Alaska School Yearbooks by County
Bertha Brekhus
Former Juneau resident Bertha Florence Brekhus, 85, died of emphysema and complications from pneumonia Nov. 25, 2003, at St. Tammany Hospital in Louisiana.
She was born in Lincoln, Kan., and moved to Searcy, Ark., as a young child. She had lived in Covington, La., for the past year and a half. She met the love of her life, Edward Brekhus, in her early 20s on a trip to Seattle, Wash. They corresponded for five years, and she then moved to Juneau where they were married. She lived in Juneau for 10 years and had three children. She then moved to Norma, N.D., for 10 years and then back to Searcy, where she lived most of her adult life.
She was a founding member of Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Searcy and instrumental in getting the "Bible Translated into Braille Program" started in the church. She was active in the Lutheran Women's Missionary League as well.
She was preceded in death by an infant son, Little Eddie.
She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Edward Brekhus; daughters, Dina (Jim) Pace of Covington, La., and Shirl (Jim) Spaulding of Colorado Springs, Colo.; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Services will be announced at a later date.
Yvonne 'Bonnie' Paul
Former Juneau resident Yvonne "Bonnie" C. Paul, 63, died March 6, 2004, in Salem, Ore.
She was born Aug. 15, 1940, in Toledo, Ore. to Raymond and Nadine Beal. She spent her childhood in Toledo, Swisshome, Mapleton and Florence, all in Oregon. She married Leslie Paul on Aug. 1, 1959, in Monmouth, Ore. During their 44-year marriage, they lived and raised their five children in Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Kenya and Utah. During her life, she worked as a homemaker, was a foster parent, worked for Children's Aid Society of Utah and spent several years working at the Juneau-Douglas High School. She additionally served in several capacities in education governance in Juneau.
She also served for a time as the Vice President of the Salem Mid-Valley Quilt Guild.
Her family said she enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, working in her flower garden and sharing tea with friends. She also enjoyed all types of crafts. Her passion was quilting and making precious keepsakes for family and friends, in addition to donating to charitable organizations. They wrote, "She was loved by all and will be greatly missed."
She is survived by her husband, Les; five children, Janet Paul of Corvallis, Ore., Robert Paul of Ogden, Utah, Brenda (Chris) Casperson of Juneau, Shawn (Bonnie) Paul of Juneau, Jennifer (Bryan) Orton of Salem, Ore.; six grandchildren, Abby and Ellen Orton, Gabriel, Adria and Alaina Paul, and Amanda Casperson; sisters, Winnie Zweigart of Salem, Ore., and Billie Sites of Alameda, Calif.; brothers, Jerry Beal of Florence, Ore., and Jim Beal of Yuma, Ariz.; as well as a large extended family and many beloved friends.
In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the cancer foundation or organization of the donor's choice.
A memorial service will be held in Juneau this summer.
Jack Austin III
Former Juneau resident Jack Austin III, 46, died March 29, 2004, at his home in Ninilchik.
He was born Aug. 20, 1957, in Juneau to Jack Jr. and Evelyn (Martin) Austin. He lived in Juneau for many years, as well as Sitka, Soldotna and Kenai, before he eventually settled in Ninilchik. He was a proud Kaagwaantaan of Klukwan, and a child of the Wooshkeetaan. He enjoyed basketball, baseball, fishing and carving in traditional Tlingit style, which he also taught to anyone willing to learn.
His family wrote, "Jack was a loving father and a good husband. He was very caring and a proud Tlingit man. He had a strong belief in keeping the traditions of all cultures alive, so they are not forgotten. We will remember him for that and will do our best to keep his wishes."
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, James and Allen Austin; grandparents, Jack Austin, Sr., Lucille Dick and Sam Martin, Sr.; uncles, Wilmer and Gene Austin and Sam Martin, Jr.
He is survived by his wife, Marion Austin; son, Jack Austin IV; daughters, Evelyn and Raven Austin; sister, Charlotte St. Clair; sister and brother in-law, Beverly and Art Austin-Orr; brothers, Donald and Clifford Austin; brother and sister in-law, Manuel Sr. And Hazel Tumulak; aunts, Marie Shodda, Gertrude Peters and May George; uncle, Sam Hanlon; and numerous nieces and nephews and cousins.
Pallbearers include Eric Billman, Earl Jay, Manuel Tumulak, Jr., Rave Greenhatgh, Shannon Bentley, Steven Vanck and Ignagius Keyes.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, April 2, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' Kenai Chapel, 609 Forest Lane. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral. Bishop Garth Reid will officiate. Burial will be in the Kenai City Cemetery.
Arrangements were by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.
Jennie Marie Rodenberg
Longtime Juneau resident Jennie Marie Rodenberg, 89, died March 27, 2004, in Juneau after a lengthy illness.
She was born Dec. 4, 1914, to Marie and John Hammer of Petersburg, immigrants from Norway. She was the oldest of five siblings. She graduated from Petersburg High School in 1932. She attended business school in Seattle until 1934 and returned to work for the Petersburg Press. She moved to Juneau, where she met and married William "Willie" Rodenberg in 1935. She also lived in Sitka and Ketchikan, returning to Juneau in 1966.
She was a life member of the Sons of Norway and was active in both the Elks and Emblem Club. Well known by the staff at the Juneau Racquet Club, she participated in aerobics and lifted weights with her longtime friend and personal trainer, Julia Carver. She also enjoyed frequent walks with family and went to the senior citizen lunches in Douglas.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Willie; sister, Agnes Stephen; and brother, Norman.
She is survived by her sons, Bill (Lanore) of Murrieta, Calif., Ralph (Sue) of Bellingham, Wash.; daughter, Nancy (Marcelo) Quinto of Juneau; grandchildren, Jim and Jennifer of Juneau, Andrew and Spencer of Bellingham, Wash.; great-granddaughter, Kaia Quinto of Juneau; brothers, Jim and Art Hammer of Petersburg; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
A memorial celebration will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, April 2, at the Douglas Methodist Church. A reception will follow downstairs in Grant Hall.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Douglas Senior Meals, c/o Senior Nutrition Program, 895 West 12th Street, Juneau, AK 99801, or to a charity of choice.
Nora Marcia McLaren Nye
Former Juneau resident Nora Marcia McLaren Nye, 90, died March 29, 2004, in Hollister, Calif., surrounded by family.
She was born in Wellington, New Zealand, where she taught school. During World War II she met and married Walter Nye, a U.S. Marine from Boise, Idaho; they raised three children. She first visited Juneau in 1973 and moved to Juneau to join her daughter in 1995.
She was an English teacher at Pocatello High School, Idaho, and in Long Beach, Calif., at Cerritos and Long Beach City College. In the 1970s the annual Nye Award was established to recognize outstanding graduating students. She did research on the New Zealand-born author Katherine Mansfield, who went to school with Nora's mother, Doris R. Marks.
Her family wrote, "She will be remembered for her love of family, her independent thinking, her love of art and travel, her love of playing the piano and singing Scottish and Irish songs. She will be remembered for her belief that to be a wise person you must be kind and able to accept differences in others."
She was preceded in death by her husband; daughter, Elisabeth Nye; sister, Betty Eager; and grandson, Philip Johnson Nye.
She is survived by her son, W. Marcus W. Nye (wife, Eva Johnson Nye and children, Robert, Stephanie, and Jennifer) of Pocatello, Idaho; daughter, Marcia A. Nye (husband, Mark Badger and children, Ashley, Birch and Claire) of Juneau; grandson, D. Justin M. Freer (wife, Stephanie and great-granddaughter, Olivia) of Silver Spring, Md.; grandson, Jan Marcus Noorda of Seattle; sister, Sylvia McLaren of San Antonio, Texas, and nieces and nephews in Arizona and Texas.
Services will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, May 23, at Holy Trinity Church, followed by a celebration of life at McPhetres Hall.
