ROBERT NELSON VANGORDER

Wasilla resident Robert Nelson VanGorder, 73, died Dec. 15, 2004, from complications resulting from heart surgery at Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage.

A public visitation is scheduled for 2 p.m., Tuesday, at Valley Funeral Chapel in Wasilla, with the funeral service following. He will be laid to rest at Virgil Cemetery in Virgil, N.Y., at a later date.

Mr. VanGorder was born March 12, 1931, the son of Richard and Cleo VanGorder in Preble, N.Y. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1949, where he served until 1952.

He then went on to attend college at the State University of New York. In 1969, he moved to Wasilla, where he worked as a teacher, a self-employed contractor and a Realtor. He retired from Partner's Real Estate in Eagle River in 2001.

Mr. VanGorder was an avid NASCAR fan and enjoyed fishing, traveling, reading and flying his private plane.

His mother and father, Richard and Cleo VanGorder; three brothers, Richard VanGorder Jr., Phillip VanGorder and Darrell VanGorder and a sister, Janet Hahn, preceded him in death.

He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Joanne Benjamin VanGorder; sons, Dennis VanGorder and his wife, Marie, of Palmer and Randall VanGorder of Wasilla; daughters, Wendy Jansson and her husband, Roland, of Uppsala, Sweden, and Tamara Maus and her husband, Tom, of Graham, Wash.; grandsons, Neal VanGorder and his wife, Jane, of Palmer, Benjamin VanGorder of the U.S. Navy and his wife, Michelle, of Whidbey Island Naval Air Station in Oak Harbor, Wash., and Brandon Maus of Graham, Wash.; stepgrandsons, Carl and Curtis Slater of Palmer; granddaughters, Angelique Haney and her husband, Bryan, of Sisters, Ore., Amy, Jamie and Rosie Maus of Graham, Wash., Lisa and Michelle Jansson of Uppsala, Sweden and Kristian VanGorder of Palmer; great-grandchildren, Joseph and Katlyn VanGorder of Oak Harbor, Wash., Kaitlyn Maus of Graham, Wash. and Kristopher VanGorder of Palmer; siblings, Thelma Elliott and her husband, Edward, of Cortland, N.Y., Tom VanGorder and his wife, Audrey, of Hendersonville, N.C., Dorla Elliott and her husband, Carl, of Marathon, N.Y. and David VanGorder and his wife, Marilyn, of Seneca, S.C.; sisters-in-law, Emily VanGorder, Anita VanGorder and Marian VanGorder and numerous nieces and nephews.

He is also survived by a special "Alaska" nephew, Jim VanGorder, his wife, Susan, and their three children, of Palmer.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the Neighbor to Neighbor Fund, c/o Anchorage Daily News, P.O. Box 149001, Anchorage, AK, 99514; Toys for Tots of the Marine Corps or the charity of the donor's choice.

Arrangements were made by Valley Funeral Home & Crematory in Wasilla.