Ronald Norman Butler

Oct 22, 1964 -

Jun 16, 2026

Our family is heartbroken to announce that Ron peacefully passed away at Providence Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska, after a brief but courageous battle with cancer.

Born in Moscow, Idaho, to Louanna (Flynn) Butler and the late Thomas Abraham Butler, Ron spent his childhood in Anchorage and Missoula, Mont. Following high school, Ron returned to Alaska, where he worked as a heavy equipment operator in gold and zinc mines before settling in Anchorage, where he met Laurie Hall and married in June 1995. Together they built a life raising two sons, Joshua and Jakob. Ron enjoyed a long career operating heavy equipment, including positions at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and Municipality of Anchorage Street Maintenance. He loved camping and hunting in Alaska's mountains, including a cherished hunting trip in Africa, and visiting beloved family in the Lower 48.

Ron is survived by his loving wife of 31 years, Laurie; mother, Louanna Butler; son, Joshua (Nicole) and their beloved daughter Leah; son, Jakob; and sister, Holly Anderson (Tom). He was preceded in death by his father, Thomas Butler.

Those wishing to honor Ron's memory please consider donating to a local animal shelter.

A celebration of Ron's life will be held on Oct. 17, 2026, from 1-3 p.m. at King Street Brewery in Anchorage.

Joseph S. Churchill

Sep 29, 1929 -

Sep 26, 2026

Joseph "Joe" S. Churchill, 96, of Scottsdale, Ariz., passed away on Sept. 26, 2026. Born in Aberdeen, Wash., he proudly served his country as an Air Traffic Controller in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War.

A long-time Alaskan, Joe was the owner and operator of Arctic Insulation in Anchorage. He lived a life full of adventure as an avid hunter, dedicated fisherman and world traveler. A striking presence who naturally drew people in, Joe was beloved by all who knew him for his warmth, gentle nature and easy charisma.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Barbara Churchill; stepdaughters, Michele Robuck and Bonnie Graham; sons-in-law, Michael Robuck and Skip Graham; daughter-in-law, Carole Ann Churchill; grandchildren, Madeline Deluche, Taylor Golick, Markus Churchill, Gunnar Robuck, Connor Golick, Hunter Robuck, Yuri Golick, Pierce Graham, Connor Graham and Isabelle Robuck; and great-granddaughter, Juliette Deluche. He was preceded in death by his son, Mark Churchill.

No services are planned at this time. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date in Anchorage, Alaska.

Thomas Steward

Jan 18, 1946 -

Sep 26, 2026

Thomas J. Steward passed away on Sept. 26, 2026. He was born on Jan. 18, 1946.

A man of many ranges, Thomas Steward was a bold individual who shaped the lives of those closest to him and left a unique impression upon others. Whether it was style or his character, Thomas was certainly an unforgettable figure.

He is survived by his children, Tommy, Anthony, Luvi and Tia; life partner, Cookie; and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

May Thomas rest in peace.

James "Jimmy" VanZant

Sep 2, 1951 -

Sep 23, 2026

James "Jimmy" VanZant was born on Sept. 2, 1951, to James and Dorothy McDaniel VanZant in Richmond, Ind. At 3 years old Jimmy, his parents and his sister Sue moved to Eagle River, Alaska, where he spent his boyhood hunting, fishing, reading and playing music. After his father's unexpected passing in 1962, Jimmy spent most of his youth moving around the country with his mother and stepfather, William "Bill" Parks, going from Indiana to Kentucky to Arkansas, and back up to Alaska, where the family homesteaded in the Hatcher Pass area. Always independent and free-spirited, as a teenager Jimmy played music in bands, rode motorcycles and hitchhiked across the country, stopping on the west coast during the Summer of Love in 1969. However, he quickly settled down when he met the love of his life, Kathi Carman, in 1970. The two married in 1972, and built a rough-and-tumble cabin in the Hatcher Pass area, with Jimmy doing the logging and milling for the beams himself. As Kathi would later say, "We didn't even have a level or a square, but we got it built." Slowly over time, their cabin developed into a proper home, and they welcomed their daughter Ivory into the family in 1986.

Though he had a bit of a checkered past, Jimmy eventually started working through the State of Alaska, first at the Pioneer Home in Palmer, and later at the Plant Material Center. A lifelong reader and knowledge seeker, he enjoyed his work cultivating native plant species and traveling around the wilderness of Alaska. However, Jimmy's real passion was not his work but his hobbies. He was a true Renaissance man, whether he was tinkering and working on his many motorcycles and vintage cars, studying ancient Roman history, or carving wood to make his own guitars, ukuleles and drums. He was an avid amateur botanist, developing his own strains of plants, and also enjoyed outdoor sports of all kinds, spending much of the winters in Hatcher Pass skiing, snowboarding and snowmachining, then gold panning, fishing and hiking in the summers.

Jimmy's motto throughout his life was "love many, respect all, harm none." An avowed pacifist later in life, he would even catch and release spiders and other insects instead of harming them. With a relaxed and calm demeanor, he made friends easily, especially if they had shared interests. He was generous with his time to his friends and family, and loved nothing more than spending time with others, playing music, working on a project or just sitting around a bonfire chatting and telling jokes. Jimmy passed away peacefully on Sept. 23, 2026, in the home that he and Kathi built, surrounded by "his girls" - his wife, Kathi; daughter, Ivory; and dog, Blossom. In addition to his immediate family, he is survived by his niece, Kimberly Levesque; stepnephew, Marc Levesque; nephews, Richard and David Byers and Everett Levesque. A memorial service will be held for Jimmy on Oct. 25, 2026, from 1-5 p.m., at the Fishhook Bar and Grill. Friends and family are encouraged to bring their favorite cars and guitars in his honor.

Gene Wirkus

Apr 11, 1952 -

Sep 21, 2026

Gene L. Wirkus left this world peacefully at home, with family surrounding him on Sept. 21, 2026, in Palmer, Alaska, after a two-year battle with cancer.

Gene is survived by his children, Jeromy, Jeri, Jolene and Jason; 13 grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; and his wife, Debra; her daughters, Michelle and Sheila; five grandchildren; and seven great grandchildren.

Gene retired from the Anchorage School District in 2009 after 30 years. After he and Deb retired, they enjoyed travel in the Lower 48 and spending winters at their house in Arizona. Gene was a jack-of-all-trades; there was nothing he could not fix. He was a fantastic vehicle mechanic and throughout the years had a side business with many customers. Gene had a thing for anything to do with cars, enjoyed rebuilding cars and enjoyed his many classics throughout his years. He will be greatly missed by many.

A Service is not planned.