Mark E. Flechsing

Mark E. Flechsing, 51, died Jan. 7, 2011, at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, from acute respiratory distress syndrome.

A celebration of life is at 4:30 p.m., Jan. 13, at Northgate Alaska Equipping Center, 2991 N. Tait Drive, in Wasilla, with Pastor Dennis Hotchkiss officiating.

His cremated remains will be scattered at the family homestead in Idaho.

Mark was born Jan. 13, 1959, in Missoula, Mont. He completed three years of college and was an EMT III, ACLS certified. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1977 and came to Alaska in 1977. He worked in security, logistics and as an EMT III at Prudhoe Bay from 1987 to 2007, and was a volunteer EMT III with Wasilla Ambulance from 1992 to 2004. He was medically retired from Purcell Services in 2007, in Milne Point.

He was a member of Northgate Alaska Church, Transplant House in Seattle, Special Santa and the Wasilla Tea Party. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, debating, woodworking, grilling and serving God.

According to his family, “Mark was a blessing to his family, friends and community. He was a patriot who loved his country and fellow man. Mark was always shepherding the lost and lonely, bringing them into his home and his heart.”

Mark is survived by his wife, Juanita Flechsing of Wasilla; daughters and sons-in-law, Deanna Flechsing and Gene Petty, Mary and William Childs, all of Wasilla, and Emma Scoggins of Kuwait; sons and daughters-in-law, Jacob and April Flechsing of Wasilla and Lucas Trammel of Phoenix, Ariz.; brothers and sister-in-law, Jeff and Wendy Flechsing of Nampa, Idaho and Josh Flechsing of Missoula; sisters and brothers-in-law, Deborah Johnston and Craig Thompson of Anchorage, Cammeron Edwards of Wasilla, Cyndie Abbott of Skwentna and Bridgette Flechsing of Missoula; sister-in-law, Mary Carroll of Anchorage; step-mother, Jo Rusk of Riggins, Mont.; grandsons, Jeff and Ryan Flechsing and Alex Childs, all of Wasilla; granddaughters, Katherine Donnally, Emma Flechsing and Donna Childs, all of Wasilla; nieces and nephew, Ashley, Kelsey, Maggie, Gracie, Rebecca, Miranda, Jason and Eudora.

In lieu of flowers, you can send donations to transplanthouse.org/ or Transplant House, P.O. Box 85218, Seattle, WA 98145-1218.

Arrangements by Alaskan Heritage Memorial Chapel and Crematory of Wasilla.