Jay Doyle Ossiander

Oct 30, 1951 -

Oct 18, 2020

Jay Ossiander, 68, left us as the season's first snow fell, after a brief intense battle with pancreatic cancer. Born in Corvallis, Ore., he grew up running from roosters and shepherding siblings throughout the Pacific Northwest. He caught the North bug in his early teenage years when the family lived in Juneau, Alaska, and he, his father and one brother weathered an extended winter hunting trip on Admiralty Island. He returned to the Seattle area long enough to become an accomplished pioneer climber in the North Cascades, credited with multiple first ascents. Those years he also worked as a fisherman, laborer, climbing guide and in the flagship REI store.

Jay moved to Alaska for good in 1974, and convinced Debbie to join him. They married in 1976, and bought a repurposed army office building in Chugiak, where they raised three children, kept a recreational dog team for a decade and meticulously constructed a new house.

Jay was a longtime longshoreman at the Port of Anchorage, where he was known as "OJ." He took pride in leading the logistics of load and offload from a driver's seat. He expected people to work hard and be competent, and wasn't shy communicating expectations. He was a world class truck driver. He also worked as a carpenter, tree feller, flagman, wildland firefighter, airport maintenance and a caregiver to his mother.

His close and extended family benefited from his keen love of adventuring outside and extremely thorough trip preparations. Jay prized opportunities to fish and hunt, and was also eager to spot wildlife for the sake of witnessing it. "Good eye" was high praise for his children. Up until months before his death, he enjoyed fishing and camping trips with his children and grandchildren.

He was a planner to excess; what he built was bombproof. He always voted, was patient with children, careful with tools and uncompromising with his standards. He was a man of integrity. He is deeply missed.

He is survived by his wife, Debbie Ossiander; his children, Lia Slemons (Jason Slemons), Megan Ossiander-Gobeille (Myles Gobeille) and Colin Ossiander (Katie Ossiander); four grandchildren; his mother, Helen Ossiander; and five siblings. He is preceded in death by his father, Frank Ossiander.