Marie Apok Virginia Anderson
Marie Apok Virginia Anderson, age 80, passed away at the Central Peninsula General Hospital in Soldotna, Alaska, on May 8, 2018. She was born in Ugiauvak “King Island”, Alaska on March 10, 1938 to Leo and Agnes Kunnuk.
Marie lived in Kenai over 40 years. She was a lifetime artist, seamstress, skin ssewer and beader.
Marie partnered with husband Doug on their businesses of “Anderson Anchors” and the “Tractor Doc” enterprise. She was still an active Avon Lady at 80-years-young and Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church, where she taught Sunday school. She volunteered at many tribal and local functions, she was a Tribal Elder and a Domestic Violence Elder Advocate helping many women across the state, a Champion Bowler, award winning gardener and quilter many times at the State Fair and she was a top selling Avon Lady for decades.
Marie loved helping others, prayer groups and teatime, beading, berry picking and bingo, fishing and killing moose. She was a beautiful, tough and tenacious Inupiat woman, who cherished her life growing up on Ugiauvak carrying her strong voice, loving heart and talent to us wherever she was. An avid hunter who killed her last moose with her car, she loved cooking and sharing Native foods and she was a devoted wife of 42 years.
Marie is preceded in death by her brothers Leo, Vince, Paul, Timothy, Peter and Charles; daughter Diana and grandchildren Graham and Angela. She is survived by her husband Doug Anderson of Kenai; her children Cheri, Tag, Terrence, Darlene, Tia and Terese; siblings Joe, Julie, Theresa, Adrian, Dominic and William, sister-in-law Ruth Kunnuk all of Anchorage, and many grandchildren and great grandchildren and cousins, nieces and nephews.
A funeral mass will be held at Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church, 225 S Spruce St., Kenai AK 99611 at 1:00 p.m., Fr. Tom Rush, OMI will be officiating, a reading of the Rosary at 12:00 p.m. and a viewing at 12:30.p.m. A potluck Celebration of Marie’s life follows the service at the church, following this Marie will be laid to rest in the Kenai City Cemetery.
