Arlo Brees

1948 - 2018

Arlo Brees passed July 5, 2018.
Arlo Brees has been a Fairbanksan since he arrived in March 1948 with his parents, Marvin and Dorothy Brees, from Osakis, Minnesota, 120 miles west of Minneapolis and 120 miles east of Fargo, North Dakota. After high school, he worked on construction jobs as a cement mason until September 1959, when he applied at the Fire Department. He left in 1961 to work as a fireman for Boeing in Washington, then for a contractor on Christmas Island, where the federal government was performing nuclear tests. Brees returned to the Fairbanks Fire Department in 1964 and left in February 1966 to work as a fireman at the Alaska Air Command satellite tracking site at Donnelly Flats, south of Delta. He returned six months later and worked for the department until his retirement in January 1987.
Arlo is survived by his wife, E. Charlotte Brees; his brother, Avon Brees, and wife, Beverly, and children Jeffery, Carol, Mark, Aaron and multiple nieces and nephews; brother, Hugh Brees, and wife, Sylvia, and children Ben, Bonita, Tanya, Shaylene and multiple great-nieces and nephews; sister, Corlus Branson, and children Michelle and husband, John Bryant, John and wife, Tara Branson, Jim and wife, Sherry Christensen, Bryan and wife, Kathy Branson, Danny and wife, Jessie Calixto, and multiple great-nieces and nephews; children Barbara and husband, Wally Hopkins; grandchildren Monica Bettis and her children Harry and Holden Bettis and Shannon and husband, John Slater, and their children William and Robert; son Kyle and wife,Tracy Brees, and their grandchildren Sheena and husband, Zach Brady, and Keegan Brees, and great-grandchildren Trevor, Kris, Haleigh and Leyton; daughter, Roxanne, and husband, Jeff Rigo, and their children Troy and Andrea; daughter, Trish Stuart, and child, Mathew, and wife, Emi Stuart, and great-grandchild Archer; daughter Susan and husband Steve Fee and their children Paul, Sarah Casey and Nicole and husband, Jeremy Madden, and great -grandchildren Austin and Michael; daughter, Pam, and husband, Mike Hipple, and their children Racheal Hughes and Laura Hughes; sister-in-law, Becky, and husband, Scott Whalen, and their children Troy and wife, Misty Richards, and great-grandchildren Haaken and Therin.
Arlo was preceded by his father, Marvin; mother, Dorothy; son, Avon Brees; daughter, Cheryl; niece, Cheryl Jean; family member Mike Richards; and son-in-law Tom Stuart.
Arlo Brees lived a very full life. He was very active in the Fairbanks community. He enjoyed many hobbies and excelled at most. His enthusiastic attitude and smile was almost contagious, whether he was bowling, racing and riding snowmachines, golfing, flying, square dancing, working at the fire station or woodworking. He really enjoyed his family and always lived with the attitude that anything worth doing was worth doing to your best ability. He was an inspiration and mentor to us all. His purpose in life was to give and serve others.
Due to his term with Parkinson's, his last days were spent in Texas with his heart in Fairbanks.
A celebration of life will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the charity of your choice in Arlo's name.