Jesse O. Edenfield Sr.

Longtime Wasilla resident Jesse O. Edenfield Sr., 84, died Oct. 21, 2010, at his rural Wasilla home.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Oct. 26, at Glacierview Alliance Church on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway. Interment will follow in the Wasilla-Aurora Cemetery. For further information, please call Valley Funeral Home at 373-3344.

Jesse was born Oct. 20, 1926, in Zellwood, Fla., to Jessie and Jesse M. Edenfield. He joined the Navy as a young man and worked on a submarine. He married Sarah Gunnoe, and together they raised six children in Orlando, Fla. He drove a truck long distances when the older children were young and owned a plumbing business in Orlando for over 20 years. In 1975, he moved to Alaska to fulfill a childhood dream. Jesse loved every bit of Alaska, especially his beloved five acres in Wasilla.

Together with his wife and son, Lloyd, they built a home on Pittman Road, where he lived until his death. He had large gardens and raised cows, pigs and sheep. In 1996, Jesse retired from Fort Richardson after 23 years of service.

He enjoyed building and construction and was constantly in the middle of some project. Recently, he had begun working long hours in his garage workshop. Along with his primary residence he had built or helped with building four homes in Wasilla.

Jesse loved a good meal shared with friends and family, and especially loved the holidays. The TV was usually on the western channel, Missy on his lap and a tea glass on a table nearby. He was admired for his kindness, wisdom, work ethic, honesty and sense of humor. Jesse will be missed dearly by all who loved him.

Jesse leaves his children, John Whittington, Dianne Fillyaw, Jesse Edenfield Jr., Dawn Cross, Lloyd Edenfield; grandchildren, Oliver, James, Shannon, Tommy, Debbie, Cheryl, Joey, Josh, Justin and Tyler; and great-grandchildren Skye, Sommer, Bjorn and Lily.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Sarah, and daughter, Joanne.