Alfred G. "Fred" Yawit

Feb 20, 1934 -

Dec 5, 2022

Alfred G. Yawit, better known as Fred, died peacefully while surrounded by family at Providence Alaska Medical Center on Dec. 5, 2022. He was Oton Yawit and Sophie Wolska's sixth child, born at home during a snowstorm in Garfield, N.J., on Feb. 20, 1934.

At the age of 18, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and received training in electronics. He served in Korea until his honorable discharge in 1955. He then worked for Federal Electric, a division of IT&T, on the DEWLine - Distant Early Warning - in remote locations of Canada, Greenland, and Alaska.

In 1972, Fred and his family moved from New Jersey to Anchorage, Alaska, on a three-year contract as an area manager for the White Alice Communications System. When the contract ended the family took a vote, deciding Alaska would be their home. Fred was hired by Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, where he worked as an electrical engineer and retired after 17 years.

Fred enjoyed gardening, puttering in his garage, golfing, fishing, hunting, camping, traveling the world with friends and family, and gambling in Vegas - or anywhere. He was a "foodie" and a snowbird on the Big Island, Hawaii, and Marana, Ariz. Fred was always happy to help a neighbor.

He is survived by Catherine "Kitty," his wife of 64 years; children, Valerie Yawit, Beverly Sorenson (Edward), Alfred Jr. and Barbara Yawit (Andrew Daoust); grandchildren, Breahannon (Travis), Henry (Alison), Howard and Blake; and great-grandchildren Michael, Wiley, River and Adalyn.

He was predeceased by his parents; siblings, Helen, Anthony, Sophie, Joseph and Walter; son, Joseph; and grandson, Zane.

An inurnment ceremony with military honors will be held at 10 a.m. on June 16, 2023, at Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery. A celebration of life will be held at 4 p.m. at Cafe Amsterdam, 530 East Benson Boulevard in Anchorage. Friends and family are invited to join us in celebrating Fred's life.