Daily Sitka Sentinel

Services to be Sept. 10 For Alicia Gonzalez, 25

Alicia Gonzalez

Alicia Gonzalez passed away Aug. 16, 2023, in Wildomar, California, following a car accident. She was 25.

A celebration of her life will be held 4:30 p.m. Sunday, September 10, at the Sheet’ká Ḵwáan Naa Kahídi. 

“Please bring stories to share and/or a favorite dish as we celebrate the life of our wonderful Alicia,” her family said.

Alicia was born Aug. 6, 1998, to Stella James and Refugio Gonzalez. She was Kiksadi from the Point House, and her Tlingít name was Kaachkaadu.aat, the name of a woman warrior who fought in the 1804 battle against the Russians.

In her younger years, Alicia sold newspapers downtown for the Daily Sitka Sentinel, then obtained her own paper route. When she went to work for Agave, her younger sister, Alaina, inherited her route.

Alicia was always a hard worker, setting and achieving goals for herself. Unafraid to try something new, full of life, full of love and laughter, spreading joy to all who knew her.

She attended Sitka schools then went to Anchorage for the Alaska Military Youth Academy in 2015 and successfully completed the one-year program in 2016, earning a $1,000 scholarship. After a few months in Juneau, she enrolled in Raven Correspondence School and graduated, moving to Vista, California, shortly afterward to explore new opportunities and to “get a fresh start.”

She enrolled at Palomar College with electrical engineering as a major. Alicia worked for Domino’s Pizza as a delivery person, and at the time of her passing had worked her way up to be a general manager, a job which she was good at. On the side, she had her own eyelash extension business. 

Alicia enjoyed trying new recipes, working on her regalia (a button robe, a dance shirt and a vest), as well as drum-making, traveling, attending concerts, video gaming with her cousins/friends, going to shooting ranges and watching those weird Korean shows and ‘‘Grey’s Anatomy.’’ She would come back home for visits when time permitted.

She was a past member of the Gájaa Héen Dancers, member of Sheet’ká Ḵwáan Dancers, and a citizen of the Sitka Tribe of Alaska and Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska.

She leaves behind her mother, Stella James of Sitka; her father, Refugio Gonzalez of Wildomar; and siblings Brentyn James of Soldotna, and Brittni James, Annabell Gonzalez, and Alaina James, all of Sitka.

Also surviving are her aunt and uncle, Keely James and Dale Tucker  ofSitka; uncle John James, Sitka; aunt Cassandra Days of Juneau; uncle Troy Callicoatte, Louisiana); aunt Mery Grace Blilie, Haines; cousin (and “brother”) Chris James and cousin Leo Tucker, both of Sitka.

Her grandparents, Barbara James of Sitka, John and Debi James of Juneau, and Refugio and Maria Gonzalez, Wildomar; nephews Spencer James and Alan Orbendorfer, both of Sitka; great-uncle Ralph Brady; and great-aunts Louise Brady and Judy Brady, Eileen Gallagher, Vicki D’Amico, all of Sitka, also survive, along with  honorary aunt Dionne Brady-Howard. 

Numerous cousins in Sitka, Chicago, Washington and California; best friends Daniel Gandara of Wildomar, Lakrisha Brady and Gabby Kelly of Sitka; and, last but not least, her fur babies Peanut and Hunter also survive.

She was preceded in death by her great-grandfather, Bill Brady; cousin Marcus Brady; great-aunt Jennifer Brady Morales; great-grandmother Isabella Brady; and great-aunt Diana Brady.

Honorary pallbearers are Chris James, Leo Tucker, David Brady, Lakrisha Brady, Vanessa Bradley, Paula VanMeter, Gabby Kelly and Daniel Gandara.

Condolences may be sent to Stella James, P.O. Box 6337, Sitka, AK 99835.