Sophie June Prosser
Jun 16, 1923 -
Feb 17, 2024
Sophie June Prosser passed away peacefully on Feb. 17, 2024, in Wasilla, Alaska, surrounded by family and friends. She was 100.
Sophie was born in the village of Ninilchik, Alaska, on June 16, 1923. The oldest daughter of 12 children, Sophie spent her childhood in Ninilchik helping her family with a subsistence-based lifestyle. As a young girl, Sophie often helped her family with clamming, fishing, hunting, berry picking, gardening and helping raise her younger siblings.
Sophie's independent, adventurous and pioneering spirit were evident at the age of 14, when she stole away on a fishing boat to Anchorage, Alaska, to finish school. In 1941, she became one of the first people from Ninilchik to graduate from high school, as the village school only went to grade eight.
After graduating, Sophie worked for the U.S. Army, supporting Anchorage staff officers during WWII. There she met William "Bill" Prosser Sr., her beloved husband of more than 50 years, who served in the Aleutian Campaign. Bill and Sophie were married in 1943, and homesteaded in a log cabin near what is now Fireweed Lane and C Street in Anchorage. They raised two sons there, William and Robert Prosser, as well as Sophie's younger sister Lyllis May Cooper.
In the 1950s, Bill Sr. founded Prosser Excavating Company, which Sophie helped manage. Later, Sophie joined Reeve Aleutian Airways and became payroll manager for the airline. After being assigned the daunting task of collecting overdue billables, the company threw her a large party after Sophie rectified the accounts to the penny. Between construction work and time with Reeve, the family spent many days camping, hunting, and recreating in the Alaska wilderness. Along with gardening, Sophie was famous among her friends and family for always keeping an open door at their home, making a meal within a matter of minutes whenever needed.
In 1976, Sophie and Bill retired and moved to Sequim, Wash. They enjoyed traveling around the world but always returned to be with family in Alaska during the summers. While in Sequim, Sophie continued gardening and hosting gatherings at their home.
When Bill Sr. passed away in 1999, Sophie moved back to Alaska, where she resided until her passing. Sharing a great love of family, cooking and the outdoors, Sophie continued to keep her warm and welcoming home open to her growing family of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and many friends. Her adventurous spirit continued as she travelled around the world well into her 80s, while still making time to keep a garden and process the occasional moose, caribou, salmon or clam.
Sophie is survived by her sons, William and Robert Prosser and their wives Caroline and Carol Prosser; grandchildren, Brandy (Wiley) Bland, Loren (Tara), Maylen, Alan (Alena) and Dylan (Camilla) Prosser; 13 great-grandchildren; sister, Erna Weldin; brother, Nick Cooper; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Alexandra and Charles Cooper; husband, Bill Prosser Sr.; grandson, Laird Andrew Prosser; and nine siblings.
Sophie's loving, kind and adventurous spirit will be missed by her many family and friends throughout Alaska, Washington, and the world.
A Celebration Service will be held at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Anchorage on Saturday, June 15, 2024, at 2 p.m., with reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Legion.
