Anchorage resident Frederick Anthony Belgarde, 70, died peacefully at home surrounded by his loved ones on April 19, 2010.
A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Legacy Funeral Home’s Witzleben Chapel, 1707 S. Bragaw St.
Fred was born Jan. 20, 1940, in Dunseith, N.D., and was a proud Native American of the Chippewa Tribe. He attended Dunseith Grade School, Wahpton Indian Grade School, and graduated from Flandreau Indian High School in South Dakota, where he was trained as a bricklayer. Although his academic achievements provided him opportunities to attend Harvard University, his true passion was bricklaying. Fred trained and worked passionately with his relatives and brought them to Alaska after moving here in 1965. He established his own company, Big Sky Masonry.
He served three years in the Air National Guard in Montana.
Fred married Lillian “Pepsi” Roy Davis on April 16, 1960, in Conrad, Mont.
His family wrote: “They shared 50 years together, raising a family, devoted to each other, their three children, and nine grandchildren. He loved his wife and family more than words can convey, but one visit with him and you would feel it.
“If you worked with Fred, and lasted on the job, you left a better person. Besides the robust, larger-than-life presence, he was the most caring, generous and loyal person. He would offer words of wisdom, motivation, and honesty. He also loved cribbage, craps and coffee and the annual trip with Pepsi to Las Vegas. Fred loved hunting with his dogs, grandchildren, son, friends and relatives.”
He is survived by his beloved wife, Pepsi; daughters, Dawn Yeager and Carol Belgarde; son, Conrad Belgarde; son-in-law, Joseph Yeager; former son-in-law, Brian Snow; grandchildren, Arielle, Kyra and Tosca Yeager, Scott Snow, Drew Yeager, Dustyn Belgarde, Morgan, Bayley and Dalton Belgarde; brothers, Roderick and Patrick Belgarde; sisters-in-law, Norlene Belgarde and Jan Persicke; and many nieces and nephews.
He was looking forward to the birth of great-grandson Peter Keel III.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Willie Persicke.
Arrangements are with Legacy Funeral Home, Witzleben Bragaw Chapel.
