Daniel Edmond Ashbrook, (8/15/1933-9/22/2017) died peacefully at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital ICU while having breakfast with Valerie. Born a "Depression baby" in Hulbert, Oklahoma, Dan always said, "I never knew there was a Depression, because we always had plenty of food and work on the farm" until the federal government's taking of the family farm to develop the Grand River Dam Project.
After the taking, the family moved to California and tried farming again - as not much other work was available - where help wanted signs in central California often included, "Blacks and Okies need not apply."
In his pre-teens, the family moved back to Tahlequah, Oklahoma, to farm. In 1951, Daniel graduated Tahlequah Central High School, where he drove a school bus to earn income. During and after high school he worked for the long-haul trucking firm owned by his older brother, Robert, thinking of Robert, 21-years his senior, as a second father. Dan had fond memories of every route he traveled, often telling stories of his adventures across Route 66, over Louisiana narrow bridges and New York's tunnels. He enlisted in the Army during the Korean conflict, and after an honorable discharge decided to settle in Seattle, attend Seattle University and work for Boeing. But he wanted to go to Alaska.
A year before statehood, Dan relocated to Murphy Dome at Fox, where he staked mining claims to mine antimony and later gold. Antimony turned out to be a bad endeavor for him. Japan controlled the antimony market. Upon arrival of his antimony to the market in Japan, the market suddenly dropped. The ship crew carrying the ore dumped the metal into the bay rather than sell it to the Japanese at below the cost of production and shipping, but it busted Dan. He returned to the Lower 48, where he signed on again with Boeing relocating to Vietnam as a logistics contractor and was there for the Tet Offensive.
After again accumulating a "grub stake" he returned to Kantishna, staked federal claims to mine gold and purchased the John Busia cabin from Charlie Cole, Busia's estate attorney. He patented 57 acres in the district and established the Kantishna Roadhouse, which later became a tourist lodge now owned and operated by Doyon Inc. The Roadhouse originally served miners by housing trades and government people visiting the district. There Daniel mined gold, subsistence hunted, trapped in the winter with a good dog team and, as a licensed airplane pilot, traveled to Fairbanks and Anchorage to sell furs, obtain supplies, and often volunteer to support Yukon Quest and Iditarod mushers supplying outposts along race routes.
Again the government entered Dan's life when President Jimmy Carter, in his last days in office, executed a federal taking of several mining districts in Alaska, including the Kantishna District, to add them to federal parks thereby ending mining in each District.
Valerie Mundt entered Dan's life in 1989, being introduced to "Dan the Man" by Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce board members Judy (Robertson) Divinyi and Athea St. Martin, all of whom were visiting his Kantishna holdings and investigating for the Chamber's Natural Resource Committee the federal government's financial impact on Alaska by taking productive mining districts to add to nonroyalty-producing federal parks.
Shortly thereafter, Dan and Val began Mt. McKinley Gold Camp (camping hostel) in Kantishna and Alpenglow Alaska/Yukon Trails, a tour company that originally took visitors by vans to pan gold, have lunch and learn history of the Kantishna Mining District, before returning to their hotels in Denali or Fairbanks in the evening.
Thus begun Dan and Val's adventurous 28-year life together.
In 1998, when the taking was finalized, Dan and Val left Kantishna and Busia cabin. Dan never again visited Kantishna, although he served on U.S. Department of Interior and state of Alaska Denali Subsistence Resource Commission for seven years. Not able to access Kantishna after the settlement, their tour company transformed to offer summer visitors transportation among Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali, Fairbanks, Dawson City and Whitehorse.
Only three days before his death, Ashbrook made what he called his "last trip to Dawson City" (which he loved) with John Bunn, his friend from Illinois, carrying Australian visitors from Fairbanks to Dawson City and on to Whitehorse. Then Dan drove a van used on Canadian routes, which he managed for over 15 years, to Alaska for winter storage. During every trip across the Alaska Highway Dan pointed out where the highway "used to be" and marveled at how it had changed "just in my lifetime."
Dan and Valerie also began and managed for a short time with Gary Moore of Tanacross, Chena River Tours, a pontoon water taxi on the Chena River in Fairbanks, for which in 2004 each became U.S. merchant marine officers having become licensed to operate steam or motor vessels of as heavy as 50-gross tons upon inland waters.
Daniel is preceded in death by his parents, Frank Vernon and Nora (Beasley) Ashbrook; all of his siblings, Robert, Rebecca, David and Mary Lou, except for his older sister, Betty June (Ashbrook) Karr, of Hillsborough, North Carolina, who survives him as does Valerie Mundt; and myriad nieces and nephews (great and great-great).
At 84, Daniel, still holding a commercial driver's license, worked in the tour company until he was hospitalized Sept. 20, loved Alaska and Yukon, always wished he were younger so he could have explored mining in Russia, traveled and spent as much time as possible over the past several years in his "retirement" home in Illinois and with Valerie's family, especially in her sister's kitchen ("Mike" Davis), whose cooking he truly enjoyed.
He requested no viewing and no service. His cremations will be interned in St. Stephen's Catholic Cemetery in Streator, Illinois, with Valerie's deceased family members, who greatly loved him. A true Alaskan pioneer, may he rest in peace. Published in Daily News-Miner on Sept. 29, 2017.
After the taking, the family moved to California and tried farming again - as not much other work was available - where help wanted signs in central California often included, "Blacks and Okies need not apply."
In his pre-teens, the family moved back to Tahlequah, Oklahoma, to farm. In 1951, Daniel graduated Tahlequah Central High School, where he drove a school bus to earn income. During and after high school he worked for the long-haul trucking firm owned by his older brother, Robert, thinking of Robert, 21-years his senior, as a second father. Dan had fond memories of every route he traveled, often telling stories of his adventures across Route 66, over Louisiana narrow bridges and New York's tunnels. He enlisted in the Army during the Korean conflict, and after an honorable discharge decided to settle in Seattle, attend Seattle University and work for Boeing. But he wanted to go to Alaska.
A year before statehood, Dan relocated to Murphy Dome at Fox, where he staked mining claims to mine antimony and later gold. Antimony turned out to be a bad endeavor for him. Japan controlled the antimony market. Upon arrival of his antimony to the market in Japan, the market suddenly dropped. The ship crew carrying the ore dumped the metal into the bay rather than sell it to the Japanese at below the cost of production and shipping, but it busted Dan. He returned to the Lower 48, where he signed on again with Boeing relocating to Vietnam as a logistics contractor and was there for the Tet Offensive.
After again accumulating a "grub stake" he returned to Kantishna, staked federal claims to mine gold and purchased the John Busia cabin from Charlie Cole, Busia's estate attorney. He patented 57 acres in the district and established the Kantishna Roadhouse, which later became a tourist lodge now owned and operated by Doyon Inc. The Roadhouse originally served miners by housing trades and government people visiting the district. There Daniel mined gold, subsistence hunted, trapped in the winter with a good dog team and, as a licensed airplane pilot, traveled to Fairbanks and Anchorage to sell furs, obtain supplies, and often volunteer to support Yukon Quest and Iditarod mushers supplying outposts along race routes.
Again the government entered Dan's life when President Jimmy Carter, in his last days in office, executed a federal taking of several mining districts in Alaska, including the Kantishna District, to add them to federal parks thereby ending mining in each District.
Valerie Mundt entered Dan's life in 1989, being introduced to "Dan the Man" by Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce board members Judy (Robertson) Divinyi and Athea St. Martin, all of whom were visiting his Kantishna holdings and investigating for the Chamber's Natural Resource Committee the federal government's financial impact on Alaska by taking productive mining districts to add to nonroyalty-producing federal parks.
Shortly thereafter, Dan and Val began Mt. McKinley Gold Camp (camping hostel) in Kantishna and Alpenglow Alaska/Yukon Trails, a tour company that originally took visitors by vans to pan gold, have lunch and learn history of the Kantishna Mining District, before returning to their hotels in Denali or Fairbanks in the evening.
Thus begun Dan and Val's adventurous 28-year life together.
In 1998, when the taking was finalized, Dan and Val left Kantishna and Busia cabin. Dan never again visited Kantishna, although he served on U.S. Department of Interior and state of Alaska Denali Subsistence Resource Commission for seven years. Not able to access Kantishna after the settlement, their tour company transformed to offer summer visitors transportation among Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali, Fairbanks, Dawson City and Whitehorse.
Only three days before his death, Ashbrook made what he called his "last trip to Dawson City" (which he loved) with John Bunn, his friend from Illinois, carrying Australian visitors from Fairbanks to Dawson City and on to Whitehorse. Then Dan drove a van used on Canadian routes, which he managed for over 15 years, to Alaska for winter storage. During every trip across the Alaska Highway Dan pointed out where the highway "used to be" and marveled at how it had changed "just in my lifetime."
Dan and Valerie also began and managed for a short time with Gary Moore of Tanacross, Chena River Tours, a pontoon water taxi on the Chena River in Fairbanks, for which in 2004 each became U.S. merchant marine officers having become licensed to operate steam or motor vessels of as heavy as 50-gross tons upon inland waters.
Daniel is preceded in death by his parents, Frank Vernon and Nora (Beasley) Ashbrook; all of his siblings, Robert, Rebecca, David and Mary Lou, except for his older sister, Betty June (Ashbrook) Karr, of Hillsborough, North Carolina, who survives him as does Valerie Mundt; and myriad nieces and nephews (great and great-great).
At 84, Daniel, still holding a commercial driver's license, worked in the tour company until he was hospitalized Sept. 20, loved Alaska and Yukon, always wished he were younger so he could have explored mining in Russia, traveled and spent as much time as possible over the past several years in his "retirement" home in Illinois and with Valerie's family, especially in her sister's kitchen ("Mike" Davis), whose cooking he truly enjoyed.
He requested no viewing and no service. His cremations will be interned in St. Stephen's Catholic Cemetery in Streator, Illinois, with Valerie's deceased family members, who greatly loved him. A true Alaskan pioneer, may he rest in peace. Published in Daily News-Miner on Sept. 29, 2017.
Daniel Edmond Ashbrook, (8/15/1933-9/22/2017) died peacefully at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital ICU while having breakfast with Valerie. Born a "Depression baby" in Hulbert, Oklahoma, Dan always said, "I never knew there was a Depression, because we always had plenty of food and work on the farm" until the federal government's taking of the family farm to develop the Grand River Dam Project.
After the taking, the family moved to California and tried farming again - as not much other work was available - where help wanted signs in central California often included, "Blacks and Okies need not apply."
In his pre-teens, the family moved back to Tahlequah, Oklahoma, to farm. In 1951, Daniel graduated Tahlequah Central High School, where he drove a school bus to earn income. During and after high school he worked for the long-haul trucking firm owned by his older brother, Robert, thinking of Robert, 21-years his senior, as a second father. Dan had fond memories of every route he traveled, often telling stories of his adventures across Route 66, over Louisiana narrow bridges and New York's tunnels. He enlisted in the Army during the Korean conflict, and after an honorable discharge decided to settle in Seattle, attend Seattle University and work for Boeing. But he wanted to go to Alaska.
A year before statehood, Dan relocated to Murphy Dome at Fox, where he staked mining claims to mine antimony and later gold. Antimony turned out to be a bad endeavor for him. Japan controlled the antimony market. Upon arrival of his antimony to the market in Japan, the market suddenly dropped. The ship crew carrying the ore dumped the metal into the bay rather than sell it to the Japanese at below the cost of production and shipping, but it busted Dan. He returned to the Lower 48, where he signed on again with Boeing relocating to Vietnam as a logistics contractor and was there for the Tet Offensive.
After again accumulating a "grub stake" he returned to Kantishna, staked federal claims to mine gold and purchased the John Busia cabin from Charlie Cole, Busia's estate attorney. He patented 57 acres in the district and established the Kantishna Roadhouse, which later became a tourist lodge now owned and operated by Doyon Inc. The Roadhouse originally served miners by housing trades and government people visiting the district. There Daniel mined gold, subsistence hunted, trapped in the winter with a good dog team and, as a licensed airplane pilot, traveled to Fairbanks and Anchorage to sell furs, obtain supplies, and often volunteer to support Yukon Quest and Iditarod mushers supplying outposts along race routes.
Again the government entered Dan's life when President Jimmy Carter, in his last days in office, executed a federal taking of several mining districts in Alaska, including the Kantishna District, to add them to federal parks thereby ending mining in each District.
Valerie Mundt entered Dan's life in 1989, being introduced to "Dan the Man" by Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce board members Judy (Robertson) Divinyi and Athea St. Martin, all of whom were visiting his Kantishna holdings and investigating for the Chamber's Natural Resource Committee the federal government's financial impact on Alaska by taking productive mining districts to add to nonroyalty-producing federal parks.
Shortly thereafter, Dan and Val began Mt. McKinley Gold Camp (camping hostel) in Kantishna and Alpenglow Alaska/Yukon Trails, a tour company that originally took visitors by vans to pan gold, have lunch and learn history of the Kantishna Mining District, before returning to their hotels in Denali or Fairbanks in the evening.
Thus begun Dan and Val's adventurous 28-year life together.
In 1998, when the taking was finalized, Dan and Val left Kantishna and Busia cabin. Dan never again visited Kantishna, although he served on U.S. Department of Interior and state of Alaska Denali Subsistence Resource Commission for seven years. Not able to access Kantishna after the settlement, their tour company transformed to offer summer visitors transportation among Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali, Fairbanks, Dawson City and Whitehorse.
Only three days before his death, Ashbrook made what he called his "last trip to Dawson City" (which he loved) with John Bunn, his friend from Illinois, carrying Australian visitors from Fairbanks to Dawson City and on to Whitehorse. Then Dan drove a van used on Canadian routes, which he managed for over 15 years, to Alaska for winter storage. During every trip across the Alaska Highway Dan pointed out where the highway "used to be" and marveled at how it had changed "just in my lifetime."
Dan and Valerie also began and managed for a short time with Gary Moore of Tanacross, Chena River Tours, a pontoon water taxi on the Chena River in Fairbanks, for which in 2004 each became U.S. merchant marine officers having become licensed to operate steam or motor vessels of as heavy as 50-gross tons upon inland waters.
Daniel is preceded in death by his parents, Frank Vernon and Nora (Beasley) Ashbrook; all of his siblings, Robert, Rebecca, David and Mary Lou, except for his older sister, Betty June (Ashbrook) Karr, of Hillsborough, North Carolina, who survives him as does Valerie Mundt; and myriad nieces and nephews (great and great-great).
At 84, Daniel, still holding a commercial driver's license, worked in the tour company until he was hospitalized Sept. 20, loved Alaska and Yukon, always wished he were younger so he could have explored mining in Russia, traveled and spent as much time as possible over the past several years in his "retirement" home in Illinois and with Valerie's family, especially in her sister's kitchen ("Mike" Davis), whose cooking he truly enjoyed.
He requested no viewing and no service. His cremations will be interned in St. Stephen's Catholic Cemetery in Streator, Illinois, with Valerie's deceased family members, who greatly loved him. A true Alaskan pioneer, may he rest in peace. Published in Daily News-Miner on Sept. 29, 2017.
After the taking, the family moved to California and tried farming again - as not much other work was available - where help wanted signs in central California often included, "Blacks and Okies need not apply."
In his pre-teens, the family moved back to Tahlequah, Oklahoma, to farm. In 1951, Daniel graduated Tahlequah Central High School, where he drove a school bus to earn income. During and after high school he worked for the long-haul trucking firm owned by his older brother, Robert, thinking of Robert, 21-years his senior, as a second father. Dan had fond memories of every route he traveled, often telling stories of his adventures across Route 66, over Louisiana narrow bridges and New York's tunnels. He enlisted in the Army during the Korean conflict, and after an honorable discharge decided to settle in Seattle, attend Seattle University and work for Boeing. But he wanted to go to Alaska.
A year before statehood, Dan relocated to Murphy Dome at Fox, where he staked mining claims to mine antimony and later gold. Antimony turned out to be a bad endeavor for him. Japan controlled the antimony market. Upon arrival of his antimony to the market in Japan, the market suddenly dropped. The ship crew carrying the ore dumped the metal into the bay rather than sell it to the Japanese at below the cost of production and shipping, but it busted Dan. He returned to the Lower 48, where he signed on again with Boeing relocating to Vietnam as a logistics contractor and was there for the Tet Offensive.
After again accumulating a "grub stake" he returned to Kantishna, staked federal claims to mine gold and purchased the John Busia cabin from Charlie Cole, Busia's estate attorney. He patented 57 acres in the district and established the Kantishna Roadhouse, which later became a tourist lodge now owned and operated by Doyon Inc. The Roadhouse originally served miners by housing trades and government people visiting the district. There Daniel mined gold, subsistence hunted, trapped in the winter with a good dog team and, as a licensed airplane pilot, traveled to Fairbanks and Anchorage to sell furs, obtain supplies, and often volunteer to support Yukon Quest and Iditarod mushers supplying outposts along race routes.
Again the government entered Dan's life when President Jimmy Carter, in his last days in office, executed a federal taking of several mining districts in Alaska, including the Kantishna District, to add them to federal parks thereby ending mining in each District.
Valerie Mundt entered Dan's life in 1989, being introduced to "Dan the Man" by Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce board members Judy (Robertson) Divinyi and Athea St. Martin, all of whom were visiting his Kantishna holdings and investigating for the Chamber's Natural Resource Committee the federal government's financial impact on Alaska by taking productive mining districts to add to nonroyalty-producing federal parks.
Shortly thereafter, Dan and Val began Mt. McKinley Gold Camp (camping hostel) in Kantishna and Alpenglow Alaska/Yukon Trails, a tour company that originally took visitors by vans to pan gold, have lunch and learn history of the Kantishna Mining District, before returning to their hotels in Denali or Fairbanks in the evening.
Thus begun Dan and Val's adventurous 28-year life together.
In 1998, when the taking was finalized, Dan and Val left Kantishna and Busia cabin. Dan never again visited Kantishna, although he served on U.S. Department of Interior and state of Alaska Denali Subsistence Resource Commission for seven years. Not able to access Kantishna after the settlement, their tour company transformed to offer summer visitors transportation among Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali, Fairbanks, Dawson City and Whitehorse.
Only three days before his death, Ashbrook made what he called his "last trip to Dawson City" (which he loved) with John Bunn, his friend from Illinois, carrying Australian visitors from Fairbanks to Dawson City and on to Whitehorse. Then Dan drove a van used on Canadian routes, which he managed for over 15 years, to Alaska for winter storage. During every trip across the Alaska Highway Dan pointed out where the highway "used to be" and marveled at how it had changed "just in my lifetime."
Dan and Valerie also began and managed for a short time with Gary Moore of Tanacross, Chena River Tours, a pontoon water taxi on the Chena River in Fairbanks, for which in 2004 each became U.S. merchant marine officers having become licensed to operate steam or motor vessels of as heavy as 50-gross tons upon inland waters.
Daniel is preceded in death by his parents, Frank Vernon and Nora (Beasley) Ashbrook; all of his siblings, Robert, Rebecca, David and Mary Lou, except for his older sister, Betty June (Ashbrook) Karr, of Hillsborough, North Carolina, who survives him as does Valerie Mundt; and myriad nieces and nephews (great and great-great).
At 84, Daniel, still holding a commercial driver's license, worked in the tour company until he was hospitalized Sept. 20, loved Alaska and Yukon, always wished he were younger so he could have explored mining in Russia, traveled and spent as much time as possible over the past several years in his "retirement" home in Illinois and with Valerie's family, especially in her sister's kitchen ("Mike" Davis), whose cooking he truly enjoyed.
He requested no viewing and no service. His cremations will be interned in St. Stephen's Catholic Cemetery in Streator, Illinois, with Valerie's deceased family members, who greatly loved him. A true Alaskan pioneer, may he rest in peace. Published in Daily News-Miner on Sept. 29, 2017.
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