John (Jack) M. Stevenson

John (Jack) M. Stevenson, 91, died Jan. 26, 2011, of natural causes at the Alaska Veterans and Pioneers Home in Palmer.

Born Nov. 13, 1919, in Spokane, Wash., to Joseph and Virginia (Sullins) Stevenson, he was raised in New Mexico, where he remembered traveling by covered wagon, and Skagit, Wash. He married Corinne E. Swisher in January 1939. They remained married until her death in 1985. During World War II, Jack worked as a cook on a fireboat guarding Puget Sound and drove a taxi.

After the war, Jack and Corinne started the first radio-dispatched taxi business in Seattle. Upon selling his taxi business, Jack went to work for Seattle City Light in a substation and then became one of the first safety supervisors for the city.

He moved to the city water department as safety supervisor for several years before retiring in 1974. Upon retiring from the city of Seattle, Jack realized his dream of moving to Alaska, the Last Frontier, where he could work on the pipeline. He initially drove taxi in Anchorage and then went to work for the state of Alaska as a safety inspector on the pipeline. Jack brought his family to Alaska in 1976 and lived in Valdez, moving to Anchorage in 1977 and to the Valley in 1982. He retired from the state of Alaska in 1981.

After retiring, he and Corinne traveled between Washington and Alaska. After her death, Jack was able to become the “junk” man he always wanted to be, going to and holding garage sales and building cabins. He will be fondly remembered for these unique buildings and times.

Jack is survived by his sister, Joanne Stevens Morton; three children, Richard, Joseph (Sharon) and Cheri (Brian) Hagen; grandchildren, Sean, Michael, Michelle, Deserae, Brandy, C.J., Tara, and Skye; and five great-grandchildren.

Preceding him in death were his brother, Robert, and his wife, Corinne.

The family is planning a family memorial service this summer in Washington to spread his ashes.