Obituaries for October 20, 2000Juanita Kathleen McKechnie

Palmer resident Juanita Kathleen McKechnie, 82, died Oct. 16, 2000, at Valley Hospital. A private family graveside service was held at the Palmer Pioneer Cemetery with Pastor Jonathon Rockey of St. John Lutheran Church officiating. Bill McKechnie, Jeff McKechnie, Russ McKechnie and George Hermon served as pallbearers.

Mrs. McKechnie was born Oct. 13, 1918, in Hawarden, Saskatchewan, Canada to Fred and Edith Hurd, Americans who were temporarily residing in Canada. The family moved to the Seattle area about 1921. Then at the urging of a friend, they moved to Alaska in 1934 and homesteaded on the south side of Wasilla Lake.

She graduated from Wasilla High School. Her family said: "When the colonists arrived, Juanita met Don McKechnie and they married on Feb. 6, 1937. Don always liked to say she was waiting at the train depot for him. They lived in Palmer until they built a home on Wasilla Lake about 1966 and resided there until moving to the Palmer Pioneers' Home in 1995."

Mrs. McKechnie was a member of the Women of the Moose, Palmer Chapter #942 and the Pioneers of Alaska Auxiliary #11. She enjoyed gardening, sewing, painting, ceramics and she loved to read.

Her family said: "Juanita was a quiet, home-loving person. Her family came first and she was always there for us. She was a wonderful cook and made the best smoked salmon around. She was also an expert seamstress. When her granddaughters were young, she kept their closets full of pretty dresses. Probably her most favorite place, besides her home, was Hawaii. After retirement and before she became ill, they spent time there every winter."

Mrs. McKechnie is survived by husband, Don, of the Palmer Pioneers' Home; daughter & son-in-law, Dona and George Hermon; son and daughter-in-law, Bill and Jeanie McKechnie, all of Palmer; sister, Shirley Ekren of Anchorage; grandchildren, Laurel Biegert of Oregon, Kathleen Fillingim of Healy, Bill McKechnie and Jeff McKechnie; step-grandchildren, Mark, Kent and Tom Hermon, all of Palmer; 11 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Edith Hurd and her brother, Kenneth Hurd.

The family requested memorial contributions be directed to the American Parkinson's Disease Association Inc., 1250 Hylan Blvd., Suite 4B, Staten Island, NY 10305 or Resident Council, Palmer Pioneers' Home, 250 East Fireweed, Palmer, AK 99645.

Arrangements were made by Kehl's Palmer Mortuary.