Erldon "Speed" P. Gratrix Jr.
May 31, 1942 -
Sep 10, 2021
Longtime Anchorage, Alaska, resident Erldon "Speed" P. Gratrix Jr., 79, died on Sept. 10, 2021, from complications of COVID-19 while at the Alaska Native Medical Center. His wife Wendi and daughters were with him via video at his transition from this life.
A military memorial service will be held at JBER at a later date, and celebration of life next spring.
Speed was born on May 31, 1942, in Neptune City, Asbury Park, N.J., to Erldon "Gus" and Irene (Fosset) Gratrix. His adventurous family drove the Alcan Highway from Maine to Alaska, arriving on Sept. 16, 1951. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1959, and served two years on the USS Papago during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
After graduating Navy electrical school, Speed became a Master Electrician in Alaska and worked on many infrastructure projects across Alaska, and restored power in many businesses and homes in local communities after the 1964 earthquake. He was the electrical administrator at two of the trans-Alaska pipeline stations. His electrical expertise spanned commercial work in local power plants, the airports, oil platforms and residential work as Anchorage grew and expanded. He was a Pioneer of Alaska, living and working hard in this beautiful state.
His family said: "Speed enjoyed ivory carving, gifting bracelets and beaded necklaces to family and friends. Recent summers were spent dip netting salmon for his family in Chitina or along the Kasilof Beach or Kenai River and crafted his special recipe for smoked salmon. He enjoyed serving with his wife Wendi, teaching first grade Sunday school and the AWANA program at Faith Christian Community."
Speed is survived by his wife of 36 years, Wendi (Gilfillan) Gratrix of Anchorage; daughters, Keri (Mark) Hile of Anchorage, Jill Gratrix of Minnesota, Joy Anderson of Anchorage, Shelly (Kevin) Villaverde-Kasper of Minnesota; son, Erldon Todd Gratrix of New Jersey; 11 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; blended family blessings; nieces and nephews; and many good friends. He was preceded in death by parents, Gus and Irene Gratrix; sister, Pamela Wilson Gratrix; brothers, John Robert "JR" Gratrix and Kris Gratrix; infant daughter, Debora Kay; grandsons, Matthew and Shayne Anderson. He will be missed greatly by his family.
