Stella C. "Christine" Ford

Sept. 18, 1915 - Dec. 10, 2009

Stella C. "Christine" Ford died of a heart attack Dec. 10, 2009, at Mat-Su Regional Hospital in Palmer. A funeral service was held Dec. 15 at Kehl's Funeral Home in Palmer.

She was born to Neal and Maude Sanders in Nowata, Okla. Sept. 18, 1915.

Christine lived at the Chugiak-Eagle River Senior Center for the past two years. The attention and care she received at the center was greatly appreciated by her.

Christine came to Alaska in 1950 with a girlfriend, seeking adventure. She found, and was discovered by, Carlton Ford. They married in 1953 and lived and loved intensely for more than 50 years. Their daughter, Connie Mae, was born later that year.

Christine and Carl moved to Fairbanks in 1953 so Carl could work at Ladd Air Force Base, now Fort Wainright. Christine was one of the founders of the Alaska USA Federal Credit Union, working out of the basement of their house in Fairbanks.

Christine was an avid outdoors lady and loved to hunt and fish. She was legendary in her red snowmachine suit, fishing the banks of the Russian River in the '70s. With her zeal and charm she could clear a section of the riverbank faster than a grizzly with a sidearm, then limit out.

She and Carl were fixtures in Seward during the early days of the Silver Salmon Derby, fishing every hour they could. Christine and Carl lived in Valdez during the pipeline construction and startup. She was a master fisher, shrimper and crew member on their boat, the Gold Bar.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Carlton.

Christine is survived by her daughter Connie and son-in-law, Dan Tucker, of Wasilla; grandson, Jay Robinson of Texas; granddaughters Janice Freer of San Jose, Calif., Shala Sanders and Stephanie Nelson of Wasilla; great-grandchildren Christine, Ricky, Garrett, Taylor and Mykal.

In lieu of flowers please make memorial donations to the Chugiak-Eagle River Senior Center, 22424 N. Birchwood Loop, Chugiak, AK 99567, or 688-2677.