Obituary - Harold Cole Diamond
Harold Diamond
by Sentinel Staff
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Longtime Alaskan and Sitka resident Harold Cole Diamond died
peacefully at home March 4, 2010, after a long and courageous battle with
cancer. He was 76.
At his request, no services will be held.
Harold was born Feb. 25, 1934, in Ketchikan, the third son of five
boys born to Harry and Alice Whipple Diamond. His family pioneered many
parts of Alaska as he grew up. They lived in remote areas while his father
helped build the early roads of Seward, Moose Pass, Hope Junction and
Anchorage.
Harold grew up living off the land, and that stayed with him
throughout his life -- boating, hunting, fishing and gathering food were
always important to him. Being outdoors around a campfire was the greatest
pleasure for him, and in his later years he built one when the weather would
let him. He would always say he was going out to ``warm up Alaska.''
As a youngster he started working for his Grandma Jenkins on her
fish trap at Carroll Point, near Ketchikan. Then he had a chance to troll
for salmon on the F/V Amelia L, and that's when he learned to love the
challenge of commercial fishing. After high school, he worked for a time at
Ellis Air and joined the National Guard.
He worked construction while helping build the Ketchikan Pulp Mill,
and when it was finished went to work there.
He married his first wife, Ethel, and had daughters Brenda and
Debbie and son Clint. After Sitka's pulp mill was built, the family moved
here. Working shifts at the mill allowed him time to do the things he loved,
such as hunting, fishing and lots of boating.
He married his second wife, Pat, and retired from the mill to
commercial power troll on his boat F/V Solitude. During that time he took a
job as caretaker at Chatham Cannery at Sitkoh Bay for three years, a
memorable time for him and his family.
Wanting a new adventure, the family moved to Kenai where he worked
on oil platforms in Cook Inlet. Missing Southeast, they returned to Sitka
where he worked at Alaska Pulp Corp. until it closed in 1993. The next year,
he and Pat went to work in Gamble on St. Lawrence Island for six months. He
retired in 1995 to enjoy fulltime hunting, fishing, boating and hiking.
``Life was an adventure to him, and he enjoyed it all,'' his family
said.
His family, extended family and friends were always an important
part of life to him. He taught them all to be adventurous and courageous
throughout the journey of life.
``Harold was fun-loving, lived life to the fullest and had such a
positive outlook on life,'' his family said. ``Because of this we will miss
him always.''
He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Alice Diamond;
brothers Joe, Lee and Charlie Diamond; stepson Rick Rutherford; and
great-granddaughter Caitlin Hargett.
He is survived by his wife, Patricia Diamond of Sitka; brother
Jimmy and wife Juanita Diamond; sisters-in-law Dorothy Diamond and Debra
McEriain; brother-in-law Gary and wife Flo Larsen; daughter Brenda and
husband Gary Hunt; daughter Debbie and husband Barton Sollars; son Clint
Diamond and Cathy; and stepchildren Tonya Rutherford and Kelly and wife
Gabrielle Rutherford.
Also surviving are granddaughter Tonya O'dell and
great-grandchildren Calista and Chadam O'dell, Corey, Mackie and Chris
Jacobs; granddaughter Tasha Hunt and Bob and great-granddaughter Kaylee
Hargett; and grandson Levi Hunt and Marie.
Also, grandchildren Amy Sollars, Tabitha and Victor Nelson and
Austin and Jillian Sollars; granddaughter Mandy Diamond and Joe and
great-grandchildren Chloe and Chase; granddaughter Hayley Diamond and
Jeremy; granddaughter Lacy Diamond and great-grandsons Casey and Chance;
grandsons Jimmy Diamond and Travis Stillwell; and grandchildren Ricky and
Ashley Rutherford.
Harold also leaves behind numerous other family members; and many
friends and special friends Jim Penny, Candi Barger, Walt Pasternak, and
Troy, Clarice and Alex Bayne.
Memorial donations may be made to the Sitka Cancer Survivors
Society, P.O. Box 1624, Sitka, AK 99835.
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