WILSON MARSHALL SMITH

Palmer resident Mr. Wilson Marshall Smith, 91, died of natural causes Dec. 17, 2003.

A family gathering "wake" will be held in Talkeetna in the spring.

Mr. Smith was born Nov. 5, 1912, in Oklahoma.

He came to Alaska in 1958 and had lived in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Aniak, Talkeetna, Wasilla and Palmer.

Throughout his working career Mr. Smith had been a lumberjack, a heavy equipment operator and station inspector for the Federal Aviation Association, from which he retired in 1979.

Mr. Smith had received athletic awards and awards for ideas submitted to the F.A.A. throughout his career.

His hobbies included hunting and fishing.

His family said, "He was a quiet man, congenial to the end. He never raised his voice to anyone. A strong man, mentally and physically, and quite an athlete in his younger days. He was loved and highly respected by everyone who met him."

Mr. Smith is survived by his daughters Janet S. Ingersoll and Deanna L. Beauchamp; grandchildren Bernice, Robert, Tony, Dion, Sevilla, Kim, Teri and Scott; and great-grandchildren Christopher, Samantha, Daniel, Kyle, John, Paige, Joel and Justin.

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