Richard Ellis Forsgren

Richard Ellis Forsgren, 87, died March 19, 2010, at the Pioneer Home in Palmer. A Celebration of Life will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the American Legion in Wasilla, Mile 46 Parks Highway.

Dick was born Dec. 20, 1922, to Ellis and Goldie Forsgren in Portland, Ore.

Dick joined the Army Air Corps in 1944, became a fighter pilot and was assigned to teach instrument flying. He received orders to deploy to Europe, but the war was over before he was scheduled to go. He was recalled for the Korean War and flew F-84s out of RAF Manston in England and Korea.

After the war he returned to Oregon and applied for work in Alaska. He was hired by the CAA as a flight service communicator in 1956 and assigned to Galena. He moved to Cordova in 1962, to Cape Yakataga in 1965 and to McGrath in 1966. He was the first mayor of McGrath. He had a cabin in Ophir where he spent lots of time. He held an annual moose hunt there with Dave Ronaldson, Ed Jones and Popo Richardson for many years.

He retired from the FAA in 1983 with 32 years of federal service and moved to Long Lake in Willow. He was a bush pilot, hunter, sport fisherman and a trapper, along with being a partier extraordinaire.

Dick was also very involved with the Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race. He was at his cabin in Ophir for the first race. It became a regular checkpoint after that. He helped put the trail in between McGrath and Poorman for the Iditarod for many years and was a member of the board of directors.

Dick and Audra enjoyed taking the camper out for trips on the Denali Highway for berry picking and to Deep Creek at Ninilchik for fishing. They were married for 62 years.

Dick is survived by his wife, Audra; children and their spouses, Keith and Cathy Forsgren, Connie and Bill Woolard, Denise and Doug Hisey; grandchildren Sheri and Kyle Forsgren, Adrian Woolard, Shawna Hytry, Michelle and David Hisey; and four great-grandchildren. His sister, Betty Gayden of Portland, Ore., also survives Dick. Boarding students DeeDee Carlo and Gail Matthews are like daughters.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Iditarod Trail Committee or to charity of choice.