Keith Town

Longtime Alaskan Keith F. Town, 52, died Sept. 7, 2007, at home with his wife by his side. A service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 29 at United Presbyterian Church in Palmer. Pastor Sandra Wagenius will officiate.

Town was born Dec. 16, 1954, in Meade County, S.D., to Frank and Margaret Town. He moved to Alaska with his family in 1959 and attended numerous schools here. He entered the U.S. Army in his late teens.

Town returned to Alaska in 1973 and transferred to the Army National Guard, where he served with pride for 17 years. He worked munitions and recovery, duties which he performed with satisfaction and thoroughness. He held the Guard in high esteem.

He also worked at Alaska Pacific University and in positions involving maintenance, forestry and the liquor industry. No matter where he was employed, he applied his usual energy, regard to detail and strong work ethic. In 2000, Town re-established contact with a friend from high school, Janice Stormer, and they married in 2002.

Town was a proud member of American Legion Post 29, where he devoted countless hours doing various activities. He was an avid reader and especially enjoyed technical books about gunsmithy, metallurgy and other crafts. He was always busy working with his hands and mind.

He loved to discuss politics and kept up with current events until his death. He loved to fish and shop in second-hand stores. He was friendly and would easily strike up a conversation while standing in line waiting for service. He had a wry sense of humor, which he was not shy about using. His family remembers him as a man with a keen sense of humor, an insatiable curiosity, a quick mind and a strong love for his wife.

He is survived by his wife, Janice, of Palmer; brothers Kevin (Charlotte) of Anchorage and Kirk (Kathy) of Portland, Ore.; sister Kyla and life-long friend Jen Bailey of Syracuse, N.Y.; and many nieces and nephews. Town was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Margaret Town.