SHANA M. RUBIO

Wasilla resident Shana Maxine Rubio, 32, died at her home Jan. 14, 2005. A celebration of life is scheduled for 3 p.m., Friday, Jan. 28, at the Masonic Temple in Cordova. Her ashes will be scattered over her beloved garden.

Ms. Rubio was born April 11, 1972 in Cordova. She graduated from Cordova High School in 1990 and went on to earn her associate's degree from the Seattle Art Institute. She lived in Cordova until 1993, when she moved to Seattle. In 2000, she returned to Alaska, making Wasilla her home. Because she was married on Halloween, she especially enjoyed it as her favorite holiday. She was an artist and created candles as a craft. She loved gardening, animals and especially loved her three boys.

Her family wrote, "Shana was real people. She spoke her mind when it needed to be spoken and had real strength, traits that she desired to pass on to those of us she left behind. We all love you very much, Shana."

She is survived by her husband, Joshua Rubio; sons, Tazheem, Eliazar and Benicio; mother, Lynna Merritt; father, Raymond Shipman; two brothers, Ed and Fred Shipman; two stepbrothers, Loren Merritt of Washington and Lanny Merritt of Oregon.

Memorial donations may be made to the Rubio Children's Fund at any Wells Fargo Bank branch, Acct. #9814320686. Arrangements were made by Valley

Funeral Home & Crematory

in Wasilla.