Charles A. Decker

Aug 18, 1933 -

Apr 28, 2023

Charles Albert Decker was born on Aug. 18, 1933, in Brownville Junction, Maine, to Albert and Doris (Sawyer) Decker. He grew up in Millinocket, Maine, and graduated from Stearns High School in 1950. Deciding to answer the call West, Chuck attended University of Colorado Pharmacy School and graduated in 1954. In 1957, Chuck landed in the Territory of Alaska as a pharmacist in the Public Health Service and went to work at the old Alaska Native Hospital. He maintained his RPT license in the State of Alaska until 2010, a whopping 53 years! He spent a great amount of his work life in retail pharmacy and was President of the Alaska Pharmacy Association in the 1970s. In 1981, he won the Bowl of Hygeia Award from American Pharmacy Association for taking an active role and service in his community.

He met Mary "Gladys" Booker, a nurse from Georgia, on her first day in Anchorage in 1959, at the "Tundra Club," and they married on Aug. 6, 1960, at Anchorage First Presbyterian Church. Chuck loved gardening and if his wife and children couldn't find him, they would just go outside and look in the roses. His hobby, let's call it a passion, was roses and that led him to serve the Alaska Rose Society in many capacities, even president and consulting rosarian. Not only did he care for his roses but also those of his closest friends, the Centennial Rose Garden on Delaney Park Strip, and even a few found their way to the patio of First Presbyterian Church most summers. To be sure if you attended the Alaska State Fair you would see his entries in the roses, which usually helped to fund the next new roses.

He settled into life as an Alaskan, loving the outdoors, investing in a cabin out on Crooked Lake. He loved taking the whole family up, spending time at the hardy rose plantings at the Plant Materials Center in Palmer, fly-fishing, hunting - better at ptarmigan and spruce grouse than moose - kayaking, beachcombing, rock and fossil hunting, and just having fun outdoors. The love of nature he passed on to his daughters both in gardening and the sheer pleasure of a good walk in nature.

Chuck was well-loved, and we will miss the years where his quietly spoken words and advice guided us. He is survived by his loving wife, Gladys. He was a wonderful and supporting dad to his daughters, Laurie Decker and Meredith Coupland (Chad). He was preceded in death by his son, Brett Leigh Decker; brother, Roger Decker of Maryland; as well as his parents and many, many family friends.

We thank God for the life of Chuck. Those eternal gardens will look so spectacular!

Celebrate Chuck on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at 2 p.m., at Evergreen Memorial Chapel. Please wear blue! For those not able to attend in person, there will be a Zoom livestream. Please check the Evergreen Memorial website, https://www.janssenfuneralhomes.com/, under Charles A. Decker's obituary page.