Roland Floyd Stoker Sr.

Roland Floyd Stoker Sr., 90, died May 3, 2012, at his home in Primrose Retirement Center of natural causes. He was born Oct. 22, 1921, in Waco, Neb., the oldest of five children born to Floyd J. Stoker and Viola E. Creech.

Douglas Kinley will officiate at a memorial service at 1 p.m., May 11 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 9215-9090 E. Silver Spring Circle, Palmer, across from Colony High School.

Roland was a 1940 graduate of Nucla High School in Nucla, Colo., after which he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and honorably served his country for 33 months during of World War II in the South Pacific. He served in many campaigns, including Bougainville, New Georgia, Solomon Islands and Guadalcanal. After the war, the Army recruited him and he served as a lieutenant in post-war Japan.

Upon returning home from his service, he studied to be a chemist/metallurgist. With his artistic abilities, he put himself through college by painting on fashionable women’s clothing and men’s ties, along with gold panning and guiding hunters in Colorado. During his career as a chemist/metallurgist he was in charge of setting up several chemical labs throughout the western United States during the uranium industry boom.

In 1952, he met Doris M. Franklin and they married in Grand Junction, Colo. They were happily married for 51 years and raised three children together.

When the Stokers retired in 1985, they decided to come to Alaska to hunt and fish, which they enjoyed immensely for many years. Roland made silver/gold jewelry and participated in local bazaars until the last three years of his life. Several of his pieces of jewelry won awards at the Alaska State Fair.

Roland was a very talented and intelligent man who remained active in his hobbies and interests right up until the day he died. He was always very capable of livening up a conversation through sharing his life experiences and was more than happy to share his vast knowledge of many topics.

He was a member of the Mat-Su Rock Club, and because of his geological expertise, he was one of the go-to fellows for identifying many pieces of material brought to the meetings. He joined with fellow veterans each Tuesday for a breakfast meeting. He was also a member of the Purple Heart Veterans group, with which he met monthly.

Surviving are his sons, Roland Stoker Jr. of Wasilla and Harvey Stoker of Texas; daughter, Caroline Applehans of Wasilla; sister, Verna Brassfield and brother, Donald Stoker, both of Colorado; sister-in-law, Margie Stoker; brother-in-law, Rollie Averill; six grandchildren; and 10 great grandchildren.

Preceding him in death were his wife, Doris Stoker; brother, Dale Stoker; and sister, Lila Averill, both of Colorado.

“Everyone who knew him will miss him,” his family wrote. “Goodbye Pop. We love you.”

Memorial donations may be sent to Mat-Su Rock & Mineral Club, P.O. Box 446, Palmer, AK 99645.

Arrangements were by Valley Funeral Home and Crematory. Online guestbook is at alaskanfuneral.com.