Warren O. Siewert

Warren O. Siewert was born April 7, 1937, in North Dakota to German immigrants in an arranged marriage that didn’t last. When his brothers left for the U.S. Army, Warren was temporarily left an only child with his mother and grandmother. His mother remarried, and soon after, his stepfather cut the roof off the car to fit their belongings, placed 12-year-old Warren on top, and moved the family to Moses Lake, Washington.

A man for adventure, inspired by his older brothers, Warren joined the U.S. Air Force at the tail end of the Korean conflict and was stationed in Germany. He then joined the U.S. Navy and spent time in California, Hawaii, and went on tours of the Pacific. He served eight honorable years for his country. Warren was proud of his service and later became an active member of American Legion and VFW posts in Anchorage, serving as Post Commander of American Legion Post 28 in Anchorage from 1980-1982. More recently, he was an active member of the Palmer Senior Center.

Warren moved to Alaska on his birthday in 1965, in the classic Alaskan story with his buddies, that left him without a dime to spare. His friends didn’t stay, but Warren found temporary work for a seismology company that surveyed Cook Inlet for natural gas. Warren liked to tell the story of spending his last nickel on a bowl of soup on 4th Avenue in Anchorage when Helen walked in and changed his life. They married in the summer of 1968 and Warren became a husband, stepfather, and grandfather all in one day. They remained married for nearly 32 years, separated by Helen’s passing in 2000.

Warren worked as a framing carpenter and became an accomplished finish carpenter and wood carver. He took great pride in perfection, and his work was detailed. He won first and grand prizes at the Alaska State Fair for his woodcarvings. He also grew a fantastic beard and won “blackest beard” in the Fur Rendezvous contest several times.

Warren leaves behind his best legacy: his friends and the many people who knew him. He smiled and became friends with everyone and always had time for a conversation. Warren neve overlooked anyone. He loved people of every size, age and shade. He truly gave out little pieces of his heart to anyone who needed it. He was a humble man. He was a caring man.

Warren died May 18, 2015. A memorial service is at 5 p.m., June 2, at the Kehl’s Mortuary Chapel in Palmer.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations directly to the Palmer Senior Center on behalf of Warren. That would make him smile!