Perfenia Pletnikoff
Nov 16, 1951 -
Oct 26, 2020
Perfenia "Perf" Pletnikoff Jr. passed away unexpectedly in Shaktoolik, his home for the past nine years. Perf was born to Protodeacon Perfenia E. Pletnikoff Sr. of Nikolski, and to Matushka Evdokia Swetzof Pletnikoff of St. George Island, on Nov. 16, 1951. He began traveling at 13, to Tennessee for 8th grade with his brother George. He attended Wrangell Institute, Mt Edgecumbe, and later graduated from Dimond High School, a pioneer of the State's foster parent program for rural high school students, living in Rabbit Creek and Anchorage.
He attended the University of Washington in Seattle and took classes at the University of Oregon. Perf always held education with the highest regard, encouraging his and all children to work hard in school and attain the higher education he missed completing. Perf married Lorna Atkinson on January 21, 1973 at Saint Innocent Church in Anchorage, where he started his family. Despite alcoholism stealing too many years from all of us, he and Lorna loved each other and neither remarried.
He worked as a biologist collecting research data on the Pribilof Islands during the commercial fur seal harvest. When the federal government ended the fur seal harvest, the islands' sole economy, Perf and other Unangan visionaries began the landmark work to develop an alternative economy. As a founding member and first President of the Central Bering Sea Fishermen's Association, they secured the quota and longlining fishing vessels for the St. Paul Island halibut fishermen's new commercial fishery. Serving as a member of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council's (NPFMC) Advisory Panel for several years, he also lobbied and worked with the International Pacific Halibut Commission. Due in part to his strong fisheries knowledge, effective argument and reasoning, and dogged determination, the Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program was ultimately adopted by the NPFMC, entitling a share of the Bering Sea commercial fisheries resources to Western Alaska Communities. As one of the original 'godfathers' of the CDQ program, one of his legacies is the ongoing, significant financial, economic and social benefits provided to the participating communities for decades now. In his career as a commercial fisherman, he fished in the Bering Sea for crab and halibut; in the North Pacific for salmon several seasons, and most recently, salmon in Norton Sound.
Fishing and fisheries politics were not the only adventures for Perf. He crossed the Panama Canal in both directions, hunted bulls on Sanak Island and culled reindeer on Hagemeister Island, both from helicopters, worked on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and traveled to Russia, Japan, Canada, and Greenland. It is safe to say Perf is beloved by everyone he met, liked for who he is and all he has done to help, wherever he can, without fanfare. He was an excellent cook. He was not materialistic, investing instead in people and accomplishments.
His family is especially grateful to Shaktoolik for adopting him into their community, where he contributed to the berm and other important projects, participated in dog handling at the Iditarod Checkpoint of the Year, and was honored to serve on the City Council. He is greatly missed by his "partner" Emory, who he did everything with.
Perf is preceded in eternal life by his parents, Perfenia and Evdokia; younger siblings, Jacob and Helen; and grandson, Jason Simeonoff Jr. He is mourned by his brothers, Patrick, George, and Ilarion; youngest sister, Anna; children, Karen (Jamie), Paul, Margaret, children, Kendra (Jason Sr.), Andrey and Trudi, children Paula, Michael and Carol; grandchildren, Connor, Maddox and Alexandria, companion Rita Auliye, her children Jolene, Donald and Raelene, adopted grandchildren Savannah, Emory, Ryder and Billy, and many nieces and nephews. Perf leaves behind many very dear friends. Memory Eternal!
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020 at St Innocent Cathedral at 1 p.m. Following the burial at Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery at 3 p.m. Due to COVID-19 the family request everyone to wear a face mask and to social distance. Please see St. Innocent Cathedral for "Facebook Live". Condolences can be sent to 3530 West 30th, Anchorage, AK 99517. Please check with Janssen Funeral Homes to see if service times and dates have changed.
