Violet Price Aldridge

Violet Price Aldridge, 82, died at Alaska Regional Hospital on Oct. 18, 2005, due to heart failure following a successful hip-replacement surgery. Services were scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 27, at the Birchwood Community Church, 22208 Birchwood Loop Road, Chugiak, with the Rev. Charles L. Bridges officiating.

A memorial service was held at 1 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 27, at the Birchwood Community Church, followed by a graveside service at Fort Richardson National Cemetery at 3 p.m.

Mrs. Aldridge was born Jan. 12, 1923, in Lawrenceburg, Tenn. She graduated from Arizona State University in 1951, and then moved on to get her master's degree in education and psychology at the University of Alaska in 1974. She served in the U.S. Navy WAVES and was a World War II veteran, serving as a pharmacist's mate stationed at Long Beach, Calif., caring for injured servicemen from the Pacific Fleet and Okinawa.

She moved to Anchorage in August 1962 and relocated in 1984 to Wasilla, where she resided until her death. She was an elementary school teacher in Little Rock, Ark., until 1955, when she became a homemaker, returning to work in 1971. After 19 years of service with the U.S. Civil Service, Fort Richardson, Mrs. Aldridge retired in 1990.

Mrs. Aldridge was an ordained minister for the Word of Life Fellowship, director of Polish International Ministries and Web site co-coordinator for the World Harvest Institute. She was a former member of the Abbott Loop Christian Center and Full Gospel Church in Anchorage, Palmer Victory Fellowship, and Church on the Rock, Wasilla. She loved painting, studying the Bible and the Russian language.

She was an award-winning acrylic artist, musician and composer who copyrighted 19 original gospel songs, which were performed in the Bicentennial Touring Choir, and donated time and art to local charities.

Her daughter wrote, &#8220Mother has had a rich and wonderful life surrounded by a large extended family and children who loved her. She taught us how to be responsible and how to laugh. She always had a joke to tell, or a word of encouragement for everyone. She had the ability to make everyone feel important, and went out of her way to help others.”

Mrs. Aldridge is survived by three daughters, Linda Cummings of Houston, Texas, Nancy Cole of Wasilla, and Cherie Tyler of Ventura, Calif.; son and daughter-in-law, Darrell and Gail Kammers Aldridge of Anchorage; two sons-in-law, Dale W. Cole of Anchorage, and Robert Hull of Ventura, Calif.; six brothers, Elbert Price of Chattanooga, Tenn., Dale Price of Redwood City, Calif., Virgil Price of Norfolk, Va., Charles Edward Price of El Paso, Ark., and Harold Price and Franklin Price, both of Shirley, Ark.; one sister, Ruth Miner of Keene, Texas; eight grandchildren, Krissy Ash of Cudahy, Wis., Larry and Melissa Cummings, Rodney and Linnea Cummings of Wasilla, Daren and Tracy Cummings of Peters Creek, Sara Carr of Mesa, Ariz., Michael Cole, Brian and Faydra Cole, Heather Ash, all of Anchorage, Johni Hull of Ventura, Calif., and 13 great-grandchildren, Zach, Nick, and Alex Simpson, Heather, Jenifer, Ceth, and Kelli Cummings, Alicia and Katie Alexander, Zulai, Natalia, and Alexander Cole, and Ryan Welch, all of Alaska.

She was preceded in death by her husband, C.L. Aldridge, a brother, Samuel Price, and a son-in-law, John Cummings. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be given to World Harvest Institute, 3115 English Oak Blvd. Pearland, Texas, 77584. Anchorage Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.