FAMILY FUN – Crystal Johns holds her son Zayne , 2, as she follows her son Ezekiel, 4, up an inflatable slide Saturday at Xoots Elementary School during the annual Spring Carnival. The event included games, prizes, cotton candy, and karaoke. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Rep. Rebecca Himschoot says in the discussion on educ [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
Song, dance and a cast of school-aged actors will brin [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Don’t talk to people claiming to be from Medicare o [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
The Alaska House of Representatives voted Wednesday to allow comp [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has dismissed an appeal filed by [ ... ]
Mr. Whitekeys
In Sitka to Tell
Gold Rush Tale
Sitka Historical Society and Museum will present ‘‘Th [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
April 17
At 9:08 a.m. a transformer was r [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The threat of major cutbacks to the subsistence socke [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
With the first vote on the city budget for fiscal yea [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
In the final day of play in the recreational division City League volleyball [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Three amateur athletes from Sitka were among tens of [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
A proposal to require Alaska schools to keep opioid-overdose-r [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
Alaska’s Kobuk River, which flows out of the Brooks Range above [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
April 16
At 8:07 a.m. a woman [ ... ]
Presentation On
Medicare, SS
SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium and Cynthia Gibson, CFP®, an [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Musicians from Sitka High and Mt. Edgecumbe High scho [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Whether you enjoy scaling mountains, walking in the p [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Two-time Alpine Adventure Run winner Chris Brenk cont [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee expanded a [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS and
CLAIRE STREMPLE
The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development is [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
April 15
A protective order was issued at 1 [ ... ]
Chamber Speaker
Event Wednesday
The Chamber of Commerce speaker series will continue noon Wednesday at [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
From high costs and low availability to challenges sur [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
A number of participants at Thursday’s community me [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Jessica Acker
Jessica Lynn Acker, 33, died on Feb. 8, doing what she loved – hiking the mountains of Alaska.
Jessica was so dedicated to living fully and passionately that she had the word “live” tattooed across her back.
She was born April 21, 1981, in Madison, Wis., the daughter of Robert Acker and Rita Acker. She graduated in 1999 from Waunakee Community High School. She studied biology and French at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, graduating in 2004. She was president of UW’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity, and for her extraordinary leadership she received the Copper Hammer Award. She also received the highest honor for undergraduate service with induction into the UW’s Iron Cross Society.
After college Jessica moved to Alaska to work as an observer in the fisheries industry. She fell in love with the state’s wild places and relished hiking, berry-picking, fishing and viewing wildlife. In her career and in her life she strove to always learn new things and grow as a person. Her adventurous spirit also led her to travel abroad, including multiple stays in France.
Her curiosity led her to explore the world around her, but also to express genuine interest in the lives of the people she met. This, along with her capacity for empathy and her contagious sense of humor, made her a fast friend. People scattered far and wide considered her one of their closest friends. She also was always loyal to her beloved family, returning home between adventures.
Jessica is survived by her parents, Rita Acker (Mike Kelley) and Robert Acker (Susan Attewell), both of Waunakee; her brother, Jared (Alicia) of Edgerton; her sister, Melissa, of Chicago; her grandparents, Willard and Pearl Schumann, of Mazomanie, and Dolores Acker, of Middleton; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her grandfather, Leander Acker.
While in Sitka, Jessica enjoyed hiking, running, attending lectures and events, meeting new people, and enjoying the area’s natural beauty. She leaves behind many dear friends in Sitka, and throughout Alaska.
The family suggests memorials in honor of Jessica be made to Habitat for Humanity, or the Sitka Trail Works.
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20 YEARS AGO
April 2004
Photo caption: Sen. Lisa Murkowski talks with students in Karoline Bekeris’ fourth-grade class Thursday at the Westmark Shee Atika. From left are Murkowski, Kelsey Boussom, Laura Quinn and Memito Diaz.
50 YEARS AGO
April 1974
A medley of songs from “Jesus Christ Superstar” will highlight the morning worship service on Palm Sunday at the United Methodist Church. Musicians will be Paige Garwood and Karl Hartman on guitars; Dan Goodness on organ; and Gayle Erickson on drums.
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