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Roy Jake Tansy
<p>Roy Jake Tansy was born in Valdez Creek (C’ilaan Na’ - “abundant game creek”) in a</p> <p>tent March 16, 1934. He was the 2nd born child of Jake and Lily Tansy after his</p> <p>sister Jane. Roy was blessed to have 4 younger siblings, Alfred, Louise, Helga and</p> <p>Ruby. Roy talked about the fact that they helped their dad build the house in</p> <p>Cantwell (Yedatene Na –“River behind the mountain”). He said he was 8 years old</p> <p>the first time he lived in a house. Until then, they lived between Valdez Creek,</p> <p>Cantwell and Brushkana.</p> <p>He talked fondly about the years he played hockey while in school. He grew up</p> <p>hunting moose, caribou, sheep, bear and fishing. He loved to tell stories of trips</p> <p>into the mountains around Cantwell. Roy will be fondly remembered for all the</p> <p>stories of his youth. Roy’s best friend growing up was Eric Carlson, they were each</p> <p>other’s best men at their weddings and Roy loved visiting with Eric and talking to</p> <p>him in his Ahtna language.</p> <p>As an adult, Roy became a heavy equipment operator and was a proud member of</p> <p>the Operator’s Local 302. He helped build the road from Cantwell to Denali</p> <p>National Park and the Park road. His favorite heavy equipment was the crane. But</p> <p>he was seen often on backhoes and bulldozers.</p> <p>Roy was 33 when he met the love of his life! Irene Widmark was going to UAF at</p> <p>the same time as Roy’s sister Ruby. Roy would come to Fairbanks to visit and would</p> <p>take Ruby and Irene to dinner. He started asking her to marry him right away.</p> <p>For a year Irene thought he was joking. One day she realized he was serious :)</p> <p>She told him that he needed to ask her dad and they were married 5 months later</p> <p>June 1, 1968.</p> <p>After the birth of their daughter Carmel Lillian and son Roy Jake Jr., Roy decided</p> <p>to further his education. He earned an associate’s degree in Accounting at Sawyer</p> <p>Business College in Los Angeles, CA in 1974. After a brief time, Roy returned to</p> <p>heavy equipment operating and helped build the Pipeline. It was during these</p> <p>years, their youngest son, Douglas Alan was born. Roy later worked for Alyeska as</p> <p>a P & CM pump station manager. He worked there until he retired in 2002.</p> <p>Roy was active in the Native community fighting for their rights. He was the first</p> <p>president of the Cantwell Alaska Native Brotherhood. Roy served on boards such</p> <p>as Fairbanks Native Association and Tanana Chiefs Conference Board before</p> <p>ANCSA. He was a Doyon board member soon after ANCSA. He served on the</p> <p>Cantwell SVO ever since Cantwell merged with Ahtna. Roy was Ahtna president</p> <p>while Ahtna settled with Alyeska over the use of Ahtna lands. He was on the</p> <p>Ahtna Heritage Foundation as an Elder Advisor. Roy later served as an Ahtna</p> <p>Board member for many years working for the betterment of all native peoples and</p> <p>their lands.</p> <p>Roy lived a life of adventure and constant activity. He was invited to the White</p> <p>House under President Ford…. worked 365 days straight one year ….. went on a trip</p> <p>of a lifetime to Japan with his wife Irene for their 40 year anniversary ….. worked</p> <p>in every corner of AK ….. went to the Superbowl with his son Douglas when he was</p> <p>80 ….ate at the top of the World Trade Center….has been on the floor at Wall</p> <p>Street...drove at least 17 roundtrips on the AlCan and was living and working in</p> <p>Dallas when President Kennedy was shot. Roy had a dream of becoming a pilot.</p> <p>One day he came home and told Irene he had bought a plane. He would then earn</p> <p>his pilot’s license. Because Roy was flying, Irene had to learn too. Roy flew</p> <p>actively with Civil Air Patrol in Gulkana. He spent countless hours flying around the</p> <p>state of Alaska to see family or even just to enjoy a piece of pie.</p> <p>Roy and Irene loved people! They had a deep sense of love for their family and</p> <p>cultural traditions. It was often said, wherever they travelled anywhere in the</p> <p>world, they would see a longtime friend. After 40 years of marriage, Irene died in</p> <p>a tragic accident in 2009. Roy forever felt this loss. He then realized his</p> <p>greatest hope to see Irene again was to follow Jesus. He became a beloved active</p> <p>member of Hamilton Acres Baptist Church.</p> <p>Roy was blessed with the love of his growing family as Carmel married Doug Read.</p> <p>Their 7 kids adored both Grandpa and Grandma Tansy. Roy Jr married Martha and</p> <p>has a daughter Elli. She loves the things Grandpa Tansy loved, for example,</p> <p>hunting, being outdoors and love of culture. Douglas married Kristine and blessed</p> <p>Grandpa Tansy with 5 wonderful grandkids. Grandpa Tansy spent the last 5 years</p> <p>of his life living with Douglas and his family in Fairbanks. It was a happy</p> <p>arrangement and he enjoyed his family! Those 5 years were filled with lots of</p> <p>adventures and precious times hearing Grandpa’s stories, life lessons and</p> <p>encouragement.</p> <p>Roy was a big guy. He had a heart, love and personality that matched. What he did</p> <p>he did big. Jan 10th, as Roy deteriorated from COVID-19, his family was making</p> <p>preparations to bring him home under hospice care. He was glad to hear he was</p> <p>going home and went straight to Heaven instead. As we mourn the big loss in our</p> <p>lives, we can only imagine the huge celebration he is having with Irene, his parents,</p> <p>his brother Alfred, his sister Ruby, his grandson Josiah, and all his friends and</p> <p>family that have gone before!</p>March 16, 1934 - January 10, 202103/16/193401/10/2021
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