Thomas Forstner

Thomas Forstner, 49, passed away unexpectedly at home in Palmer on May 7. He was born in Philadelphia, on May 15, 1959, the son of Edward and Edith Forstner. He was Hungarian.

Tom graduated from Marple-Newtown High School, Newtown, Penn., before attending Shippensburg State College, Shippensburg, Penn. Tom was an all-star wrestler and a powerful soccer player.

He moved from Philadelphia to Alaska in 1980 with his brothers following their Alaska dream, training sled dog race teams, hunting, fishing and trapping. Later, in 1983, he helped his brothers again in building their parents a log home in the Hatcher Pass area. The many stories of the Forstner brothers’ adventures during their first years in Alaska always include Tom.

Tom loved fishing and being with his family, particularly his brothers. He also enjoyed rock music, buying flowers for his mother, gardening and photography. Tom was an extremely generous, kind, and gentle man who cared genuinely for his family and friends. He never complained and always shared a smile. He did so many small things, but always with such great love. He will be deeply missed, especially by his mother and father who loved him very much and cared for him every day.

Tom is survived by his parents; brothers Edward Forstner Jr. and his wife Gina of Big Lake; Peter Forstner and his wife Emily of Palmer; sisters Marianne Luc and her husband Tom Luc of South Carolina; Edith Roeder and her husband Wayne Roeder of Connecticut; nieces April Morse, Jennifer Larivere, Jessica and Alyssa Roeder, Katie and Tesia Forstner; nephews, Todd Roeder, Bobby Trueblood and Jake Forstner.

Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday at Sacred Heart Church in Wasilla where a Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Fr. Bill Fournier. Interment will follow at Sacred Heart Cemetery.

Arrangements were made with Valley Funeral Home and Crematory in Wasilla.