Monthly Archives: October 2011

Long time Alaskan, Ed Walker, passed away peacefully at Providence Hospital on October 28, 2011 surrounded by family.  Ed was born in San Juan Bautista, California on August 28, 1917.  He joined the Army in 1937.  At 6’4″, he was recruited to play both basketball and football for the Army in Hawaii where he made the all star teams each year.  He transferred from Hawaii to Alaska in search of a new frontier and find it, he did!  Following the outbreak of WWII, Ed was selected as a member of the elite joint military regiment for reconnaissance in the Aleutian Islands, the Alaskan Scouts. This group of 65 rugged individuals, hand picked for their individual toughness, later became know as Castner’s Cutthroats of which Ed was the last surviving member.  His children and grandchildren were blessed to grow up hearing story after story about his time as an Alaskan Scout defending our country on Alaska soil.

While still in the Army Ed met the love of his life, Frances Park, in Fairbanks where she was working for the Corps of Engineers in the building of the Alcan Highway. They were married at Ft. Richardson on April 29,1944 and settled in Fairbanks.  Given Ed’s construction background, he started the Arctic Block Construction Company with Con Frank in 1947 and built many of the first permanent structures at both Ladd and Eielson Fields, many during the winter.  Frances worked as the Women’s Page editor for Fairbanks Daily News Miner.

Other early endeavors included working in a mining operation in Good News Bay, lifelong friendships were made while living in Delta Junction publishing the Walker’s Weekly local newspaper and owning the Malamute Saloon, fighting for Alaska’s Statehood and raising four children. The Walkers moved to Valdez in 1960, where Ed and his sons began building houses. They were in the middle of the construction of several houses in Valdez at the time of the 1964 earthquake.  Ed immediately transitioned and began moving houses from the old town of Valdez to the “new town” of Valdez.  He served as a member of the Valdez City Council during the years of rebuilding the town and the construction of the Trans Alaska oil pipeline.  He built many houses in the new Valdez and his last building project was the Village Inn Motel, currently the Mountain Sky Hotel and Suites.

Ed and Frances travelled the world extensively visiting the many friends they made as a result of their ownership of the Village Inn.  Ed was heralded by many as a man who would never ever give up, he was always positive and had a driving passion and vision for a better Alaska.  His incomparable work ethic was an inspiration to his children.  Ed was an author and respected Alaskan historian who was featured in the long running History Channel documentary on the Alaska Scouts. Having received five hip replacements, instead of slowing him down, he authored a book to help others in the same predicament titled “Hip-Hip Hooray!” Following the passing of his wife Frances, he processed this great loss by authoring a book titled “Twenty Women Who Made America Great”. He also authored books about his life including a first hand account as one of Castner’s Cutthroats of the trials and triumphs of the Alaskan Scouts. He enjoyed his final years at the Alaska Pioneer Home in Palmer where he frequently discussed politics, foreign policy and the need for an All Alaska Gasline.

Ed was preceded in death by his wife Frances P. Walker, daughter Kathleen Walker Williams, grandson Luca Sordelli, and dear friend Stella Odsather.  He is survived by his son Bob Walker and wife, Debbie Cimino, of Lafayette, Colorado, daughter Suzy Walker of Palmer, son Bill Walker and wife, Donna, of Anchorage as well as his grandchildren Jason Szymanski, Brent Byrne, Trevor Walker, Felicia Welch, Anna Kate Williams, Lindsay Hobson, Tessa Linderman, Adam Walker, Jordan Walker and six great grandchildren.

A memorial service will take place in Valdez on November 5th  at Faith Harbor Fellowship at 4:00 p.m. with a potluck reception immediately following the service.

Donna Lynn Murphy- Montgomery, was laid to rest on October 8 after a long struggle with emphysema.

Lynn was born on May 8, 1958 in Jackson, Mississippi. She lived in Texas for years, as a Mom and a friend to many. She loved good Southern cooking and southern hospitality.  In 1989 she moved up to Alaska to bring the family closer and to grow in size and love. She had a passion to help those who may need tough love or consistent tlc. A strong will and spirit this beautiful women held love in her heart for all of you and wanted to do anything she could to help. Her door was always open to someone in need. She was a long time member of the Seventh-day Adventist church. She was a true witness of the Lords faithfulness, her life testifies to the power of God.

She is survived by her two daughters Crystal Mercer of Fairbanks and Theresa Mercer
of Ocean Beach California; who will miss her dearly and her 3 sisters, Sue Murphy, Lou Conner, and Brenda Reeder, and 5 nesses and nephews all residing in Texas and her husband Morris Obrien. She will be dearly missed by all those she touched. She is peacefully sleeping waiting for her Lord to return.

There will be a Celebration of Life ceremony Saturday October 29 at 4:00, at the Delta Seventh Adventist Church. Please come and share your memories of Lynn with her family.

Carol “Jay” Underhill, 74, longtime Delta Junction resident, died at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital Oct. 14, 2011, surrounded by family and loved ones. She died as the result of a fall.

She was born Carol Joan Holda in Bridgeport, Conn., Oct. 14, 1937, to Ann and Michael Holda. She was the middle child of three sisters.

Jay was the nickname given to her by the love of her life, David George Underhill, on a blind date, Independence Day 1954. They went to see fireworks together, and it was love at first sight. They married April 7, 1956, and their journey began.

In 1960 they built a home in Monroe, Conn., where they raised six children. David, a tool and die maker, was co-owner of Prestige Tool & Design in Shelton, Conn.

Jay was a busy homemaker, active member of her church who drove carpool, kissed boo-boos, entertained neighborhood kids and constantly was on the go. Her children have many happy memories of the good times they shared.

In 1972 Jay and David felt the Lord leading them on a different path that brought them to Alaska. In June 1974, they joined a family of precious believers at Dry Creek. Living in a tent with their children provided endless opportunity to practice survival skills. Their first cabin wasn’t completed until the following spring, and the stories of their early adventures in Alaska could fill a book.

When their children were grown, Jay and David moved to Fairbanks where Jay kept busy volunteering at the Food Bank and opening their home to those in need of hospitality. She also opened her heart to care for her own parents who came to live with her. She was a nurturer of many and friend to all.

Moving back to Delta Junction gave her the opportunity to continue sharing her natural gift of hospitality as she opened their home to bed-and-breakfast guests. Those who visited heard tales of their adventures and shared her rich history as an Alaska pioneer. In 2004, Jay was diagnosed with breast cancer. Thus began a battle that she fought with her whole heart; she confessed daily that God was able to bring her through, and he did. Twice.
Loved ones remember Jay as a fierce mother, loving spouse, kind-hearted friend, and true woman of faith. From the guests who stayed with her to her great-grandchildren, she was a living testimony of God’s grace.
Jay is survived by her husband of 55 years, David; her daughters and sons-in-law, Laurie and David Miller of Fairbanks, Lonnie and John Miller of Delta Junction, Regina Underhill of Kamuela, Hawaii, and Jessica and Kevin Stevenson of Wasilla; sons and daughter-in-law, Robert Hanusovsky of Memphis, Tenn., David Underhill Jr. of Fairbanks, and Jason and Lura Underhill of Big Lake; sisters, Barbara Traverse of Stratford, Conn., and Marcia Olsen of Naugatuck, Conn.; sister-in-law, Dianne Lane of Punta Gorda, Fla.; as well as 15 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held to celebrate her life 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 19, at the Church at Delta, 3170 Clearwater Road, Delta Junction.

Donations may be made in her name to the Fairbanks Community Food Bank or American Cancer Society .

Reprinted from the Daily News Miner

Beloved Mother and Grandmother Judy Lynn Lentz, 55, passed away peacefully with her family by her side Tuesday October 11, 2011 after a short battle with cancer at her son’s family home in Delta Junction.

Judy was born March 13, 1956 to Donald and Barbara Shindelbower at Ellsworth Air force Base, South Dakota while her father Donald Shindelbower was stationed in Korea.   Judy’s family was stationed around the world including Missouri, Germany, and finally landing in Fort Greely, Alaska.  This is where Judy graduated high school a year early in 1973.  After high school Judy moved back to Custer South Dakota with family.  It was at this time that she would marry and travel with her high school sweetheart and live in South Dakota and Wyoming.

In 1979 Judy gave birth to her pride and joy, her son Rance, when they lived in Steamboat Springs, Co.  They moved to Springerville, Arizona before moving back to Delta Junction, AK in 1981 where she would call this home until 2002.  During her 21 year residence in Delta Junction she worked as a stay at home mom and half owner/operator of the Clearwater Lodge. In 2002 she moved back to Rapid City, South Dakota and resided there until her final trip home.

Judy accomplished much in her residence in Rapid City.  She attended many online courses for poetry/writing and catering.  She became a published poet for a few pieces of her work.  Her catering certificate allowed her to become sous chef at Holiday Hills assisted living facility this would then lead to her dream job as executive chef of the facility until Crohn’s finally pulled her away from the job she loved.

She had battled Crohn’s disease since the tender age of 21.  Finally in September 2011 she was diagnosed with stage IV cancer and her wish was to come home.  Her son and daughter-in-law fulfilled her wishes for home hospice and for her to be surrounded by the family she loved immensely.

Judy was truly an individual who loved life and her family.  Her hobbies included croqueting masterpieces, competitive billiards, poetry writing, cooking, and creating memories. She is known for her immense inner strength, beautiful personality, generosity, smiling and happy face at the darkest of hours and she will forever be missed.

Judy is survived by her son, Rance Lentz, daughter-in-law Angela, grandsons Gage, Dade, and Rance of Delta Junction, Alaska, mother Barbara Shindelbower of Rapid City, South Dakota, and Sister Dana Mills of Union, Oregon.   She is preceded in death by her father Donald Shindelbower.

No services are planned to respect Judy’s wishes.  In lieu of flowers the family is asking for memorial donations to be entrusted to Mt. McKinley Bank in support of Crohn’s disease and cancer research.   Please contact Rance or Angela Lentz at 907-895-1090 with any questions or to reminisce the life of this beautiful individual.  “Love is stronger than death even though it can’t stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can’t separate people from love. It can’t take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death.”