Marcella Hartley

Marcella Hartley

June 1st, 1929 — June 13th, 2022

Inga Marcella Vasanoja was born at her grandparents farmhouse in Cromwell, Minnesota, the fifth child of Inga Helen and Lawrence Sulo Vasanoja.

In 1934 Marcella burned down the barn in a potato-roasting mishap. After that lean winter the Vasanojas joined the Matanuska Colony Project. Marcella grew up on the Springer System with other Colony Kids becoming like an extended family thrown together by hardship and unique opportunity. After the Vasanojas gave up farming in 1945, Marcella lived with the Burgans at Matanuska to finish her last two years at Palmer High, and worked summers at Sonekes cannery on Ship Creek.

The Vasanojas became friends with the Hartleys in 1935, when Anchorage welcomed the Colonists with a luncheon and car tours. The Hartleys chauffeured the Vasanojas to see if they looked as funny as the name sounded. Bob Hartley lived with them to attend Palmer High, and his brother Lee married Marcellas sister Maralyn. Bob returned from the Aleutians in 1946 and married Marcella in November 1947. They were together 61 years, making their home on Finger Lake in the Little House Bob built and the Big House (Bobs parents home since 1945, built 1917). Their early years together were full of adventures flying, camping, hunting, and fishing. In 1951 they drove a pair of Diamond T trucks up the Alcan at forty below.

Marcella and Bob began setnet fishing on Kalgin Island in 1956, neighbors to Tex Cobb, the Hermons, LaWalters, and Swicks. Fish camp was the ultimate family time over the decades, a special place anchored by Bob and Marcellas red cabin, where everyone on the beach squeezed in around the blue table after dinner telling jokes and stories.

Marcella attended Palmer Community College, taught preschool, then worked for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. She ran the Boroughs first computer, and retired from the purchasing department in 1984. Marcella helped organize the Colony reunion dinners for thirty years.

Marcella and Bob were loving parents to Kirk, Helen, and Roberta, and were unofficial parents to other family and friends. Grandkids and great-grandkids loved to play, nap, feast, and visit at her house.

She kept her pragmatism, sharp wit, and independence to the end. Shortly after her 93rd birthday Marcella arranged for an ambulance, walked out of her home of half a century, and died four days later with her affairs meticulously in order.

Marcella was predeceased by husband Bob in 2008, and sisters Dorothy Hildre and Maralyn Hartley.

She is survived by her son Kirk Hartley and his wife Toni of Finger Lake, daughter Helen Hulbert and husband Ralph of Palmer, daughter Roberta Swick and husband Alvin of Seldovia; grandkids Bobby (Holly) and Kevin (Kaylee) Hartley; Ruth and Garth Hulbert; Keith (Jen), Jeff (Meghan), Griffin, and Alexandria Swick; eight great-grandkids; Alfred Huff of Homer; numerous nieces and nephews; and her older siblings Larry Vasanoja and Pearl Jensen.

A memorial will be held after fishing season, 2pm September 5th at the Elks on Finger Lake.