Susan Frisby

Lifelong Alaskan, Susan Frisby, was welcomed into heaven on September, 24th, 2018 with her immediate family at her side. She was 65.

A celebration of life will be held at Farm Loop Christian Center at 2:00 PM on September 29th. 5900 Farm Loop Road Palmer, AK.

Sue was the first of the 8 siblings to be born in Alaska, having been conceived under a bridge along the Alcan highway on the journey north from Michigan. She was 28 before taking her first trip "outside" of Alaska. As if she knew her time would be short Sue lived life to the fullest. In a true Alaskan spirit, she always saw the best in every situation and every person she met. She always saw to the needs of others before herself and was the first to volunteer her help, her home, and her time. Her strength and determination were derived from her strong family values, work ethic, and her unwavering love of God.

Her parents John and Emma Bozinoff were homesteaders who farmed 100 acres along Island Lake in Wasilla, Sue developed strength from a young age. She walked 5 miles to the bus stop and went without full-time electricity until she was 12. She met her husband Larry at the Experimental Farm where they both worked. They were married two weeks after high school graduation and pregnant with their first of three children two weeks after marriage. Family was Sue's greatest love and joy in life and she was an attentive and loving wife, mother, sister, and daughter. Her love had no borders and there are countless people she loved and cared for as family. Her love of Alaska and its people was profound. She had an uncanny ability to be present and sincere when communicating and she never missed an opportunity to take in the vast beauty of the scenery, even while driving, which could be a bit terrifying at times if you were her passenger.

Sue worked many jobs from substitute teaching to driving dump trucks before joining the Office of Children's Services (OCS) as a social worker in Aniak. Sue loved the village life and the native people and culture. She spent 14 years in Aniak before she took a promotion to be near her aging family members in the valley, but a part of her heart remained with the village for the rest of her life. She often reminisced about friendships and experiences in Aniak. She was able to travel all over Alaska with OCS and meet people from every part of the state. Her exceptional capacity for compassion and understanding allowed her to advance quickly within OCS. Every position she left as she moved up required two or more people to replace her. She retired as the Statewide Foster Care Manager, which is an incredible feat, especially considering that she didn't have a college degree.

Throughout her last several years Sue took care of her mother Emma. Even as her mother was suffering from Dementia, Sue found ways to make those years special. She never let her mother's illness prevent her from living out her life with the same zeal that drew her to Alaska in the first place.

She was the glue that bonded family, neighbors, church and anything she was associated with together and while we will all miss her dearly she formed those bonds so solidly that her legacy will live on for eternity. Her faith was strong and her greatest wish in her last days was that she will see all of us again in heaven.

Sue is survived by her husband Larry Frisby of Palmer; siblings, Carleen Freeman, Linda Plumley, Ken Bozinoff, and Jo Frisby; children, David Frisby of Pengilly, MN, Ruthann Snider of Palmer, and Ty Frisby of Anchorage; Eleven grandchildren, one great-grandchild, with another on the way. She wanted to be here with her family and friends for a long, long time but was ready to go home to Jesus if he called upon her.