KELI ANN MAHONEY

Talkeetna resident Keli Mahoney, 35, died May 28, 2003, as a result of an aviation accident on South Hunter Pass in Denali National Park.

The rosary was said on June 1 and mass was held on June 2 at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Talkeetna, with Father Leo Walsh as celebrant. A celebration of her life was held the evening

of June 2 at the Talkeetna

Elementary School gym.

Born on Feb. 20, 1968, in Quincy, Mass., to Roy and Francis Mahoney. She was the youngest of six children. At the age of 16, she became the first female member of the Seven Hill Yacht Club in Boston. A private pilot at age 16, Mahoney was a certified flight instructor at 18. After completing her Bachelor of Science degree at Bridgewater State College, she began flying the east coast corridor for the TWA regional commuter shuttle in 1989, at the age of 21.

In 1991, she moved to Bethel, where she flew for Hagland Aviation. In 1993, she relocated to Talkeetna. She was chief pilot for Doug Geeting Aviation for the 1993 and 1994 seasons. In 1995, she and business partner, LeeAnn Wetzel, began McKinley Air Service, one of only four companies in the United States owned and operated by women. Specializing in ferrying climbers to base camp on Mount McKinley and flightseeing tours of Denali National Park, Mahoney acted in the capacity of co-owner and chief pilot for McKinley Air from 1995 until the time of her death.

Mahoney was an avid dog musher. Owner of McKinley Kennels, she raced in the Iditarod Sled Dog Race from Anchorage to Nome in 1997 and 1998, placing as high as 30th. She also ran in the Yukon Quest race between Whitehorse, Yukon Territory and Fairbanks in both 2001 and 2002.

An active member of the Talkeetna community, she was as a member of the volunteer ambulance service and was a volunteer firefighter.

According to family and friends, "Keli lived her life to its fullest capacity. There was no boundary she felt she couldn't cross nor was there a challenge too great for her to tackle."

Mahoney is survived by her life partner Cheri Cote, of Talkeetna; her parents Roy and Francis Mahoney of Quincy, Mass., and Hobe Sound, Fla.; sisters, Susan Nye and husband Lindsey of Maine, and Diane Claire and husband Michael of New Hampshire; brothers Roy Mahoney Jr. and wife Janet, and Steven Mahoney and wife Kathy, all of Massachusetts; nephew Rob Owens of Florida; and many other nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her sister, Carolyn Owens.

A memorial fund has been established at Wells Fargo Bank, Wasilla Branch, 581 Parks Highway, Wasilla AK 99654, account number 1002352969.

Arrangements were made by Valley Funeral Home.