Ronald Gary Ax

Ron Gary Ax, 72, died Sept. 12, 2011, of metastasized lung cancer at home with his family in Wasilla.

A celebration of life is at 2 p.m., Sept. 25 at 551 Skip Circle in Wasilla. Graveside services with military honors are planned in Eureka, Mont., at a later date. His ashes will be placed in the Tobacco Valley Cemetery in Eureka, Mont.

Ron was born Oct. 7, 1938, in Oroville, Calif. He completed high school and then joined the Marine Corps.

Ron moved to Alaska in June 1982, where he worked as a truck driver and mechanic. He retired in June 2003 from Alaska Freight Transport in Wasilla.

He enjoyed woodworking, fishing, hunting, old Ford pickups and his grandbabies.

Preceding him in death was son, Joseph Martin Ax.

Surviving are his wife, Geraldine (Geri); children in Alaska, Dale and Shelley Ax, Ron and Kathy Ax, and Sue and Mike Provo; grandchildren, Rachel and Luke Conner, Tawnya and Jamie Roberts, Samantha Ax, Christine and Jeremiah Dean, Michael and Aubre Provo, Sarah Provo and Joseph Provo, Lucas Ax and Lauren Ax; five great-grandchildren in Alaska; children in Montana, Sherry and Rex Miller, David and Dinah Leib and Dena and J. Kearney; grandchildren in Montana, Joshua Miller, Jacob Miller, Jordan Miller and Sarah and Barick Sharpe, Wayne and Pam Leib, Valisa and Tom Rasmussen, and Shelia Johnson; six great-grandchildren in Montana; brother, Robert and Marian Ax; sister, Virginia Marr of Kalispell, Mont.; brothers-in-law, Maurice and Norma Leib of Columbia Falls, Mont., and Alan and Irene Leib of Eureka, Mont.; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Arrangements were with Kehl’s Palmer Mortuary.