Alaska School Yearbooks by County
Ruth W. Schmitz
Juneau resident Ruth W. Schmitz, 83, died July 8, 2003, at Bartlett Regional Hospital.
She grew up in New Providence, N.J. At Summit High School, she excelled in science and after graduating, she attended Upsala College of East Orange, N.J. She graduated in 1942 with a bachelor's degree in chemistry. She was a chemist and medical librarian, and her family said she was a pioneering user of the Internet.
Her family said she read science fiction avidly. She was a longtime member of Mensa, and served as chairman of the New York City chapter. She voted Democrat, traveled to 34 countries and was a dedicated reader of the Sunday New York Times and the crossword puzzle and book review section in particular. She was a fan of humorist author and WOR radio personality Gene Shepherd. She was also a fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers and the N.Y. Mets.
She was a longtime member of the Hollis Unitarian Church of Queens, N.Y., and she was a member of the Juneau Unitarian Fellowship.
She moved to Juneau in May 1988 and spent many of those years in the Mendenhall Apartments. She lived at Wildflower Court at the time of her death.
After moving to Juneau, she took a number of volunteer positions, including with the Juneau Public Library, the U.S. Forest Service, the state archives and the Juneau Community Charter School.
She wrote that she did not fear death, and leaves this quote from Leo Rosten: "The purpose of life is not to be happy, but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, and to have made some difference that you lived at all."
She is preceded in death by her parents, Otto Craemer Hanser and Lydia Sophie Hanser of New Providence, N.J., and her brother, Otto E. Hanser of Jacksonville, Fla.
She is survived by her son, Richard Schmitz; granddaughters, Emma Lily and Caroline Schmitz, all of Juneau; sister, Alice Harms of Chesterfield, Va.; great-aunt, Emily Schurmann of New Haven, Conn.; many nieces, nephews and cousins; her former husband, Fred W. Schmitz of Irvington, N.Y.; longtime friend and confidant, Malcolm Spensley of Manhattan, N.Y.; close friend, Rodger Cleveland of Juneau; and many other neighbors and friends from her involvement in volunteer and church activities here in Juneau.
The Juneau Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship will organize a memorial service in early September. Contact 586-9467 for details. According to Ruth's wishes, her ashes will be scattered at sea near Juneau and in New York Harbor.
Gilbert Demmert
Kake resident Gilbert Demmert, 53, died July 26, 2003, in Pahrump, Nev.
He was born May 26, 1950, in Kawalak. He lived in various towns in Alaska throughout his lifetime, including Anchorage and Kake. He also resided in Pahrump for six months until his death.
He was a commercial fisherman who liked to paint. He was a member of the Salvation Army.
He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Bernice and Alan Applegate of Nevada; sisters, Caroline Demmert of Kake and Charmaine Taylor of Seattle; and brothers, Phillip Demmert of Nevada, Frederick Nauska of Wrangell and Salvador R. Tirazona of Seattle.
Services were held on Aug. 4 in Pahrump. The family asks that no tributes be sent.
John R. 'Jack' Jewell
Juneau resident John R. "Jack" Jewell, 78, died Aug. 6, 2003, in Seattle, Wash.
He was born Nov. 8, 1924, in Wallowa, Ore. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1947 to 1950 and graduated from the University of Washington in 1956. He lived and worked in Idaho and Oregon for many years before moving to Juneau in 1987.
Jack was active for many years in the Fraternal Order of Eagles. He was past worthy president of La Grade Aerie No. 259 in La Grande, Ore. He was instrumental in founding Aerie No. 4200 in Juneau and served with distinction, including worthy president. He was also an advisory board member of the Juneau Senior Citizen Center until his death.
Family members said, "He enjoyed working with his hands, always making and rebuilding things. He was the go-to guy for friends for advice from plumbing to sewing. In the summer, he could be found moonwalking at the many activities about town."
He loved spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Dollie, and his parents, John R. and Lelia Jewell.
He is survived by his five daughters, Carol Graham, Elizabeth Landvatter and Laurel Carlton, all of Juneau, Barbara Druesedow of Nikiski, and Leslie Frey of Eagle River; and grandchildren, Jason and Dillin Graham, Malyssa Roche and Mikaella and Emma Landvatter, all of Juneau, Michelle Howe and Joseph and Travis Druesedow of Anchorage, Cecelia Frey of Eagle River, Christopher Druesedow of San Diego, Calif., and Alexis Landvatter of Fort Bragg, N.C. He also had 11 great-grandchildren.
There will be a private memorial service today at St. Brendan's Episcopal Church.
Donations, in lieu of flowers, may be made to the scholarship fund of the Juneau-Douglas Aerie No. 4200, 2055 Jordan Ave., Juneau, AK 99801.
Grace Weinberg
Juneau resident Grace Weinberg, 92, died on Aug. 5, 2003, in Juneau.
She was born June 1, 1911, in New Kensington, Pa., to Katie and Morris Venzerul. She was a first-generation American, the oldest of four brothers and sisters.
She raised two families. She helped raise her younger sisters when she was 15, and she started working a year later, during the Depression. She worked her way from stock girl to a successful milliner, designing and selling hats for the Blue Bird Dress Shop in New Kensington. After her mother died, she continued to help raise her sisters and brother, supporting her family for many years.
In 1944, she met and married Harry Weinberg, "the love of her life," the family said. They moved to Youngstown, Ohio, where they raised two children and owned and operated a small business.
She was an American Red Cross nurse aide during World War II and received the Volunteer Special Services Award for her work in the Nurse's Aide Corps in 1945.
In 1959, her family moved to Phoenix, Ariz. Her husband died in 1965, and she raised her young children on her own.
In Arizona, she was a president of her Chapter of Hadassah for many years, and in 1970, she received the City of Hope award for dedicated service. For 17 years, she worked her last paid position in the division of Aging and Adult Administration for the state of Arizona. She was presented with a Governor's Award in 1995 for her outstanding work and recognized as the oldest person working for the state.
In 1995, she retired, sold her home in Phoenix and moved to Juneau to live with her daughter, Sheryl.
In 1997, First Lady Susan Knowles presented her with the Volunteer Award for her commitment and service to Juneau.
She was an active member and presiding elder of the Juneau Jewish Community. In Alaska, she worked with the American Cancer Society and participated in the Breast Cancer Support Group. She enjoyed teaching exercise classes at the Juneau Senior Center.
Her family described her as "mother, milliner, advocate, role model, true friend and storyteller."
"She never left home without a pocketful of candy kisses, a handful of stories and a heart full of love to share. Grace touched many lives here," the family said.
Often called "Amazing Grace" by her friends, she was a loving wife, proud mother and grandmother, and loyal sister, the family said.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Harry; son Michael Terry; brother, Jimmy; and sister, Yetta.
She is survived by her daughter, Sheryl Weinberg, of Juneau; son Kenneth (Melissa) Weinberg of Texas; sister Ruth Levinson and family of Ohio; grandsons Harlan of New York and Robert of Florida; and her longtime neighbors and friends, the Barstack-Ballard family of Phoenix.
Juneau memorial services will be announced at a later date.
She was buried alongside her husband, Harry, at Beth El Cemetery in Phoenix.
The family requests donations in her memory be sent to the Juneau Jewish Community Building Fund, P.O. Box 33952, Juneau AK 99803.
Richard E. Gildersleeve
Former Douglas resident Richard "Dick" E. Gildersleeve, 68, died July 31, 2003, in Waldport, Ore., surrounded by family.
He was born in Bellingham, Wash., on Aug. 9, 1934. In 1947, he moved to Douglas, where he attended high school. After high school, he worked as a mechanic for Alaska Coastal and Wein Airlines. He was in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, stationed in Fairbanks from 1953 to 1955. After his enlistment ended, he worked for Wein Alaska Airlines. From 1956 to 1958, he was the owner and operator of the Juneau Transit System.
In 1959, he married Ruth Jones and moved to Seattle, where he worked as a bus mechanic and driver. He began a career as a tugboat engineer in 1970. Six years later, his family moved to Waldport, where he lived until his death.
During his 26 years of maritime work, he traveled around the world twice, working mainly between Prince Rupert, British Columbia, and Whittier for the last 16 years. He and his wife enjoyed several long trips on their Goldwing motorcycle. After his retirement in 1996, he enjoyed doing automotive work in his shop.
Survivors include his wife, Ruth; daughter, Debbie Powell of Boise, Idaho; sons, Jim of Waldport, and Rick of Boise; brother, Rob of North Carolina; and nine grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, at the Waldport Presbyterian Church.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Hospice Foundation, P.O. Box 945, Newport, OR 97365, or call (541) 574-1811.
