Zachary Jean Eastlick

Family and friends are mourning the loss of all-around good guy, Zachary Jean Eastlick. He passed away peacefully on September 9, 2023 surrounded by family who loved him immensely.
Zach was born in Longview, Washington on August 21, 1991, weighing in at a whopping 9 pounds 13 ounces, with the largest head many of his family members have ever seen.
The youngest of four boys, Zach quickly learned to defend himself. After countless living room wrestling matches, he went on to become one of Alaska's best wrestlers in his weight class and a two-time bantamweight AFC cage fighting champion.
Zach loved sports and excelled at many of them. In addition to wrestling and mixed martial arts, he was on the 2003 Dimond West little league team that made it to Western Regionals in San Bernadino, California. He hit a home run in his first at bat and set the tone for the team's run to the Little League World Series. The team eventually fell just short of the series but it was a defining moment in his life. He went on to play with additional teams that claimed state titles.
Zach was a 2009 graduate from Dimond High School. He loved high school and was an active participant. He served as the school's mascot and, by all accounts, was the best mascot the school has ever seen. On the wrestling team, he was ranked best in the state, named hardest worker, team captain and MVP. On Dimond's baseball team, Zach and his teammates won the 2009 state title and he was named the team's most improved player. He was elected Spirit Commissioner was given the high school superlative title of Super Psyched and Ready to Shout.
After high school, Zach did video production work for a number of Alaska events, including Mt. Marathon, Iditarod, Irondog, Alaska Aces games, Alaska Fighting Championship, Changepoint Church events, ESPN's March Madness and a presidential visit to the state. He worked at the family business, Circle Plumbing and Heating, helping create project plans and worked up to the position of assistant project manager. Most recently, he worked for Alaska Marine Lines as an operator at the Port of Whittier and service center manager at the Port of Dutch Harbor.
Zach adored his brothers and always wanted to make them proud. He enjoyed fishing and hunting with them and spoiling their kids-his nieces and nephews. He loved coaching youth baseball and wrestling, and serving as a sparring partner at his gym ABJJ. In the past few years, he really got into flying his drone.
He is preceded in death by his maternal grandparents Pete and Arlene Brey, aunt Lois Eastlick and cousin Bree Kenney.
Zach was part of a large family who loved him very much and will carry on his memory. The following names listed are only a small, but important, group of the lives he touched with his own.
They include his paternal grandparents Dale and Helen Eastlick, parents Tim and Jeannine Eastlick, aunts and uncles Kathleen Weeks, Roberta Kenney, Paula Polsky and Steve Bennett, Tama and Dave Shooner, Lydia and Bill Stennick, and Lester Eastlick and Sigrun Denny.
His siblings, who often got tired of the perceived special protection Zach received as "mama's precious baby," include Larry and Heidi Embley, Kyle and Jessie Embley, Jarrod Eastlick, Alaina Cookson and Aubrey Strayer.
Zach's nieces and nephews, who were the apples of his beautiful blue eyes, include Kyla, Ryan, Gracie and Taytum Embley, Wyatt and Zane Eastlick-Cookson, Emberlyn Strayer and Keira Eastlick.
Zach's first cousins were among his best buddies. They include Cole and Sydney Kenney, Angela Bienvenu, Rosalynn and Dustin Lasley, Justen Polsky, Katie and Zach Cole, Kelly Ireland, Luke and Mandy Keilwitz, David and Lucy Keilwitz, and Teresa, Lydia, Arthur and Linnet Eastlick. Many of Zach's cousins had children who were also active parts of his life but at some point, the list of family names has to stop before we reach the end of the internet.
Zach looked forward to a future with fiancée Melanie Rivas. She will always be a part of the Eastlick family and will help keep his memory eternal.
A memorial for Zach's life will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 23, 2023 at Faith Christian Community, 4240 Wisconsin Street in Anchorage. Family and loved ones are welcome to stay after the service to share loving stories about Zach and his shenanigans, he didn't earn the nickname Knucklehead for nothing.
At his memorial, his dozens and dozens of baseball hats will be available for loved ones to take home as a keepsake, just don't expect the extra-large size to fit a normal person's head.