James “Jim” Vari

James "Jim" Vari, 72, died at his home in Wasilla on Jan. 25, 2012.

A celebration of life in honor of Jim is at 1 p.m., Feb. 4 at the Windbreak Café, 2201 E. Parks Highway, Wasilla. His ashes will be scattered on the Yukon.

Jim was born Oct. 22, 1939, in Hungry and immigrated to the United States at the age of 15. After finishing high school in Texas, he joined the U.S. Air Force and was stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base from 1959 to 1963.

After his service he met the love of his life, Susie, and lived in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Wasilla. Jim worked as a surveyor for the Federal Aviation Administration, traveling all over the Bush surveying many of today's current village airstrips prior to their construction. He continued to survey for the Borough of Anchorage, the Municipality of Anchorage and retired early from the Mat-Su Borough in 1990 to finish their home, which they were building themselves.

During his retirement, he raised peacocks and served as a dog handler and pooper-scooper for his wife's kennel of Russian Wolfhounds, with which she earned many Best of Show awards. Jim enjoyed feeding birds, watching wildlife in his yard and riding his bicycle on the bike path. After his wife's death in 2000, Jim made it his personal mission in life to help his friends and others less fortunate.

Friends wrote, "Jim was a truly unique individual, a kind and generous person, always willing to lend a hand and selflessly putting the needs of others ahead of his own. We will miss him greatly. In his memory, take a friend to lunch."

Memorial donations in honor of Jim may be made to: Big Brother Big Sisters, 1057 W. Fireweed Lane Ste. 202, Anchorage, AK. 99503 or Paralyzed Veterans of America, 7 Mill Brook Road, Wilton, NH. 03086.

Valley Funeral Home and Crematory cared for the family.