Obituary - Patricia Ruth Muir

Tuesday, January 09, 2007
THE JUNEAU EMPIRE

Former Juneau resident Patricia Ruth Muir died peacefully Jan. 5, 2007, at Heritage Place in Soldotna. She was 82.

She was born Nov. 24, 1924, in Spokane, Wash. She graduated from Kirkland High School and attended Edison Vocational in Seattle. She moved to Tenakee Springs in 1949. During the next 58 years, she lived in Juneau, Fairbanks, Anchorage, Caribou Island on Skilak Lake and Soldotna.

She spent 16 years with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game as a statistician and as the animator for Pot Roast, the moose puppet on the Fish and Game television program in the late '60s.

After retiring from Fish and Game, she worked as an editorial assistant for the FAA, where she was named Outstanding Federal Employee in 1983. She was a partner for five years in Sterling Court Reporters before retiring again at 65.

A student of many spiritual philosophies, she found community with the Ridgeway Bahais in Soldotna.

She was involved in community service her whole life. She founded the Kirkland YMCA Las Casa de Leche Club to benefit March of Dimes in 1944 after surviving polio, and held a variety of offices with March of Dimes over many years, including state vice-president.

She served as an officer with Fairbanks Parent Teachers Association, worked with women and at-risk children as a parent aid to the Anchorage Child Abuse Board and as a foster parent; served on the board of Alaska Handicapped Sports and Recreation Association; was a founder of Bridges Community Resource Network, and volunteered with the Foster Grandparent Program at Soldotna Elementary.

She recently celebrated her 50th anniversary as a P.E.O. sister, and was also a member of the NAACP, Toastmasters and the Business and Professional Women.

Amazingly independent, creative and tenacious, she had wide-ranging interests, including a love of horses, superb skill as a gardener, seamstress, cook and baker, award-winning excellence as an artist and in various crafts, and a deep interest in holistic health and healing, said family members. They remember her uproarious sense of humor, zest for life and ability to create fun and excitement. She was mother to many people and will be missed by a large honorary family, they said.

She was preceded in death by her former husband, Robert L. Crow.

She is survived by her daughters, Ann WingQuest and her husband, Wendell Lane, of Anchorage, Joan Crow-Epps, of Soldotna; Beth Adams and her husband, Layne, of Anchorage, and Susan Widby-Crow and her partner, Jim Ihrig, of Wenatchee, Wash.; nine grandchildren, Theron Flavin, Jeremy Flavin, James Frusetta, Katie Scott, Eric Peterson, Joel Adams, Brian Adams, Jaxom Widby and Kayla Widby; two great grandchildren, Kenneth Yona Scott and Jordyn Flavin; nephew, Loren John Muir and his family; and cousin, Sharon O'Toole and her children.

A celebration of life is planned for Saturday in Soldotna. Her ashes will be scattered at Muir Glacier.

At the family's request, instead of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 1750 Abbot Road, Anchorage, AK, 99507. Condolences may be sent to her family at 44690 Sunrise Ave., Soldotna, AK, 99669, (907) 262-9019. Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel in Kenai.