March 23, 2007

Lena Caudill

Lena Caudill, 92, a resident of Cliff, N.M., died at her home on Jan. 17, 2007.

She was born Nov. 4, 1914, in Sparenberg, Texas, to Sidney Alfred Williams and Alma Mary Davis. She was a writer, an artist, and she enjoyed spending time with her family and horses.

She is survived by her two sons, Henry Towner and wife Roberta of Alaska, and Patrick Williams and wife Mary of Cliff; one daughter, Lucille Frey of Alaska; 16 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Sidney Alfred and Alma Mary Williams; her husband, Jesse Lee Caudill; daughter, Jacquelyn Vanek; brothers, George Williams and Jody Williams; and sister, Amanda Jewel Williams.

Services were Jan. 27 at the Church of Latter Day Saints in Gila, N.M., with Esker Mayberry officiating. Interment followed at Cliff Gila Mesa Cemetery. Pallbearers were Sidney Williams, Jeremy Williams, Danny Williams, Furman Smith, Sterling Donaldson and Keith Williams. Honorary pallbearer was Dick Clark. Arrangements were with Terrazas Funeral Chapels in Santa Clara, N.M.

Patricia ‘Pat'

Mary Newman

Lifelong Alaska resident Patricia &#8220Pat” Mary Newman died peacefully in her dream home in Willow, with family by her side, on March 18, 2007.

She was born in Palmer on March 4, 1940, to Palmer colonists Carl and Elizabeth Sullivan. Soon after her birth, the Sullivan family moved from Palmer to Anchorage.

She graduated from Anchorage High School in 1958, and married her high school sweetheart, Gene Newman. Together, they worked hard raising their four sons and developing a variety of family owned and operated businesses.

In 1979, the family moved to Willow, and opened Newman's Hilltop. In addition to being a successful business owner, she was passionate about her family, community and her friends. She served as chairwoman of the Willow Area Community Organization for several years. She played an instrumental role in the establishment of the Willow Volunteer Fire Department. She was always there to lend her support to the community. She worked with multiple agencies during the 1986 Willow flood. She always could be counted on by friends, family and community. She was a master gardener, and enjoyed tending her flowers and spending time with family and friends.

She is survived by her husband of 48 years, Gene; her brothers and sisters-in-law, Bill and Cherlon Sullivan and Tom and Cathy Sullivan; mother-in-law, June Newman; sons and daughters-in-law, Mike Newman, Rick and Jane, Charlie and Jamie, and Sam and Jennifer; grandsons, Kyle and Max; and granddaughters, Lauren, Emma, Kacey and Jessie.

She also leaves behind many dear friends, including Bob, and her angel, Donna Anselm.

Friends are invited to a potluck celebration of life honoring Pat at the Willow Community Center, set for 1 p.m. Saturday, March 24, 2007. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Mat-Su, 3051 E. Palmer-Wasilla Hwy., Wasilla, AK 99654.

Arrangements are with Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel.

Mark Allen Hood

Wasilla resident Mark Allen Hood, 38, was born Feb. 22, 1969, in Anchorage and died March 18, 2007, at home in Big Lake due to a lengthy illness. He was part of Hood and Sons Pump and Drilling Co.

He loved well drilling. He loved seeing the smiles on the customers' faces when he got their water for them.

He lived to hunt, fish and work. He started drilling when he was 7 as a helper and hated it, but came to love it when he was 12.

His family stated, &#8220We were drilling in Wasilla and I had to get a part or something, I told him to wait and shovel dirt and I would be right back. I was gone for an hour or more and when I got back, he had the water and was trying to develop it. He was so proud of himself, and I was more than proud because he helped me so much. He started liking it after that. He was a very good welder from the start. When he was 17, we drilled a well for a customer in the 80s who was a welding instructor, he told Mark that he was a natural and should get certified, but Mark was not interested at the time. There are no words to express the depth of our loss.”

He was a certified well driller and a very good fabricator. He built four drilling rigs, from hydraulics to air systems. His last drill is 99 percent done now. He also loved building buggies and Cushman tracksters. He was a Christian and loved the lord. He was a person who tried to please people and would give the shirt off his back without thinking about it if they needed it. When he was 17, contracted chronic fatigue syndrome, which ate away at his immune system, and that caused cancer, according to a research foundation in South Carolina, his family writes.

Survivors are his parents, Bill and Bernice Hood; and his brother, David Hood.

In keeping with his wishes, No service will be held.

Valley Funeral Home and Crematory of Wasilla is assisting the family with

arrangements.

Michael Scot Jones

Wasilla resident Michael Scot Jones, 38, died March 12, 2007, in Wasilla.

He was born Nov. 26, 1968, in Sleepy Eye, Minn. He became an Alaska resident in July 2006, living in Wasilla. He was a drywaller at various locations.

He enjoyed building remote control cars, trucks and boats, playing racing (car) videos and target shooting. His family wrote: &#8220He was a loving son, brother and uncle with a good sense of humor. He will be missed greatly.”

He was preceded in death by his brother, Dean Jones; grandfather, Herb Kyar; and his father, Harold Jones.

He is survived by his mother, Shirley Whitmer of Alaska; grandmother, Myrtle Kyar of Minnesota; sisters, Debbie Jones, Lynn Jones and Donna Whitmer of Alaska, Suzie Morgan of Arizona, and Peggy Bosch and Amy Bachmeyer of Minnesota; brothers, Tim Jones of Ohio, and Jeff and Danny Jones of Minnesota; and many nieces and nephews.

Local arrangements were provided by Kehl's Palmer Mortuary.

Richard Daniel ‘Rick' Schaerer

Anchorage resident Richard Daniel &#8220Rick” Schaerer, 39, died March 12, 2007. A gathering of family and friends is set for 2 p.m. Sunday, March 25, 2007, at the Carpenters Hall at the corner of 4th and Denali Streets in Anchorage.

He was born Aug. 14, 1967.

He is survived by his parents, Ray and Nita Schaerer of Wasilla; two daughters, Brittaney and Kayla of Anchorage; longtime companion, Catharine Bennett of Anchorage; and many aunts, uncles and cousins throughout the Unites States.

He was preceded in death by grandparents, Clarence and Ruth Schaerer of Chattanooga, Tenn., and J.B. and Bonnie Bates of Rossville, Ga.

He came to Alaska with his parents in 1970 at the age of 3. He graduated from Diamond High School in 1985, and received an associate's degree and advanced diesel training from Denver Automotive and Diesel College.

He worked as a transmission mechanic at B&B Transmission, Taylor Transmission, AAMCO Transmission, and Anchorage Chrysler.

During the most recent years, he was able to pursue his passion for gold mining on a full-time basis.

He loved his family, friends, pets, gold mining and the great Alaska outdoors.

He enjoyed fishing, hunting and four-wheeling, and was an avid gardener.

He was an accomplished musician who played trumpet, French horn and guitar.

No matter where he was, his tunes were always there, in the middle of the wilderness, or underwater dredging, his

family writes.

He could &#8220fix anything that didn't work” and he was

never too busy to stop and help others.

He had many friends, who all will miss his ready smile.

His ashes will be scattered at the places he loved most, Petersville and Mills Creek.