Jim and Nancy Defreest

March 15, 1952 - July 1, 2025

Jim and Nancy DeFreest both passed in 2025, Jim on April 29th, and Nancy on July 1st. They were faithful followers of Jesus and happily married for 45 years.

Jim was born in Montpelier, VT in 1948 to Donald and Millicent DeFreest. The family moved to Alaska in 1963, where he graduated from Palmer High School in 1965. Jim served in the US Navy in Vietnam as an Aviation Electronics Technician. When he came home from the war, he started working for Matanuska Telephone Association in 1970. He worked there until he retired. He met Nancy in 1977, and they were married in 1979.

Nancy was born in 1952, in Santa Cruz, CA to George and Mildred Strouse. She moved to Alaska driving Pilot Car up the Alcan during the Pipeline Boom in 1972. After she and Jim married, she devoted her life to being a stay-at-home Mom.

Jim and Nancy loved exploring Alaska's great outdoors with their children in their spare time, including hunting, fishing, flying, hot air ballooning, and treasure hunting in the Kennicott Copper Mine. They were very active in their church and devoted a lot of time to the local Judo club.

They are both survived by all of their siblings, as well as their two children Rachel and Patrick (Amy); grandchildren Johnathan (Staci), Christian (Meghan), Isabella, Gabriel, and Josiah; and great granddaughter Emerie.

A joint Memorial Service will be held at Legacy Funeral Home Heritage Chapel on August 9th at 1:00 p.m.