Doreen Jenkins

Apr 30, 1937 -

Jan 28, 2024

Longtime Alaska resident Doreen Jenkins, age 86, passed away on Jan. 28, 2024, in Anchorage, Alaska. Doreen Jenkins was born on April 30, 1937, in London, England. She grew up in North London as the oldest of five children during war torn England where the bombing took her best friend's life and she narrowly escaped with her own life. She endured the difficult times after the war and became a nurse at 18 to help others in need. She met her future husband, Peter who was also a nurse, at Whittington Hospital in 1955, and they were married on Dec. 23, 1960. In 1961, they moved to Canada for 18 months, and then embarked on a perilous three-week cross country journey enduring -30 F temperatures and hazardous driving conditions to arrive in Anchorage on Jan. 13, 1962. Doreen survived the 1964 earthquake heavily pregnant with twins and saved her first child from being crushed by toppling furniture. They moved to Eagle River, Alaska, in 1968, to build a home where she would live up until the last few months. A passionate reader, she taught her children to read at an early age which brought dividends to her children's future lives. She was actively involved in her children's swimming team, where she became a stroke and turn judge. She started working as a volunteer at Eagle River Elementary School and was hired to teach advanced and special needs children. She later worked as an assistant librarian at Chugiak High School, where she retired. Doreen was a consummate home maker and took full advantage of the Alaska experience, foraging, fishing and gardening to provide for the family. Doreen also brought many of her native English traditions with her, including a family favorite English fruitcake recipe that has been handed down to future generations. Her hobbies included guitar, crosswords, Sudoku, crocheting, chorus, cooking, camping, fishing and investing, but her favorites were gardening and woodworking. After raising children, she continued her love of gardening and started a woodworking business, where her creative talent and artistic skill shone. She became an award-winning carver and woodworker whose work is now seen and prized all over the world. She traveled extensively to share and learn from other woodworkers so she could teach others. After woodworking, she continued to garden by growing small crops and plants with her emerald thumb. Doreen's greatest joy was her family and friends, and she loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. She enriched the lives of all those around her and her legacy will live on in the art she created, the traditions handed down and in the cherished memories of her family, friends and loved ones. She is survived by her husband, Peter; sons, Colin, Ian and David; grandchildren, Christopher, Cari, Kari, Reed, Erica and Valerie; and great-grandchildren, Brayden and Presley. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you donate to the Hope Community at HopeAlaska.org.