Woman who died in Deshka remembered as a good friend

WILLOW — The State Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the victim of an Easter morning cabin fire in Deshka landing as Tari K. Flannery, 49, of Anchorage, according to an Alaska State Troopers press release.

Flannery and her boyfriend, who has not been named by troopers, were staying at a cabin owned by friends.

West Lakes Volunteer Fire Department, Houston Fire Department and Willow Fire Department all responded to the fire April 8, but the 800-square-foot cabin was a total loss, troopers said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to troopers.

Fire officials were tight-lipped about the blaze, citing trooper involvement and an ongoing investigation as reasons not to speak freely.

Willow Fire Chief Lance Barve said the cabin was fully engulfed when he arrived. It was made of wood and sat on pilings.

Rod Mattoon said he knew Flannery from her activities on behalf of AMVETS Post 2 in mid-town Anchorage. Mattoon is a member, and he said he believes Flannery was in the Ladies’ Auxiliary.

“She was a big contributing factor to raising donations and contributions,” Mattoon said. “I’ve got some roads to cover now.”

Most notably, he said, she did a lot of work to raise donations for the post through its charitable golf tournament. She played on Mattoon’s team. He said post members are a pretty tight-knit group, and Flannery’s loss is tough.

Mattoon doesn’t know Flannery’s boyfriend very well.

Flannery was from Minnesota and worked in Alaska as an account manager with First National Bank. She was divorced and leaves behind a 16-year-old daughter Mattoon described as “a remarkable girl.”

Mattoon said he and his wife would go to Flannery’s house for holidays — Christmas, usually, and maybe Thanksgiving. They’d go camping together at Montana Creek. He and his wife would drive Flannery home from the post from time to time.

“She was pretty well-known and just an outright damn good person. She is really going to be missed,” Mattoon said.

He said he got the news Sunday after he’d been to the post for lunch and had gone to the hospital to care for his wife, who has been sick.

“I wish I hadn’t been in my wife’s room because she saw my reaction and I had to tell her,” Mattoon said. “I was asked to go and sit with her best friend. As I was leaving my wife said, ‘get the nurse, I need something.’”

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.