Guenter Rostin
May 24, 1938 -
Sep 17, 2020
On a beautiful fall day Guenter Alfred Rostin passed away in his Anchorage home surrounded by his wife and other family members. He was thankful for all that he was able to do in his life and the love that he had from so many.
Guenter was born in Berlin, Germany, to Paul and Maria Rostin. He began playing soccer at a very young age. Guenter was proud to be a member of Germany's Junior National Team and continued playing, coaching and watching soccer throughout his life.
In 1963, he moved to California with his first wife, Helga Kinsel Krifka, where their daughter, Angela and son, Ralph were born. Although they divorced in 1972, they remained friends.
In California he worked as a sausage maker for Farmer John Company. This experience helped him to be hired at Alaska Sausage and Seafood Company in 1976, where he worked for 22 years.
Guenter's love of life led to many wonderful adventures. Skydiving was at the top of his list. He met his wife, Sue at the "Drop Zone" in Taft, Calif., in 1975. They married in August 1976 and moved to Alaska.
Soon after arrival Guenter convinced many of their new friends to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. Two of those friends became his best friends and paid him back by making him zip-line to celebrate his 80th.
Adventures continued with boating, fishing, backpacking, camping, nordic skiing and running. He wasn't a fast runner, but a passion for his sport enabled him to compete in the World Masters Games in Edmonton and Sydney as well as the Klondike Road Relay. The most exciting race was the Berlin marathon with Sue in 2002 and hearing cheers in German along the route.
Bike camping was another passion. Guenter loved biking across the U.S. on many trips with his wife and sister, Pam. In 2008, Guenter and Sue biked the Danube River Trail, which was his last trip to Germany.
Traveling in his RV to visit family and friends was his ideal vacation. But, Guenter's special spot was always Thumb Cove at the family cabin. His ashes will be scattered there and throughout the country with a final resting place at Angeles Cemetery in the family plot.
Guenter was preceded in death by his father-in-law, Orv Gilbert; and brothers, Wolfgang and Jurgen Rostin.
Time with family and friends was his greatest joy. He will be greatly missed by all who met him, but especially by his wife, Sue Rostin; daughter, Angela (Jim) Elmore; son, Ralph (Rose) Rostin; grandsons, Tyler (Rachel) Elmore and Travis Elmore; great-grandchildren, Porter and Braxton Elmore; mother-in-law, Donna Silvey; sisters-in-law, Rita and Renate Rostin, Pam Bearden, Mary Gilbert, Patty Vogel and Judy Krentzel; brother-in-law, Jeff Gilbert; nieces, Heike Morley, Wendy Ketchum (Steve), Maegan Smith (Chris Guernsey), Natalie and Paige Feldman, Isis, Alena, Lucy and Cecelia Gilbert; nephews, Andreas and Stefan Rostin, Carsten Rostin, Johnathan Gilbert, Bryce Smith and Ryder Guernsey; and godchildren, Ben and Maria Crawford.
A way to honor Guenter would be to spend time with your family and friends and to support your favorite charity. A Celebration of Life will be held when it's a better time to gather together.
