Norbert J. Chowaniec Sr.

Norbert J. Chowaniec Sr., 79, died Dec. 14 at the Mat-Su Regional Hospital, surrounded by family.

Norbert was born in Elma, N.Y., and was raised on a farm. In 1947 he enlisted in the Army Air Forces and came to Alaska.

After his discharge in 1949, he came back to Alaska where he’s been a resident since.

Norbert met his wife, Annabelle R., in the Matanuska Valley. They married in 1950 and went on to raise a family of six boys and a girl.

In the early 1950s, Norbert built cabins in Big Lake and worked on the Eklutna Power Project. Then he settled into being a heavy equipment mechanic on Fort Richardson, repairing bulldozers, dump trucks, etc.

Norbert enjoyed hunting and being outdoors. His passion was in swamp-buggies. The big challenge was getting them going and keeping them going, specially while on a hunting trips.

Norbert is survived by is wife, Annabelle, sons, daughter, and sons/daughters in-laws. They are as follows: Norbert Jr., Michael and Barbara Chowaniec, Margaret and Jack Lua, Mark and Tina, James, George and Vincent.

Survived by many grandsons, granddaughters, great-grandsons, and great-granddaughters and they are Kelly and Alex Strawn with son Ryder and daughter Marley; Dustin and Silvia Chowaniec with daughter Dayanna; Sara and Brandon Bruner with son Aiden; Tina and Mark Barber; Annabelle T. and Jake Dokken with son Nikolas; Stephanie, Elissa, Victoria, Hannah, Mary, Christopher and Kyle Hanson.

Also, Norbert is survived by sisters Teresa Stando and Charlotte Chowaniec who live in New York. Services will be held Saturday at 1 p.m., at St. Michaels in Palmer.

A special thanks to Sam Meneses at Palmer Senior Center, Mary McConnell and staff of the Palmer Veterans / Pioneer Home.