William John Fredrickson, known as Bill, passed away peacefully at SEARHC Medical Center on May 11, 2025. He was 86.
He was born to Mildred Birch and John Holton on August 28, 1938 in, Petersburg. Mildred later divorced Mr. Holton when Bill was a young child. She met and married Edward (Beamie) Fredrickson, and Bill's younger sisters were born – Dyanne, Linda, and Susie.
Bill’s early years were spent on the family fishing boat, The Joanne. While he was growing up the family lived in Ketchikan, Petersburg, and Sitka. He graduated from Sitka High School in 1957. His fellow classmates included Gary Paxton, Sammy Martin, and Willis Osbakken, who were his basketball teammates. He loved playing basketball and was quite good at it.
After high school he attended college for one year in Long Beach, California, and from there he joined the U.S. Army, where he trained as a heavy equipment operator, which was the beginning of a lifelong career. After his Army service he returned to Sitka, where he met and married Pauline Ballinger Peterson in 1964. Together they had Victoria (Tori) Agnes Fredrickson, joining her sister, Trish.
Bill worked many jobs, some at the same time including bartender at the Pioneer Bar, manager and butcher at Lakeside grocery store, ground security guard during the construction of the Alaska Pulp Mill. His work on construction crews, included work on the O’Connell Bridge, the Blue Lake Dam, and the extension of the airport. His road construction jobs took him to Yakutat and Prince of Wales Island.
He and Pauline divorced, and he met and married the love of his life, Carolyn Dalton, on July 15, 1995.
He retired from the Local 302 Operating Engineering Union, and later retired working at the Halibut Point Marine boat haulout. After retirement, he and Carolyn moved to California and Texas where they spent the next years traveling and enjoying road trips. They moved back home to Sitka 10 years ago.
Bill was a proud lifetime member of the Elks Lodge, Moose Lodge, and the American Legion. Bill lived his life with a great love for the Alaskan outdoors and his family. He loved hunting ducks, and fishing. He enjoyed his Duck Club cabin adventures.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Mildred and Beamie Fredrickson; his sisters Linda Lee, and Susie Tisher; and his dearest friends, Harry Salser, Bill Jolley, Hal Taylor, and Vaughn Blankenship.
He leaves behind his wife Carolyn Fredrickson, Trish and Dirk White, Soren and Anna White, Taylor White, Tori Hay, Jace and Noelle Hay, Joe Dalton, Vaughn Dalton, and Trevor Dalton, Natalie Voron and Chris Voron, Avery Voron, Dalton Voron, sister Dyanne Richter and family, cousins Keith and Linda Fredrickson, and Jack Fredrickson, and more cherished friends.
Honorary pallbearers are Sammy Martin, Willis Osbakken, Gary Paxton, Stan Filler, Keith Fredrickson, Bob Jacoby, Wayne Richter, Jerry Tisher, and Dirk White.
A military honor service at Sitka National Cemetery and a celebration of his life are planned for first part of August.
"We all loved you and miss you," Bill’s family said.
