Alberta Hemnes, Longtime Resident, Dies at Age 84

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Created on Friday, 26 June 2020 16:33

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Alberta Hemnes

Alberta Hemnes, a longtime Sitka resident, died March 17, 2020, at the Sitka SEARHC hospital. She was 84.

Alberta was born June 12, 1935, in Bissett, Manitoba, Canada, the oldest of five children of Jonas Anderson and Elsie Irene Walker. Her family moved to Calgary during World War II, and her father served in the Army for six years during the war. When she was 16  her mother passed away, leaving Alberta to help raise her siblings.

Alberta attended Langley Prairie High School in British Columbia, Canada, and Berean Bible College in Calgary for three years. Later, she took nursing aide training in Calgary and worked as an aide at a local hospital. 

Alberta began her missionary work  for Gospel Missionary Union in Kansas City, and was there for 10 years. In 1969, GMU sent her to Sitka to work with children in a Bible club program. She and her GMU partner, Elsie Williams, also opened the Bible Book Store, in downtown Sitka.

She met the love of her life, Jakob Hemnes, here, and they were married on August 22, 1975.

Alberta worked as an aide at Sitka Community Hospital and at the Bed and Bath shop for many years. She had artistic talents and loved to paint, and spent many happy hours painting for Becky Martin at Windsong Designs. Her miniature canvas paintings have been featured in the Pioneers Home Gift Shop the past few years. 

Alberta had a very strong Christian faith and will be missed by her church family at the Nazarene Church. Her home for the last two years has been at the Pioneer Home. Alberta was a joy to many and will be missed by them all.

She is survived by two stepchildren, Joyce Hemnes of Sitka and Kurt Hemnes and two step-granddaughters, of Norway.

A memorial service is planned for later in the summer.

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