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| Georgia Strunk, of Glennallen, Alaska, liked to brighten up the cold winter days leading up to Christmas. |
On the outside, the Strunks garnished it with Christmas stars -- and symbols of their history. Pardner was from Texas, as you can see from the sign and wagon wheels. They owned the store; you can see a blue sign showing its name. They spent time all over Alaska in their long lives; and there are signs of that, too: a totem pole, dog sled, and snowshoes. And finally, they liked to hunt, as you can see from the moose antlers.
To the left, under the satellite dish, are burls. These are natural, unsightly tumors that grow on spruce trees. They're actually highly prized. People cut across them and make coffee tables and other furniture.
Georgia lived a long and productive life. After Pardner died, she continued to take art classes at Prince William Sound Community College. She crocheted Christmas ornaments and participated in her church and as a volunteer fundraiser for the local EMS. It was a convoluted road to the Copper Valley; Georgia Strunk, when she was young, was a model. Twenty-foot tall images of her beautiful hands once adorned highway billboards all over America, as an illustration for lotion and nail polish.