Natalie (Nat) Alice Vroman

Natalie (Nat) Alice Vroman, 86, died May 21, 2012.

A celebration of life is at 2 p.m., June 14 at the Palmer Train Depot.

Natalie was born April 20, 1926, to Harvey L. Tyrrell and Esther C. (Bobier) Tyrrell. She and her older sisters, Elaine and Esther, were raised in Inglewood, Calif., where her father was an electrical engineer for ConEdison Electric Co. She lost sight in her right eye at age 2 in an overturned baby carriage accident, but she never compromised nor sought advantage. She was a tomboy and could out run and out wrestle most boys her age. The family moved to the San Fernando Valley.

At age 5, Natalie lost her mother. A year or so later, she was raised by her stepmother Edna, with whom Natalie had a tumultuous relationship. At age 13, she left home and was cared for by her “Mama Zona” of the Hinkley family. Childhood friend Helen Hinkley remained one of Natalie’s lifelong friends. During her teen years she worked as a theater usher, a hatcheck girl and a waitress. When she realized that her penchant for clothes put her in debt, she lived on candy bars, bait-shrimp and boiled eggs until she cleared herself of debt.

In 1943, she married Army Cpt. Bob Taylor and bore two children, David Michael and Kristin Kathleen. They divorced in 1950, and Natalie got employment at North American Aviation in the reproduction department running blueprints. She was considered to be the top operator within a few short months. She bought a house directly from the owner, negotiating her own terms. She restored the hardwood floors by hand, repainted or papered the walls and rewired the light switches. She bought antique furniture at second-hand stores and became knowledgeable of values. She bought a 1941 Chevrolet, had it shop tuned and became independent.

She met her second husband, Robert Vroman, by chance at a bowling league night when she came with a group of fellow workers who failed to make reservations. Natalie, as an overflow player, was invited to bowl with Vroman’s team. She made casual conversation, refused any offers of refreshments and was very clear about having her own car. A month later, the scenario repeated itself, but Vroman managed to interest her in attending a matinee movie as they both worked the “swing shift.” A month later, they took Natalie’s children to the circus. They skied in December, bought a treetop Christmas tree, which grew in a coffee can of beach sand until April.

They were engaged in February and married in March and headed for Alaska in June 1952. Alaska was a condition of the marriage, as Robert had planned a hunting trip for the Rod and Gun Club at Douglas Aircraft where he worked as a tool designer. Natalie filled in for the members who intended to go, but were unavailable. Robert bought Natalie a Husqvarna 30-06 rifle for a wedding present, with which she became a crack shot. They had a new trailer-home as a wedding gift.

The trip to Alaska was interrupted by a vehicle breakdown 543 miles from Dawson Creek. It’s sufficient to say that it took seven months and 11 days to get to the Alaska-Canada border. Natalie was eight months pregnant with their first child.

She settled into their trailer-home on March 9, 1953, in Anchorage, and in April she gave birth to Kent two days after her 27th birthday. She was pleased that Robert had a year-round job in the engineering department of the Alaska Road Commission as a cartographer.

They homesteaded at Houston in August 1953 as the second entry there. Natalie spent 12 years on the lake now known as MorVro Lake, the most western of the Meadow Lakes group. She bore another child, Kelley, in February 1955 on her eldest sister’s birthday and her father’s. Natalie killed moose for her family, which she skinned and butchered for the freezer.

The family returned to Los Angeles for a year and a half while Robert completed engineering studies at universities there. At the same time Natalie was employed at her job at North American Aviation. Robert worked for a construction firm while attending night classes. Natalie attended community college to gain skills in secretarial pursuits.

She gave birth to their third child, Karel, in November 1957 and the family returned to the homestead in May 1958. Robert continued employment at the Alaska Road Commission, by that time known as the Bureau of Public Roads. They purchased a basement house in Wasilla from their homestead neighbor Roy Morrison, where O’Reilly Auto Parts is now.

She was a fervent member of the Territorial Wasilla School PTA. She socialized with women of Wasilla who gathered at the U.S. Post Office and Teeland’s Store, which at times ended at Roy Morrison’s Wasilla Bar which during the day was generally void of male patrons.

A sick child set Natalie into a new episode in her life. She urged Robert to attend the PTA meeting to have a parent attendance credit. Robert came home as president of the Advisory School Board and tasked to find out what was the state-mandated borough and how it would affect Wasilla.

In 1962, Natalie went to work for the Valley Frontiersman as advertising manager. She built the advertising from a few local businesses into a listing for Anchorage, Fairbanks and national businesses. She bought her one and only mink coat with the bonus she received for her efforts.

In 1965, they moved to Four-Corners, and in 1967 she went to work for the Palmer Office of state Department of Fish and Game. At the same time, she pursued her interest in real estate, buying and selling places she would like to live. Together, Nat and Robert acquired the Kepler-Bradley Lakes area in 1972 and sold it 10 years later to the state for the Kepler-Bradley Recreation Area, now known as Matanuska Lake State Park

They retired simultaneously on Jan. 8, 1982, and began a retired life of 30 years. Natalie spent her 57th birthday in Venice, Italy. She continued her tour through Florence, Rome and Basel, Switzerland, Amsterdam, Brugge, England, Scotland and Wales. She also welcomed a granddaughter born in England.

Natalie continued to acquire and sell real estate until she by chance was enticed by a friend to look at Lake Louise. The family acquired seven acres of Trigg Island, established an LLC family resort and thoroughly enjoyed the outings on the island.

From the time she homesteaded, Nat loved the call of the loons. There was a pair she named Bing and Rosemary. At Lake Louise, she loved a pair she never named. However, there was a chick she named Elmer that became an amusement learning to dive and swim underwater, which he never seemed to accomplish. She often wondered if he managed these skills in time for a flight south.

Natalie’s contribution to the society of Palmer and Wasilla was unselfish. She had strong empathy for those families less fortunate than hers and assisted financially and physically to their wellbeing. Her helping was done in a considerate way, never bringing attention or embarrassment to the recipient and never seeking a return.

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough exists today for two important reasons: Natalie tolerated the loneliness of the homestead and the absent husband who campaigned for five tireless years to defeat a proposal to include the local area in a concept reaching from Cantwell to Portage. In the final battle, Natalie and Harold Newcomb raised $3,000 for a court suit against the state of Alaska and Boundary Commission. As a result of the election, the Cantwell-Portage concept failed 3-1 against it.

Natalie was an avid bowler. From 1965 until the early 2000s, she was on a team. She sponsored her own team called “Nat’s Cats.” She quit bowling because of a wrist injury. In high school, she performed Adagio dancing. As an adult she was a good ballroom dancer and was popular at dances at the Elks.

Preceding her in death were her parents; sisters; son, David Michael; and daughter, Kristin Kathleen.

Surviving is her spouse of 60 years, Robert Vroman; her three children and their spouses, Kent (Colleen) of Greenville, Texas, Kelley (Tom Riley) of Anchorage and Karel (Greg LaWalter) of Palmer; 18 grandchildren; and 34 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to any chapter of the Wounded Warriors or to St. Jude Children’s Hospital online at stjude.org/donate.