Longtime Alaska resident and Vietnam War veteran Lt. Col. (Ret.) Margaret J. Arriola, 65, passed away peacefully on June 11.
She is survived by her son, William J. Watson; her mother, Margaret Hall; brothers, Hugh and Daniel Hall; and sisters, Susan Hall-Marley, Melissa Schille and Mary Mohlman.
Her lifelong service toward improving the lives of others in her roles as daughter, mother, friend, nurse, and safety officer enriched the lives of those blessed to know her.
Maggi was born on April 30, 1946 in Grand Rapids, Minn. In 1948 she moved to Alaska for the first time with her parents and brother. Following her graduation from Ketchikan High School in 1964 she attended nursing school at Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland, Ore.
In 1970 she joined the U.S. Army and began a military career that spanned 28 years. Following her training she was attached to the 91st Evac as an ER Nurse in Chu Lai, Vietnam between 1970 and 1971. Her service in the military and especially her time as a nurse in Vietnam was something she was extremely proud of and led her to campaign for the Vietnam Women's Memorial. As the state coordinator she worked with veterans from across the country to make that dream a reality on Nov. 11, 1993.
Following the birth of her son in 1976 she transitioned to the Army National Guard, serving for a time as a "weekend warrior" before taking on a full-time post with the Alaska Army National Guard (AKARNG) in 1990 as the occupational health nurse and later as the state safety officer. Although some might have found her steadfast commitment to codes and guidelines frustrating, they no doubt benefited from the safe work environment she helped to create and maintain. In 1998 she retired as a lieutenant colonel and moved her skills to the private sector, working in Bethel and Dillingham before returning to Anchorage with the Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in 2008.
In true Alaskan style Maggi combined fierce independence and commitment to hard work with compassion and a desire to help others. No one could question her work ethic, a characteristic that helped her excel in her career and as a mother. At no time was her tenacity and determination more evident than in the years after she was diagnosed with cancer. She vowed not to let her illness interrupt her life or, most importantly, stop her from attending her son's wedding in Scotland. On April 30, 2010, Maggi celebrated her birthday at her son's wedding, defying her illness and amazing everyone with her strength.
Her family and friends are comforted by the knowledge that heaven is a safer place with Maggi there to make it so. Her wisdom, compassion, and the example she set through her actions are her legacy and she will forever live on in our hearts and memories.
A memorial service with full military honors will be held at the National Cemetery at Fort Richardson on Friday, June 17. Anyone wishing to attend must meet at the Arctic Valley Gate at 2:30 p.m. Maggi's family is eternally grateful to everyone for their thoughts and prayers.
She is survived by her son, William J. Watson; her mother, Margaret Hall; brothers, Hugh and Daniel Hall; and sisters, Susan Hall-Marley, Melissa Schille and Mary Mohlman.
Her lifelong service toward improving the lives of others in her roles as daughter, mother, friend, nurse, and safety officer enriched the lives of those blessed to know her.
Maggi was born on April 30, 1946 in Grand Rapids, Minn. In 1948 she moved to Alaska for the first time with her parents and brother. Following her graduation from Ketchikan High School in 1964 she attended nursing school at Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland, Ore.
In 1970 she joined the U.S. Army and began a military career that spanned 28 years. Following her training she was attached to the 91st Evac as an ER Nurse in Chu Lai, Vietnam between 1970 and 1971. Her service in the military and especially her time as a nurse in Vietnam was something she was extremely proud of and led her to campaign for the Vietnam Women's Memorial. As the state coordinator she worked with veterans from across the country to make that dream a reality on Nov. 11, 1993.
Following the birth of her son in 1976 she transitioned to the Army National Guard, serving for a time as a "weekend warrior" before taking on a full-time post with the Alaska Army National Guard (AKARNG) in 1990 as the occupational health nurse and later as the state safety officer. Although some might have found her steadfast commitment to codes and guidelines frustrating, they no doubt benefited from the safe work environment she helped to create and maintain. In 1998 she retired as a lieutenant colonel and moved her skills to the private sector, working in Bethel and Dillingham before returning to Anchorage with the Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in 2008.
In true Alaskan style Maggi combined fierce independence and commitment to hard work with compassion and a desire to help others. No one could question her work ethic, a characteristic that helped her excel in her career and as a mother. At no time was her tenacity and determination more evident than in the years after she was diagnosed with cancer. She vowed not to let her illness interrupt her life or, most importantly, stop her from attending her son's wedding in Scotland. On April 30, 2010, Maggi celebrated her birthday at her son's wedding, defying her illness and amazing everyone with her strength.
Her family and friends are comforted by the knowledge that heaven is a safer place with Maggi there to make it so. Her wisdom, compassion, and the example she set through her actions are her legacy and she will forever live on in our hearts and memories.
A memorial service with full military honors will be held at the National Cemetery at Fort Richardson on Friday, June 17. Anyone wishing to attend must meet at the Arctic Valley Gate at 2:30 p.m. Maggi's family is eternally grateful to everyone for their thoughts and prayers.
Longtime Alaska resident and Vietnam War veteran Lt. Col. (Ret.) Margaret J. Arriola, 65, passed away peacefully on June 11.
She is survived by her son, William J. Watson; her mother, Margaret Hall; brothers, Hugh and Daniel Hall; and sisters, Susan Hall-Marley, Melissa Schille and Mary Mohlman.
Her lifelong service toward improving the lives of others in her roles as daughter, mother, friend, nurse, and safety officer enriched the lives of those blessed to know her.
Maggi was born on April 30, 1946 in Grand Rapids, Minn. In 1948 she moved to Alaska for the first time with her parents and brother. Following her graduation from Ketchikan High School in 1964 she attended nursing school at Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland, Ore.
In 1970 she joined the U.S. Army and began a military career that spanned 28 years. Following her training she was attached to the 91st Evac as an ER Nurse in Chu Lai, Vietnam between 1970 and 1971. Her service in the military and especially her time as a nurse in Vietnam was something she was extremely proud of and led her to campaign for the Vietnam Women's Memorial. As the state coordinator she worked with veterans from across the country to make that dream a reality on Nov. 11, 1993.
Following the birth of her son in 1976 she transitioned to the Army National Guard, serving for a time as a "weekend warrior" before taking on a full-time post with the Alaska Army National Guard (AKARNG) in 1990 as the occupational health nurse and later as the state safety officer. Although some might have found her steadfast commitment to codes and guidelines frustrating, they no doubt benefited from the safe work environment she helped to create and maintain. In 1998 she retired as a lieutenant colonel and moved her skills to the private sector, working in Bethel and Dillingham before returning to Anchorage with the Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in 2008.
In true Alaskan style Maggi combined fierce independence and commitment to hard work with compassion and a desire to help others. No one could question her work ethic, a characteristic that helped her excel in her career and as a mother. At no time was her tenacity and determination more evident than in the years after she was diagnosed with cancer. She vowed not to let her illness interrupt her life or, most importantly, stop her from attending her son's wedding in Scotland. On April 30, 2010, Maggi celebrated her birthday at her son's wedding, defying her illness and amazing everyone with her strength.
Her family and friends are comforted by the knowledge that heaven is a safer place with Maggi there to make it so. Her wisdom, compassion, and the example she set through her actions are her legacy and she will forever live on in our hearts and memories.
A memorial service with full military honors will be held at the National Cemetery at Fort Richardson on Friday, June 17. Anyone wishing to attend must meet at the Arctic Valley Gate at 2:30 p.m. Maggi's family is eternally grateful to everyone for their thoughts and prayers.
She is survived by her son, William J. Watson; her mother, Margaret Hall; brothers, Hugh and Daniel Hall; and sisters, Susan Hall-Marley, Melissa Schille and Mary Mohlman.
Her lifelong service toward improving the lives of others in her roles as daughter, mother, friend, nurse, and safety officer enriched the lives of those blessed to know her.
Maggi was born on April 30, 1946 in Grand Rapids, Minn. In 1948 she moved to Alaska for the first time with her parents and brother. Following her graduation from Ketchikan High School in 1964 she attended nursing school at Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland, Ore.
In 1970 she joined the U.S. Army and began a military career that spanned 28 years. Following her training she was attached to the 91st Evac as an ER Nurse in Chu Lai, Vietnam between 1970 and 1971. Her service in the military and especially her time as a nurse in Vietnam was something she was extremely proud of and led her to campaign for the Vietnam Women's Memorial. As the state coordinator she worked with veterans from across the country to make that dream a reality on Nov. 11, 1993.
Following the birth of her son in 1976 she transitioned to the Army National Guard, serving for a time as a "weekend warrior" before taking on a full-time post with the Alaska Army National Guard (AKARNG) in 1990 as the occupational health nurse and later as the state safety officer. Although some might have found her steadfast commitment to codes and guidelines frustrating, they no doubt benefited from the safe work environment she helped to create and maintain. In 1998 she retired as a lieutenant colonel and moved her skills to the private sector, working in Bethel and Dillingham before returning to Anchorage with the Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in 2008.
In true Alaskan style Maggi combined fierce independence and commitment to hard work with compassion and a desire to help others. No one could question her work ethic, a characteristic that helped her excel in her career and as a mother. At no time was her tenacity and determination more evident than in the years after she was diagnosed with cancer. She vowed not to let her illness interrupt her life or, most importantly, stop her from attending her son's wedding in Scotland. On April 30, 2010, Maggi celebrated her birthday at her son's wedding, defying her illness and amazing everyone with her strength.
Her family and friends are comforted by the knowledge that heaven is a safer place with Maggi there to make it so. Her wisdom, compassion, and the example she set through her actions are her legacy and she will forever live on in our hearts and memories.
A memorial service with full military honors will be held at the National Cemetery at Fort Richardson on Friday, June 17. Anyone wishing to attend must meet at the Arctic Valley Gate at 2:30 p.m. Maggi's family is eternally grateful to everyone for their thoughts and prayers.
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