Josef Ressel

Mar 14, 1933 -

Jun 26, 2021

Josef Emil Heribert Ressel passed away peacefully on June 26, 2021, at the age of 88, in Anchorage, Alaska, after a short illness at his home, surrounded by his children.

Josef was born on March 14, 1933, in the town of Grottau, in the province of Sudetenland formerly a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to Maria and Friedrich Ressel. He spent his childhood years with his parents and extended family.

In 1945, Josef and family were expelled after World War II from their home and moved to eastern Germany to stay with relatives. While there, Josef attended trade school and became a tool and die maker. Following the completion of his trade he escaped communist East Germany and moved to Bavaria to live with his uncle and brothers.

In 1954, Josef decided he wanted to see the world and so he immigrated, leaving from the port of Bremen and went to Canada, first landing in Quebec City and then settling in Montreal. After two years in Montreal where he studied English at McGill University, he moved to Vancouver and two years after that to Seattle in 1958, to work for Boeing on the first 707 jet liners. In 1959, he went to Alaska on vacation and decided to stay. He became a proud U.S. citizen in 1965.

Josef met Ina Petersen of Anchorage while they were both spending the weekend at Lake Chelatna Lodge in 1965. Josef and Ina dated for six years before wedding in October 1971. Josef and Ina raised two children, Erik and Monika, in the house they built on Campbell Lake. Joe and Ina were married for 49 years and were a very devoted and loving couple. They had a wonderful marriage and were the love of each other's lives.

Josef owned several construction and roofing companies during his career with his business partner Ed Young. Although based in Anchorage, he worked on projects all over the state, including on the North Slope, Kotzebue, and all the way out to Shemya in the Aleutian chain. He also built many well know buildings in Anchorage, including Ben Boeke Ice Rink and the Anchorage Museum of History. Josef always preached going the extra mile, to do it right the first time, and his companies had a reputation for quality and being trustworthy.

Josef was a true Alaskan and loved everything Alaska has to offer. He traveled throughout Alaska, camping, fishing and hunting with his family, most of the time flying himself there in his own plane, first with Ina and later with the entire family. He was an avid pilot for more than 50 years and loved flying up to his cabin at Red Shirt Lake. Josef was a passionate skier as well and was able to enjoy that sport until his late 70s, most of those years spent skiing at Alyeska where he also had a cabin. Josef was also a talented chef and loved cooking. He baked his own bread, made head cheese and cooked magnificent holiday meals. He and Ina enjoyed traveling and visited many countries across the world.

Above all, Josef was a tremendous provider who loved his family and was a wonderful, dedicated husband, brother, father and grandfather. He loved his children and grandson. His greatest love was his wife Ina, and he was very devoted to her, caring for her the last nine years of her life while she was ill. He took her care very seriously and it was the most important thing to him in the end, making Ina comfortable.

Josef is survived by his children, Erik (Kim) and Monika; grandson, William; sister, Brigitte; nephew, Wolfram (Maria); and brother-in-law, Dan (Penny). He was preceded in death by parents, Maria and Friedrich; brothers, Rudolf and Paul; and dear wife, Ina. Funeral service will be held on Saturday, July 3, 2021, at noon, at the Angelus Memorial Park Cemetery Inc., 440 E. Klatt Road in Anchorage.