Neta Marie Dortland

Neta Marie Dortland, 79, of Wasilla, Alaska, passed peacefully on March 24, 2017, at home with her family by her side. Funeral services will be held at the First Baptist Church of Wasilla, 900 Leatherleaf Loop, Wasilla, on Friday April 7, 2017, at 2 p.m. Burial will follow in the Palmer Pioneer Cemetery.

Neta was a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother who loved God, family, her dogs, and her life in Alaska. Known for her “beautiful legs” she was Lead Majorette at her High School in Merced, California. Later she worked as a Carhop at Texas Tiny’s Drive Inn where she skated into her fantastic husband’s heart. Married for 56 years, they moved to the Mat-Su in 1970 where they would reside for the next 47 years. Neta’s first job in Alaska was as a waitress at the Windbreak Café in Palmer where she worked for two years until she got a job at the Palmer Unemployment Office. She was there from 1972-1977. She then found her true passion in listing and selling properties in the Mat-Su Valley where she excelled working for Totem Reality until 1981. She later moved to Century 21 Krenik where she would become an Associate Broker. Driven to succeed, she became a broker and owner of Century 21 Park Place Realty. Neta loved her career and retired in 1996. She was Vice President of the Valley Board of Realtors. Neta also loved gardening, planting flowers, dancing, playing pool and taking care of her dogs Maggy and Fred. She also loved studying her Bible. Neta will always be loved and sorely missed forever.

Neta is survived by two brothers, Norman Payton of Groveton, Texas, and James Sprengel of Wasilla, Alaska; four sons, Anthony Schwartz of Palmer, Alaska, Joey Schwartz of Wasilla, Alaska, Richard Dortland of Wasilla, Alaska; and Michael Dortland of Austin, Minnesota; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Richard and her parents, John Payton and Lois Peck.

Arrangements were under the direction of Valley Funeral Home, Wasilla Chapel.