Sidney James Smith
- 82 years old
- Date of birth: July 16th, 1942
- Place of birth: Dillingham, Alaska
- Date of passing: June 8th, 2025
- Place of passing: Anchorage, Alaska
SIDNEY JAMES SMITH, BORN IN KANAKANAK, ALASKA TO FRANK GRANT WOODS SR. AND IRENE OSTERHAUS, WAS ADOPTED AT NINE MONTHS OLD BY HENRY AND MARY SMITH AND RAISED IN DILLINGHAM. HE LATER LIVED IN NEW STUYAHOK, LEVELOCK, AND BETHEL—COMMUNITIES THAT SHAPED HIS DEEP CULTURAL ROOTS. IN 2003, HE MARRIED SARAH SMITH IN ANCHORAGE, BUILDING A BLENDED FAMILY GROUNDED IN LOVE AND TRADITION.
A SKILLED TRADESMAN—CARPENTER, WELDER, MECHANIC, FISHERMAN—SIDNEY DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO FAMILY AND COMMUNITY. HE HELPED FOUND BRISTOL BAY NATIVE CORPORATION AND STUYAHOK NATIVES LIMITED, AND SERVED ON ELDER BOARDS FOR SOUTHCENTRAL FOUNDATION AND ALASKA TRIBAL HEALTH CONSORTIUM. HE WAS DEVOTED TO THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH AND TO THE SUBSISTENCE LIFESTYLE, PASSING DOWN TRADITIONS OF HUNTING, FISHING, AND STORYTELLING. KNOWN FOR HIS WIT, WISDOM, AND LOVE OF PINOCHLE AND BASKETBALL, SIDNEY WAS A STEADY, LOVING PRESENCE AT EVERY FAMILY EVENT.
SIDNEY WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS BIRTH PARENTS FRANK GRANT WOODS SR. AND IRENE OSTERHAUS, HIS ADOPTIVE PARENTS HENRY AND MARY SMITH, SISTERS FRAN SHUGAK AND HATTIE DULL, BROTHER EDDIE WOODS, AND SONS DARRELL EARL WOODS AND JUSTIN QUINCY SMITH.
HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS CHILDREN: FRANK III, DARREN WITH HIS WIFE SHARON, ZENA WITH HER PARTNER ENRIQUE, SIDNEY WITH HIS PARTNER APRIL, KEN PEPPINGER, DAWN PEPPINGER, THAD PEPPINGER, ROSE GARCIA, AND TERRA PEPPINGER.
GRANDCHILDREN INCLUDE: JESSIE WITH HER CHILDREN MARK, ARI, AND ROMI; SHELLEY AND HER HUSBAND NIGEL; FRANK IV AND HIS WIFE TOBITHA WITH THEIR CHILDREN MIRI, MARILYN, GEMMA, AND JOVIE; DARRYL AND HIS WIFE KRISTINA WITH THEIR DAUGHTERS HERMOINE AND ARIEL; CADE, PRESTON, ARRIANA, ELAYNE, CORAL, RYDER, AND AUBREY; DANA, CASSIDY AND HER HUSBAND ELI WITH THEIR CHILDREN DARREN AND ELLA, AND ASHLEY; ANASTASIA AND HER PARTNER CHRIS WITH THEIR CHILDREN LENNEA, DAVID, VICTORIA, AND JEVON; CHRIS AND HIS CHILDREN VICTORIA, BROOKE, AND GERALD; DARREN, DEVIN, DARREL AND HIS CHILDREN ASHLANE, ASHTON, AND MELANIA; PHILIP AND HIS CHILDREN DAGAN AND VASSILIE; SASHA JURASEK, HOLLY AUKONGAK, TAMMI DIAS, SHADDE LAMAY, QUINNA LAMAY, JOSHUA GARCIA, AND ZADA MORNING.
I’ll miss Papa Sidney’s loving hug and presence at events and celebrations. He always encouraged me to get a good education and to protect our way of life. I will honor his legacy of service and love and work hard and care for our community of family and friends always.
I miss your daily phone calls, I will cherish our days together, and never forget that there is no such word as can't. And there is always a door open when one door closes,there is always a higher up that helps with our goals we set for ourselves. I miss you every day and always
I LOVE YOU
Dad miss you and your phone calls and visits. You always had positive things to say and share. No matter what! At home or work or play! Thank you for all the time you did make to share ????. Just wish we had more and wasn’t so soon. Love and miss you Dad.
.zip-1.jpeg){kind=link}