ROY H. SMITH

Roy H. Smith, 88, died Feb. 17, 2005, in Palmer, with his wife, daughter, family friend Lois Rolf and Pastor Richard Allen at his side.

A celebration of life will be held from 1-4 p.m. at the Palmer Depot, 601 S. Valley Way, on Saturday, March 12. For further information, call 745-2259.

Mr. Smith was born July 15, 1916 in Kellogg, Idaho, to Sidney and Julia Smith. He graduated from Kingston High School at age 15.

Inspired by stories of Alaska told by his uncle, Butch Smith, Mr. Smith headed to Alaska in 1934. In 1941, he returned to Idaho and married Harriet Nearing, his one true love and lifetime partner. They began married life in Dillingham, then known as Snag Point. He was a trapper, big-game guide, commercial fisherman and captain of tally scows on the Nushagak, Naknek, Kvichak and Egegik rivers.

In 1946, Mr. Smith bought his first airplane, an Aeronca Sedan, with his friend, Bill Ingram. Two and a half hours of flight instruction launched a 36-year accident-free Bush flying career.

In 1963, he moved his family to South Naknek to work as a winter watchman at the Bumble Bee Seafood cannery there. In 1982, Mr. Smith retired from his winter watchman job and sold his flying business. He and his wife moved to Palmer.

His daughter, Denise, said, "Dad loved birds, played a mean game of cribbage, enjoyed children and took pride in the successes of not only his own children and grandchildren, but delighted in the success of others.

"He always had a twinkle in his blue eyes, and was notorious for doing a little jig on the dock after one of his many good days fishing. In his later years, Dad took great joy in the generosity of his friends, who brought subsistence foods to share with him. He always had a stash of excellent smoked salmon that he shared with pride."

Mr. Smith is survived by his wife of 63 years, Harriet; daughter, Denise, and her husband, Loren Statz; grandchildren, Garnet Robertson Frazier and her husband, Nate, Roy Robertson, Kalah and Kurt Statz and great-grandson, Gaven Frazier; former son-in-law, Randy Robertson, and wife, Laurie, and brother, Jerry Smith and family.

In addition to his son, Dannie, Mr. Smith was preceded in death by brothers Bobby and Walter.

Also preceding him in death were friends as dear to him as family. They were characters who gave flavor to his memories and the great stories he told.

His ashes will be scattered along the Mulchatna River.