LELAND PETER OLKJER JR.

Sutton resident Dr. Leland P. Olkjer Jr. died peacefully Monday, Jan. 5, 2004, at Valley Hospital in Palmer. He was 61.

Funeral services were held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on W. Arctic Street in Palmer on Jan. 10. A memorial is also being planned in Valdez for a later date.

Dr. Olkjer was born Sept. 17, 1942, in Colorado Springs, Colo., to Leland and Fern Olkjer. He was raised on the family ranch in Elbert, Colo.

He spent time as a 4-H Foreign Exchange Student in Turkey and obtained a bachelor of science degree at Colorado State University.

Dr. Olkjer married his wife, Mary Kay, in July 1967.

He worked in construction, was the junior high principal, senior high assistant principal and science teacher in Elbert, Colo. He also drove the school bus and coached basketball. In 1971, he moved to and worked for the city of Anchorage until returning to Palmer Chiropractic College in Iowa in 1976. While attending college he and Mary Kay maintained a copy-service and a snow-removal business. In 1979, they returned to Anchorage, where he interned with Dr. Ken Ketz. In 1981, he moved his family to Valdez and opened Valdez Chiropractic Center. He was very active in the community, serving many positions as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, two terms on the Valdez City Council, and also as a Friend of Prince William Community College. Dr. Olkjer retired in August 2002, moving to Palmer that following spring.

Loved by many friends and family, survivors include his wife, Mary Kay, of Sutton; daughters and sons-in-law, Wendy and Oly Clubb, and Michelle and Rand Jonson; son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Tara Olkjer; granddaughters, Ashley and Sydney; grandsons, Colton and Mason of Indiana, Isaac of Valdez and Payton, Logan, Grant, Satch; granddaughter, Michelin of Valdez; brother, Carl Olkjer of Colorado; brother and sister-in-law, Dwight and Sandi Olkjer of Colorado; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Friends of Lee Olkjer fund at Wells Fargo Bank established by the Valdez Elks Lodge No. 2537.

Arrangements were made by Valley Funeral Home & Crematory in Wasilla.