Dirk Christie
Jul 4, 1953 -
Feb 12, 2022
On Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, Dirk Christie, adventurous and loving husband and father, passed away, at age 68, at his home in Anchorage, Alaska.
Dirk was born on July 4, 1953, in Crookston, Minn., to George and Peggy (Schoon) Christie. He grew up in Red Lake Falls, Minn., where he enjoyed skiing, golfing, astronomy and helping his father with the family newspaper business. He earned his private pilot certificate at age 19, and studied engineering at the University of Minnesota before chasing adventure hitchhiking across the country, island hopping the Caribbean, living as a music-loving ski bum in the Colorado Rockies and seizing opportunity in the oil boom of Alaska, where he moved in 1976.
In Alaska, Dirk found a fulfilling career serving as a project manager for the State of Alaska DOT for 31 years, building highways, hospitals, jails, and airport and mining facilities all over the state. Among many adventures between work projects, Dirk floated the Yukon River in a homemade raft and crossed the Nelchina and Tazlina glaciers via snowmobiles with his brother, Bruce. He shared his love of flying with family and friends, logging over 2500 hours in his Cessna floatplane, and another several hundred hours in a kit airplane he built in his garage. He briefly married and joyfully raised a son, Alex. In 2004, he met the love of his life, Alena Christie, and together they enjoyed retirement by traveling, road tripping and relaxing at their winter home in Tucson, Ariz. His final years were spent on summer construction projects with R&M Consultants, building and flying model airplanes with his friends, and sharing laughs and artisan pizzas with his family.
Dirk was predeceased by his parents, George and Peggy. He will be greatly missed by his wife, Alena; son, Alex (Micaela Finnegan); sister, Susan (Harry) Porfilio; brother, Bruce (Lynda); among many cousins, nephews, nieces and friends. A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. on May 20, 2022, at the Alaska Aviation Museum.
