James W. "Billy" Brandon Jr.

Jan 29, 1929 -

Jun 7, 2021

Mr. James William "Billy" Brandon Jr., Inupiaq name "Dagutuk," died peacefully at the Alaska Native Medical Center on June 7, 2021, at the age of 92, in Anchorage, Alaska.

Billy is survived by his wife, Julia; children, James "Jimmy" Brandon, Christine Brandon, Ernest Nelson Sr., William C. Nelson "Son Son" and Charles H. Nelson "Boyuk"; 20 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and 19 nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, James and Beatrice Brandon of Anchorage; brothers, Miles and wife Rosanna of Maryland, Arthur and May of Anchorage, Kay of Anchorage, John of Anchorage; sister, Betty Jane Lee and husband Matthew of Anchorage; and sister Juanita; daughters, Debbie and Marlene Nelson; grandsons, Peter and Josh Nelson and Michael Brandon.

Billy was born in Nome, Alaska. His father, Jimmy "Ahkla" and Beatrice Brandon were reindeer herders. His family moved to Dillingham, Alaska, when he was 8 years old, sailing on the SS Victoria. They later moved to Anchorage, when he was 21 years old.

Billy was drafted and entered to the Alaska Territorial Guard as a teenager and was drafted into the United States of America Marine Corp. and served from 1947-1953 in Anchorage.

He married his sweetheart, Julia (Akelkok) from Ekwok, Alaska, in 1982, and raised a beautiful blended family.

Mr. Brandon was an accomplished fisherman for over 60 years, in Bristol Bay, Alaska. Billy was a well-known commercial fisherman in Bristol Bay. He fished the Nushagak outside of Dillingham as a boy on a sail boat with his father. After spending some time fishing with his brothers and cousins, he was given a sailboat "Billiken" and later bought his brother's boat, the "Billiken II." He later recruited his son, daughter, nephews, niece and grandchildren to fish with him. Billy retired his boat and gear in his early 80s, by passing on his permit and to his niece, Beatrice Grewal. He was also well-known as a dog musher, who mushed in the 1978 Iditarod race, in honor of his best friend William "Sonny" Nelson Sr., where he received the Sportsmanship award. Billy lived a long, prosperous life. He would often be heard saying, "I've lived a long full life; I gone everywhere; done everything, except going into space and going below the ocean!" and "Those are the days of yesteryears; gone but not forgotten!"

A funeral will be held on June 17, 2021, at Janssen's Funeral Home in Wasilla, Alaska, and potluck to be announced. Everyone is welcome to attend and celebrate Billy's life. The family would like to thank the EMT volunteers for their care and the spectacular care of the staff of Alaska Native Medical Center. The family would like to give a special thanks to those who donated in this time of need.