Erwin Stanley Bourne

On Feb. 9, 2010, at 11:15 a.m., Erwin Stanley Bourne, 75, began the greatest adventure of his life with his loving Heavenly Father, the one who knew him best. His wife, Jean, was by his side. The last eight months of his life were spent at Denali Center, where he received wonderful and loving care.

Erwin was born during a blizzard in a little farmhouse on Dec. 4, 1935, in Boone County, Neb., to Richard and Martha Bourne. He was the second of three children. He was raised in Colorado Springs, Colo., and graduated from People's Bible College in 1957.

The day after graduation, on May 29, he married Jean Brown of Klingerstown, Pa. Together, they had five children: Doug, Darrell, Glenna, Gale and Dellie.

Erwin had an insatiable love and thirst for life and adventure. He always had dreamed of living in Alaska, and in 1968, he moved his family to Fairbanks. They arrived on Oct. 21, and Erwin took his first job as a block mason on the old Teamsters Building on Wendell Street. He and his family lived in a 12foot travel trailer in Griffin Park, next to the jobsite, for two weeks.

In December, they moved to 38 Mile Nenana Highway, where they lived and operated McKinley View Lodge. Lifelong friendships were made during these years with patrons, travelers, local residents and villagers.

Erwin's lifelong passion was to spread the good news of the Gospel everywhere he went, and his love for people took him from the Arctic to the jungles of South America. He and Jean spent some of the happiest years of their lives living in the Amazon jungles, three of those years in a houseboat on the Amazon River.

Erwin suffered throughout his life from many physical afflictions and diseases. One of the greatest hardships that he faced was the loss of both legs at age 65.

Erwin was a grandfather of 28 grandchildren: Jon, Phillip, Jacque, Christoffer, Justin, Jason, Craig, Andrea, Andy, Shane, Chad, Robin, Morgan, Alex, Lauren, Dylan, Daniel, Alex, Jesse, Ashley, Noah, Garrett, Tommy, Joseph, Jackson, Maria, Anthony and Henry Maxwell. He was a great-grandfather to five: Camryn, Hailey, Genevieve, Maddison and due this week -- Greyson.

Erwin was preceded in death by his mother and father, Richard and Martha Bourne; and by his younger brother, Vernon Bourne, of Port St. Lucie, Fla., who passed away 20 days before. He is survived by his wife, Jean; his sister, Gwen Smith, of Colorado Springs; his five children; 28 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and numerous relatives.

The family has chosen to have a small, private memorial service but would like to thank everyone for their kind words and prayers at this time.

Arrangements were by Fairbanks Funeral Home and Crematory.