Richardson dies of cancer

A well-known face along Main Street in Talkeetna has died of cancer.

Alaska State Troopers received notice Tuesday afternoon that 58 year old Wayne Ralph Richardson had passed away at the Willow assisted living facility.  Big Lake and Willow medics attended the scene as well as the troopers.

Richardson was a familiar face at the Fairview Inn over the years as well as Mountain High Pizza Pie. He was a 35 year resident of the upper Valley and worked for years as an OTR trucker. He lived for a short time up the tracks and had purchased land there. He frequented the VFW for coffee and could be seen grilling steaks behind Mountain High Pizza.

Resident Carol Lincoln said she assisted Richardson in getting to a treatment center for diagnosis and made sure he had transportation to and from the Willow assisted-living facility.

Richardon’s family in the lower 48 was notified of the death.  He is being cremated, and at some point in the near future, friend Mark Ashworth, Carol Lincoln and others will make sure some of his ashes travel from bar to bar in Talkeetna as a celebration of his life.