THE REV. GILBERT O. MORT

The Rev. Gilbert O. Mort, 88, died at his home near Wasilla on Tuesday, May 15, 2001.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, May 31, at 2 p.m. at the Wasilla Assembly of God Church on Riley Avenue in Wasilla.

The Revs. Larry Griswold, Kevin Shumway, Gene Markle and Ted Boatsman will officiate.

Rev. Mort was born Feb. 22, 1913, near Topeka, Kan. He attended Rocky Mountain Bible College in Denver from 1932-34. He also attended the Works Progress Administration and taught woodworking classes for the Civil Conservation Corps.

The Rev. and Mrs. Mort moved to Anchorage from Minnesota in 1959. They were pastors of Fairview Assembly of God Church until 1973, supply-pastors at Barrow, and worked in the Graehl Assembly (now called Jubilee Worship Center) in Fairbanks. In 1978 they moved to the Wasilla area.

The Rev. Mort was a union painter, and held the office of treasurer for the Anchorage International Brotherhood of Painters and Allied Trades for several years. In addition to being a pastor and painter, he was always involved in prison ministry.

The Rev. Mort never really fully retired, but continued to be a chaplain for the Mat-Su Pre-Trial Facility in Palmer, and Palmer Correctional Center near Sutton.

The Rev. Mort was ordained with the Assemblies of God in 1937. He always had a heart for missions and had made several trips to Russia, Central America, Africa, and Europe, where he participated in giving out the Book of Hope.

He had been a member of the Wasilla Area Seniors since the early 1980s and was a faithful volunteer for many years.

The Rev. Mort is survived by his wife of 66 years, Bernice; daughters and sons-in-law, Marlene and Levi Ratzlaff of Wasilla, Glenda and Jim McKim of Melrose Park, Ill., and Coleen and Larry Griswold of Carlinville, Ill.; grandchildren, Gary Ratzlaf and his wife, Monique, of Wasilla, Greg Ratzlaf of Nome, Rochelle Markle and husband, Gene, of Homer, Scott McKim of Melrose Park, Ill., Maxine Mrock and her husband, Gary, of Necedah, Wis., Brad McKim of Melrose Park, Ill., Todd Griswold of East St. Louis, Ill., and Terri Griswold of Vilnius, Lithuania; great-grandchildren, Rebekah Ratzlaff of Oregon, Rachel and Zachaery Rtzlaff of Wasilla; Kirstin, Sean and Alicia Markle of Homer, Mickey Masella of Melrose Park, Ill., Tyler Griswold of Joliet, Ill., and Zachery McKim of Calif.; brother, Wayne Mort of Springfield, Colo.; sisters, Hazel Jones of Texas, Zelma Current of Colo., and Grace Stager of Oklahoma, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his son, Kenneth Dwayne Mort, and brother, Darrell Mort.

Memorial donations may be given to the Book of Hope International, 3111 SW 10th Street, Pompano, Fla. 33069-9916.

Arrangements were made by Valley Funeral Home & Crematory of Wasilla.