Jim Gastelum

Jim Gastelum

Former Palmer resident Jim Gastelum, 66, passed away August 4th, 2022, at Mat-Su Regional Hospital, surrounded by his family.

There will be a celebration of life held by the family at The Moose Lodge in Palmer on August 25th, 2022, from 2-5pm.

Jim Gastelum was born on August 15th, 1955, to Gustavo Gastelum and Juanita Pickering in San Diego County, California. In 1980 he found himself driving trucks from Tacoma, Washington, to Palmer, Alaska, for work. When he laid eyes on Alaskas mountains he knew he was home.

He found work for himself in the Palmer community and in 1987 he met Dorinda Miller. They married on October 14th, 1988, and had four children. They spent many years of their life together working for the Reindeer Farm in the Butte, earning him the nickname Reindeer Jim. He loved the Williams family, looking at them as family of his own and the Williams children loved him as an older brother. Training deer, caring for the horses, and rescuing baby moose were some of the ways that Jim spread kindness in this world. He loved to spend his summers hunting and fishing and year round with his family in the field caring for the animals. Jim fought and beat cancer in his fifties while showing those around him a deep appreciation for the little things in life. The last years of Jims life were spent living with his son, Kody, in Anchor Point spending his time rockhounding and beach combing.

He was preceded in death by his brother Gus Gastelum. He is survived and his memory held dear by his brother, Harry Gastelu;, sisters, Myra Cabrera and Nita Healy; his wife, Dorinda Gastelum; his children, Kisa Kemnitz, Kyle Gastelum, Kody Gastelum, nd Kelsey Gastelum; and his grandson, Kekoa Gastelum.