John Dewan

Longtime Wasilla resident, Mr. John Thomas Dewan, 81, died Saturday, May 7, 2011, at the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer.

Memorial services will be noon Tuesday, May 17, 2011, at the Valley Funeral Home, 151 East Herning Ave. in Wasilla. Pastor Paul Riley will officiate, and John's eulogy will be delivered by Boyd Connolly. Graveside services will immediately follow the services at the Wasilla-Aurora Cemetery. Pallbearers will include Jason, Mike and Steve Dewan, Robert Clark, Wayne Oxford, Dan Cramer, Jeff Culling and Wayne Johnson. After the graveside a memorial potluck will follow at the Elk's Lodge in Palmer.

John was born Nov. 4, 1929, one of five children born to Alfred Michael and Janice Elaine (Connolly) Dewan in N.D. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1948 and served our nation during the Korean Conflict until after 20 years of service he retired in 1968 as a Master Sergeant.

John first came to Alaska to work at the Hotel Captain Cook, and later he went to work as a mechanic for Marathon Oil Company, where he worked for many years. In the mid 1970s he and his wife, Helen, started a home delivery contract for the U.S. Postal Service. As Wasilla grew, so did their route, which they had until 2000. They delivered mail from Palmer to Talkeetna, six days a week. They also had a feed business "8-D Ranch and Feed Morgan Farm."

John was preceded in death by his son, John T. Dewan, Jr. and his granddaughter, Katie Dewan. He is survived by his wife of over 60 years, Helen E. Dewan of Wasilla; daughter and son in-law, Helen E. and Mike Sharon of Ellinsburg, Wash.; daughter and son in-law, Dorothy and Jeff Borton of Wasilla; son and daughter in-law, Jason and Barb Dewan of Wasilla; daughter and son in-law, Janice M. and Robert Clark of Anchorage; son and daughter in-law, Michael O. and Donna Dewan of Wasilla; many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a whole group of kids that called him dad or gramps.

Arrangements were cared for by the Valley Funeral Home in Wasilla.