Everett "Mike" Blatchford

Lifelong Alaskan Everett Michael "Mike" Blatchford, 59, died peacefully Oct. 12, 2008, surrounded by family at his home in Nikiski after a short battle with pancreatic cancer.
A funeral will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the North Kenai Chapel, Mile 29.5 Kenai Spur Highway, in Nikiski. A viewing will be held one hour prior to the services. Pastor Wayne Coggins will officiate. Military honors will be provided by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10046 and American Legion Post 20. A graveside service will be at 3 p.m. in the American Legion Cemetery in Seward. A potluck will be after the graveside service.
Mr. Blatchford was born Oct. 3, 1949, to Ernest and Lena Lois (Pleasant) Blatchford in Nome. He was a longtime Kenai Peninsula resident and achieved many honors including winner of the 1967-68 junior Mt. Marathon race (still holds record); Neighborhood Youth Corps representative for Alaska; met President Lynden B. Johnson and trained for the Winter Olympics in biathlon and cross-country skiing in 1972.
He graduated from Seward High School in 1968 and served in the U.S. Army as a welder specialist until he was honorably discharged. He was on the U.S. biathlon team. He worked briefly for the U.S. Postal Service; was recreational director for the Alaska Native Skill Center; served as an Alaska State Trooper; worked on the pipeline for Kodiak Oilfield, later for Peak Oil Field Services. Mr. Blatchford worked for the Operating Engineers, Local 302 from which he retired.
In recent years, his mission was spreading the gospel to remote villages around Alaska and to everyone he met as an evangelist. He was a member of the North Kenai Chapel.
"Mike was a compassionate, caring man who made friends wherever he went. He was a craftsman in his trade with an endearing sense of humor," his family said.
Mr. Blatchford was preceded in death by his father, Ernest Blatchford; sister, Rosemary Lee; and son, Ernest Michael Blatchford.
He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Marietta Blatchford of Nikiski; mother, Lena Blatchford of Anchorage; mother in-law, Etta Hill of Kenai; brothers, Edgar Blatchford and Tom Blatchford of Anchorage; sons, Christopher Blatchford and his wife, Shelly, of Kenai, Francis Blatchford of Nikiski, Quincy Blatchford and his wife Ashley of Kenai and Israel Blatchford of Nikiski; nephew, Leon Youngblood and his wife Kimberly of Seward; special niece, Jennifer Hill of Montana; paternal aunts and uncles, May and Art Brandon of Anchorage, Percy and Daisy Blatchford of Seward, Sid Blatchford of Anchorage, Gene and Mable Blatchford of Seward, Doc and Carol Blatchford of Palmer, Dolly Peters of Kentucky, Marjorie Gagnon of Palmer, Jay and Chris Holmberg of Cantwell; maternal aunts and uncles, Ruth Martin of Seward and Julius Pleasant of Bethel; plus numerous cousins who are loved but not listed.
Memorial contributions may be made to Mary Blatchford, P.O. Box 7236, Nikiski 99635.
Arrangements are with Peninsula Memorial Chapel.