MORRIS E. WILHELM

Longtime Alaska resident Morris E. Wilhelm, 71, died of cancer Friday, Aug. 13, 2004, at his home in Palmer. He was 71.

Mr. Wilhelm was born Jan. 17, 1933, in N.E. Hope, Ontario, Canada. He was cremated and ashes will be sent to Eureka, Ill., to be placed with his wife. A memorial service will be held at 5 p.m. on Aug. 25 at the VFW Hall at the Fairview Motel in Palmer.

Mr. Wilhelm came to Alaska's Kenai Peninsula in the early 1960s and resided there for many years. After a few years, he went to work for Union Oil out at the Nikiski dock. Later, they transferred him to Anchorage, where he worked until his retirement.

He met his future wife, Virginia Heron, in Homer, and they were married in November 1971 in Anchorage. She brought several children to the marriage. Mr. Wilhelm adopted the youngest one in 1975. After his retirement, they moved to Palmer.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia; parents, Hardie and Maggie (Cook) Wilhelm; brother, Chester H. Wilhelm; sister, Amanda Bankert and two sisters-in-law, Margie and Rusty Wilhelm.

He is survived by his brothers, Raymond, Ivan and Richard Wilhelm and his wife, Eileen, all of Ontario, Canada; sister, Cora Beehler and her husband, Willis, of Ontario, Canada; brother-in-law, Ed Bankert of Ontario, Canada; sister-in-law, Racheal Wilhelm and family of Soldotna and many nephews and nieces in Canada. He is also survived by his stepchildren, Debbie and Tim Zietlow and their children, of Grants Pass, Ore., Doug and Doniese McGraw and their children of Englewood, Colo., Don McGraw of Afghanistan, Kathi and John Trementozzi and their children, of Frisco, Texas, granddaughters, Kassandra Wilhelm of Palmer and Christiana and husband, Mitch Grunzke, and their daughter, all of Palmer.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mr. Wilhelm's honor may be made to Hospice of Mat-Su.

Arrangements were with Valley Funeral Home & Crematory in Wasilla.