Obituary

Alice Elizabeth Gurtler Larson, 103, passed away on October 3, 2014 at Best Care II Assisted Living Home in Anchorage, Alaska.
Alice was born on September 15, 1911 in Montevideo, Alaska. She graduated from Nenana High School in Nenana, Alaska. Alice lived in Montevideo, Shageluk, Marshall, Russian Mission, Ruby, Nenana (1926-1950), Fairbanks (1950-1984) and Anchorage (1984- 2014).
Alice was the youngest postmaster in Alaska circa 1933-1942; she also worked for the Nenana Ice Classic as a bookkeeper, for electrician Harrie Hughes in the 1950’s and as a secretary for the Fairbanks North Star Council on Aging in the 1970’s. In Fairbanks Alice served with the March of Dimes and as treasurer of the VFW.
Alice’s hobbies included picking berries, making jam, gardening, nutrition, sewing, reading, listening to Pavarotti and telling stories about her childhood.
Alice is survived by her daughter Jeanmarie Larson Crumb and her son Frederick A. Larson both from Anchorage. She is also survived by fourteen nieces and nephews, twenty-seven great nieces and nephews, twenty great - great nieces and nephews and three great- great- great nieces and nephews.
Alice was the last living of 7 siblings. She was pre-deceased by brothers Alfred, Grover, Robert, Jack and Bill and her sister Adella Johansen. Alice’s husband Al Larson died in 1976.
“Mom had an indomitable spirit. She had a lot of health challenges during her life, but she was amazingly resilient. She was very task-oriented. Work always came before relaxation. She was very energetic and productive during her life. She was very proud of her Athabascan and German heritage.”