner. He lived in many parts of the state including Wasilla, Riverside (near Northway), Delta Junction, Fairbanks, Dutch Harbor/Unalaska, Skagway, and Anchorage. He was a true visionary and always loved a new challenge. He had an incredibly positive attitude and boundless energy for his entire life. He loved meeting new people and visiting and telling stories.

Corky worked at the Wasilla Museum and Visitor Center during the last decade of his life and enjoyed it thoroughly. He loved talking to tourists and working with the wonderful museum staff who treated him like royalty. Corky was a devoted husband of 64 years, father, and friend to many. He is survived by his beautiful and loving wife, Madeline; daughter, Holly; son, Everett; and granddaughter Taylor, the apple of his eye.

A Celebration of Life for Corky will be held at the Wasilla Museum, 391 N. Main St. Wasilla, on Saturday, July 12th 1pm-3pm.