Ann Moffitt Stow

Palmer resident Ann Louise Moffitt Stow, 72, died peacefully of natural causes Nov. 18, 2006, at Gloria's Golden Heart Assisted Living in Anchorage.

A celebration of life will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Palmer Moose Lodge, 1136 Cobb St.

Ms. Stow was born Oct. 17, 1934, in Mandan, N.D. She and her parents, Archie and Sarah Moffitt, and siblings arrived in Seward on Jan. 3, 1937, on their way to the Matanuska Valley to start a new life in the Last Frontier. Her family helped to carve the valley into the farming community it is today.

"The Moffitts were dairy farmers, and Ann learned to care for the livestock, and to cook with love," her family wrote. "She was the youngest of nine. Annie attended Colony School in Palmer, where she learned to love theater, piano, singing and dance. Ann truly loved growing up in the colonist lifestyle and told many good stories.

"After leaving the farm, Ann's career was in banking. She worked from 1950 to 1964 at the Matanuska Valley Bank, National Bank of Alaska, Alaska State Bank and First National Bank. She also worked for Wright Auto Carriers as an office manager from 1964 to 1970 and ran her own company, A.L.S. Payroll and Accounting from 1970 to 1990.

"Ann traveled outside Alaska to visit with family and returned in 1991. She went to computer accounting school until 1992 and in 1993 she worked for Arctic Auto & Truck in Anchorage until her retirement in 2005."

She is survived by her sister, Betty Stewart; sons and daughter-in-law, Thomas (Joiner) Journa and Terri Lynn Journa, and Fred Joiner; grandchildren, Debra Baker, Amanda Joiner, Susan Timm and William Timm; great-grandchildren, Jamie Pinder, Tiffany McCrae, Jordan Glasgow and Brandon McComas; and great-great-grandchild, Elijah (McAdoo) Joiner, all of Alaska. She was preceded in death by her brothers and sisters, Alice, Clemma, Ruth, Thomas, Owen, Wallace and Leonard.