THE REV. CLARENCE LEEROY GAUL

A visitation for Palmer resident Rev. Clarence LeeRoy Gaul, 58, will be held from 10 to 11 a.m., Friday, Sept. 21, at Matanuska Assembly of God in Palmer.

The funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. with Pastor Randy Bjerken officiating. Burial with full military honors will be at Fort Richardson National Cemetery. Barnard Russell Gaul, Shayne Calkins, George Meyer, Steven Peters, Ben Meyer, Reuben Baxter, George Meyer Jr and Ben Herman will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers are Jeff Brandal, Bob Martin and Alex Sidon.

The Rev. Gaul died Sept. 9, 2001 after an automobile accident in Wasilla. He was born Feb. 15, 1943 in Fort Lawton, Wash. He served in the U.S. Army from 1961 -- both pre and post Vietnam era -- and received the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Parachutist badge, Combat Infantry badge, Good Conduct Medal 6th award, Overseas Service bars (2), Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Army Service Ribbon and the Overseas Service Ribbon.

His campaigns were: Vietnam counteroffensive phase II, Vietnam counteroffensive phase III, TET counteroffensive and the Vietnam counteroffensive phase IV. He retired from the Army at Fort Richardson in 1983 after 21 1-2 years of service.

He had lived at Fort Wainwright for 18 months, Nome for two months (where he worked for Munz Airline for a month) and he had also lived at Fort Richardson and Anchorage before moving to Palmer.

He received his associate of arts in theology and was licensed to preach. He was a member of the Assembly of God and the Rescue Mission. The Rev. Gaul enjoyed hunting, fishing, berry picking and crafts.

His wife said: "My husband was very dedicated and loving to me. He never liked to be away from me for long periods of time. He trusted and believed in the power of God and was always praying for his family and the souls of others, to be able to see them some day in Heaven. Clarence loved to go fishing, he was looking forward to being on the river banks in Heaven. He was a very loving and protective father and grandfather. Dad always tried to keep close contact with his family and showing them that he cared and loved them very much. I will always fondly remember and miss him always."

The Rev. Gaul is survived by his wife, Pauline K. Gaul; son, Barnard Russell Gaul; daughter and son-in-law, Julie Ann and Shayne E. Calkins; daughters, Jeanette A.K. Gaul and Diane L.K. Gaul; grandchildren, Shayne, Tabatha and Cody Calkins, Heather and Shiela Burns; and numerous members of an extended family.

The family has requested that memorial contributions be directed to Pauline K. Gaul, c/o Matanuska Assembly of God, 12801 West Arctic Ave., Palmer, AK 99645. Arrangements were made by Witzleben Family Funeral Homes and Crematory.