MARNE V. HANKS

Marne V. Hanks, 84, died of natural causes on Sunday morning, March 2, 2003, in Palmer, her home of 54 years.

Mrs. Hanks was born July 17, 1918, in Baker, Ore.,

to Muriel and LeRoy Ruggles. She is the fourth of five siblings.

She was preceded in death by Lew E. Hanks, her husband of 57 years; by her brother Virgil L. Ruggles of Salt Lake City, Utah; May Ruggles Cunningham of San Leandro, Calif.; and her great-granddaughter, Emma Torgerson, of Oregon City, Ore.

She is survived by her sisters, Itolfern Brady of Columbia, Calif.; Jean Vaughn, of Moscow, Idaho; her three children, Muriel Watturn of Palmer, Edward Hanks of Fairbanks, and Jane Hull of Honolulu, Hawaii. She is also survived by eight grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Hanks graduated with a degree in business at the University of Idaho at Moscow where she met and married her husband Lew. They moved to Watsonville, Calif., where their three children, Muriel, Ed and Jane were born. The family then moved to Palmer in 1949. She first worked for the post office and later worked for and retired from the Matanuska Telephone Association.

She was active in the Cheechako Homemakers and the Grange, and was a long-time member of the Alaska State Fair Board. She was a charter member of the Matanuska Valley, Chapter No. 14, Order of the Eastern Star, and was a charter member of the local chapter of Beta Sigma Phi. She also was a member of the Elks Emblem Club and participated with her husband Lew in the Pioneers of Alaska. She and Lew were voted Queen and King of the Pioneers in 1992.

Mrs. Hanks enjoyed knitting and making stoneware pottery for her family and friends. She and Lew were part-owners and operators of the Independence Mine Ski Resort from 1963 to 1973. She operated a charter fishing boat business with her husband in Seward and Seldovia in the 1970s and '80s after their retirement. She was a member of the Palmer Senior Citizen's Center, and an avid bridge and pinochle player up to the month before her death.

Memorial services were held on Thursday, March 6, at the United Protestant Presbyterian Church of Palmer. A second reception was held at her home at 4900 Farm Loop Road following church services.

Memorials may be sent to the Hospice Organization of Palmer/Wasilla, 950 E. Bogard Road, Suite 111, Wasilla AK 909654.

Arrangements were made by Kehl's Palmer Mortuary.