LAVERNE E. GRONEWALD

LaVerne (Vern) Everett Gronewald, 75, a longtime resident of Wasilla, passed away peacefully in his home on March 3, 2005, from prostate cancer.

A memorial service will be announced at a later date.

Born Oct. 23, 1929 in St. Paul, Minn., Mr. Gronewald graduated from high school in St. Paul in 1946. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1950 to 1954, serving as airman first class. Mr. Gronewald attended the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point. He graduated with a bachelor of science degree in biology on the morning of June 7, 1958 and married Arlene (Ricky) Rutkowski that same afternoon. He joked that he got his bachelor's degree in the morning and lost it in the afternoon.

Mr. Gronewald taught high school science in Thompson Falls, Mont., from 1958 to 1960.

He then began his long and illustrious career with the U.S. Customs Service. He was a border officer in Opheim, Sweetgrass and Scobey, Mont. from 1960 to 1965. He was assigned to Prince Rupert, British Columbia from 1965 to 1967 and to Ketchikan from 1967 to 1970. He transferred to Anchorage in 1970, where he remained for the duration of his career. Mr. Gronewald retired from the U.S. Customs Service in 1986 as acting district director for the Port of Anchorage.

After retirement, he was self-employed as a customhouse broker and import-export consultant from 1987 through 1998. Mr. Gronewald and Ricky also owned and operated Wasilla Lake Bed and Breakfast.

Among many other things, Mr. Gronewald especially enjoyed fishing, boating, golfing, camping and antique collecting. He also enjoyed cooking and loved nothing more than having his family join him for his delicious sourdough pancake breakfast or for a dinner of his famous chili verde.

His loved ones wrote, "Vern's sense for adventure brought his family north, eventually settling in Wasilla in 1974 where he built a beautiful home on Wasilla Lake. Here he resided for 30 years. He loved Alaska and the outdoors and shared that love with his family, leading to countless adventures and misadventures along the way. He will be remembered for his kindness, his sense of humor, his loving ways and finally, his steadfast determination to battle his illnesses and hang on to the life he loved. He will be missed more than words can say."

In accordance with his wishes, his ashes will be scattered over Quillian Bay off Esther Island in Prince William Sound, leading his family on one final adventure.

His mother, Ruth Esther Blomgren, preceded him in death.

Mr. Gronewald is survived by his wife of 47 years, Arlene (Ricky) Gronewald; their five children and families, Mark Gronewald, Bruce Gronewald, Keri Dean, Kay and Ethan Petal, Sandra Petal; his grandchildren, Carly, Nicholas and Benjamin Petal and his great-grandchild, Chloe McDaniel, all residents of the Palmer/Wasilla area.

He is also survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Donald Eugene and Anna Gronewald of St. Paul, Minn.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 102454, Atlanta, GA 30368-2454, or by calling 1-800-ACS-2345.

Arrangements were with Valley Funeral Home & Crematory in Wasilla.