JOHN "KELLY" POORE

Outdoorsman, traveler, and 10-year resident of the northern Susitna Valley, John "Kelly" Poore, 40, died Dec. 8, 2004, on Main Street in Talkeetna. State troopers believed the cause to be a sudden heart attack or stroke.

A memorial service will be held at the Talkeetna Christian Center today, Sunday, Feb. 20 at 3 p.m. In memory of Mr. Poore's enthusiasm for good food and conversation, a potluck will follow the service. Everyone is invited to bring a dish and memories of him to share. If there are questions, contact Elaine Sutton at 733-1863.

Mr. Poore was born March 17, 1964 and raised an only child in Wilmington, Del. As a young teen-ager, he helped care for his mother as she struggled with terminal cancer, and worked with his father in auto salvage.

In his early 20s, shortly after his father's death, Mr. Poore began a life of travel that took him to Florida, across the U.S. multiple times, through the jungles of Mexico, and finally to Alaska. Hitchhiking most of the time, Mr. Poore was a keen observer of people, politics, and nature. Always the opportunist, he hunted, lived on cactus, worked odd jobs, slept under the stars, welcomed the generosity of a home-cooked meal and a warm bed - whatever came his way.

His loved ones wrote, "His creativity and ability to expound on everything from trebuchets to time travel made him an enthusiastic conversationalist, drawing friends and strangers into lively discussions on the front porch at Nagley's store, in the pub, or around the bonfire.

"Everyone seemed to know him as a mechanic, an endless source of jokes - good and bad, a debonair flirt and a loyal friend. Kelly not only survived exposure to the elements in nature and in humanity, he thrived on the humor and variety of life.

"While Kelly had no known living relatives, he found an extensive family of friends in Alaska. The touch of this unique and remarkable person will live on in our stories and in our hearts."

Mr. Poore's request to be cremated was fulfilled by Valley Funeral Home.