9/14/2004 - ANDREW WILLIAMS, 61, FAIRBANKS ALASKA

Andrew Williams III , 61, died at his home in Fairbanks on the evening of Sept. 14, 2004. Andy died of pancreatic cancer.

Andy was born on Dec. 5, 1942, in Glen Cove, N.Y. He was the great-grandson of Theodore Roosevelt. After World War II, the Williams family left New York and moved to Seattle. Andy attended local schools and graduated from Lakeside Academy in 1961.

Following a tour of duty in Vietnam, Andy graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in journalism. He worked for United Press International in Spokane before moving to Anchorage in 1970. Andy worked for the Anchorage Daily News as an editor, legislative reporter and columnist. Andy covered the special legislative session that shaped oil and gas taxation regulations and received a journalism award for his featured column.

In 1976, Andy left the ADN with others to start The Alaska Advocate, a prize-winning weekly statewide newspaper. Andy moved to Fairbanks in 1976 to be the Interior bureau chief for the Advocate. Andy enjoyed Fairbanks and made his home here until his death.

In 1978, Andy left the Advocate and went to work for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. For the next 11 years Andy worked as a reporter, copy editor, city editor and editorial page editor. In 1989, shortly after the Valdez oil spill, Andy left the News-Miner to work out of Seward cleaning rocks.

In 1990, Andy joined the Alaska Oil Spill Task Force, coordinating publicity and public affairs projects as well as producing a documentary video on the environmental and economic impact of the spill on coastal communities.

Andy and his wife, April Moore, briefly owned the All-Alaska Weekly, a small newspaper with a colorful history. After selling the paper, Andy went to work for the University of Alaska as a writer and editor.

In 1992, Andy was hired as a fire information officer with the Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service. One of his proudest accomplishments was going out with the fire management teams to fires in Alaska and the Lower 48. In 2003, Andy was named chief information officer for the Alaska Interagency Incident Management Team. "

10/27/2001 - LARRY SWENSON, 52, FAIRBANKS ALASKA

Legacy: North Pole Nicks | Profiles: Fairbanks, North Pole

Lifelong resident of North Pole and Fairbanks, Larry Edward Swenson, 52, passed away, Saturday, October 27, 2001 at the Denali Center in Fairbanks. He had a long battle with cancer and was not alone at the time of his death.

Larry was born May 14, 1949 in Grantsburg, Wisconsin. His father, Floyd M. and his mother, Genevieve Swenson had brought him to Fairbanks, Alaska in 1952. He attended Old Main School and graduated from Lathrop High School in 1968. He then attended college in Spokane, Washington, when he was picked to play for the Baltimore Colts. His career lasted a full 1 minute 47 seconds.

Larry had owned and operated MJ Rentals, Swenson Trucking and Excavating since 1976, and had been in partnership with his father in 9-Mile Mini Storage since 1981. Even while still in high school, Larry started his own janitorial and currier business. Before that he would baby-sit. If you ever asked him what he did for a living, he would say “anything to make a buck” or how is business, and he would say, “I had a customer today, that was exciting.”

Larry was respected in the communities of Fairbanks and North Pole. He loved life, and most everything in it. He once said that he was more concerned about getting things accomplished than about being in the public eye. Because of his drive, Larry managed to do both, in so many ways. All anyone had to do was let Larry know that there was a need of any kind, and he would do his best to fulfill it. Some of the most recent awards Larry received are: Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year in 1991, Larry & Syd have been North Pole King & Queen Regents since 1998, Rotary District Volunteer of the Year in 2000. He had also received two Proclamations from The Office of Mayor City of North Pole for Outstanding Community Volunteer in 2000, and Outstanding Accomplishments and Service to North Pole in 2001.

Larry had been past president of the North Pole Chamber of Commerce and the North Pole Rotary; he was also a member of the Arctic Masonic Lodge #7. His untiring interest and support also included being instrumental in starting the North Pole Boys & Girls Club, and the Little League. He served on the Board of the North Pole Area Housing Association, North Pole Youth Sports Council and the North Pole Nicks. Larry helped develop Morning Star Park, the Jack Wright Field and the Terry Miller Memorial Park by donating his time and equipment in the construction. He sponsored various sports teams, like basketball, T-ball and soccer.

Larry was a very busy man, but always managed to find time for his “baby doll” during the month of February. This is when they would go Outside to get sweat beads on their foreheads. Larry’s favorite pastime was “playing in the dirt” come spring, and cleaning up the “ibley dribblies” that his dad would miss while grading the snow from the yard in the winter. Larry enjoyed verbal and physical challenges. He was a fighter to the end, loving life, caring for so many in his own unselfish ways, and knowing that he would reap the benefits of true friendships in the end.

Larry is survived by his wife of 20 lovely years, Sydni G. Swenson of North Pole; father, Floyd M. Swenson of North Pole; son, Shad T. Swenson of North Pole; stepdaughters, Michelle L. Dickson of Anchorage and Nichole L. & her husband Nick Nickols of Kent, WA; grandsons Andrew R. Dickson of Anchorage and William E. Nickols of Kent, WA; brother James & his wife Linda Swenson of Priest River, ID; and nieces Carrie Evans and her husband Jeff and their children Tyler and Rachel Evans of Hayden, ID and Cristie Swenson of Eugene, OR.

Memorial services were held 6:00PM Sunday, November 4th, 2001, at the Chena River Convention Center, 109 Clay Street, Fairbanks, AK 99701.

Arrangements cared for by Fairbanks Funeral Home