Gerald Curtis Conaway

1933 - 2015

Gerald Curtis Conaway, 82, passed away peacefully on April 9, 2015, at Alaska Regional Hospital. He was born on Feb. 15, 1933, in Manson, Wash., and grew up in Oak Harbor, Wash. Gerry is survived by his wife of 51 years, Marilyn Eylar Conaway; and their two sons, Stanford Conaway and Reed Conaway. Gerry was an artist first and foremost, after teaching Art at University of Washington he moved to Alaska in 1965 and began teaching at Alaska Methodist University in Anchorage. Many of Gerry's works may be found around Alaska. These include the William Henry Seward Memorial, the Benny Benson Memorial, eight local works at elementary schools and the Federal Building in Fairbanks. His sculpture "Maquette for Arctic Amphibian" (1979) is in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution. He also enjoyed hunting, fishing, baking cookies and restoring cars. Gerry was also a skilled jewelry maker and truly loved cats and peanut butter sandwiches. After recovering from a heart transplant in 1998, he held an art show at University of Washington Medical Center where the operation had been done. He was a wonderful Father and visionary artist. He will be greatly missed. Arrangements by Cremation Society of Alaska. Words of comfort can be shared at www.alaskacremation.com.