Darlene Ivanoff

Darlene Carol Ivanoff, 68, passed away on May 3, 2025, at her home of over 30 years in Anchorage, Alaska.
Born on February 12, 1957, in Nome, Alaska, to Harold and Lillian Ivanoff, she was the youngest of eight children. In 1963, her family moved from Unalakleet and eventually settled in Anchorage, where she graduated from East High School in 1975.
Darlene spent many years working for the Anchorage School District, where she was fondly remembered by colleagues for her steady presence and kind nature. She later worked for Kuupik Village Corporation for many years before retiring.
Darlene was striking – beautiful, artistic and clever. A proud Indigenous woman, she had a natural gift for photography, capturing the quiet beauty of family life in candid and heartfelt images. She had a sharp mind, a love of books, plants, music and family game night, a fondness from thrift stores and garage sales where she'd search endlessly for treasures. She laughed easily and often, especially around those she felt close to. Darlene often offered support and care in her own way, sharing the wisdom earned through hardship and experience. The loss of her sister Ann – her closest companion - left her with a grief so heavy it dimmed her spirit. Her story is not simple, she lived with pain, but with creativity, love and a desire to do right. Those who knew her best will remember her for her contradictions, her beauty, and the complicated, enduring ways she tried to love.
Darlene is survived by her children, Kiatcha Palmer, Kahtaaya "Katie" Benson, Ryan Benson, Charles Benson; her grandchildren, Damien Derry, Natalia Shelton, Raven Pangawyi, Ellis Benson, Elliott Benson; her sisters, Ruth Seymore, Betty Menard, Clara Ivanoff; along with many nieces, nephews and cousins. She is preceded in death by Ernest "Chuck" Benson; brothers, Harris Ivanoff, Harold "Sonny" Ivanoff and Kenneth "Larry" Ivanoff; and her parents, Harold and Lillian (Nashalook) Ivanoff; and grandbaby Willow Ryan Benson.