SIDNEY JAMES SMITH, BORN IN KANAKANAK, ALASKA TO FRANK GRANT WOODS SR. AND IRENE OSTERHAUS, WAS ADOPTED AT NINE MONTHS OLD BY HENRY AND MARY SMITH AND RAISED IN DILLINGHAM. HE LATER LIVED IN NEW STUYAHOK, LEVELOCK, AND BETHEL—COMMUNITIES THAT SHAPED HIS DEEP CULTURAL ROOTS. IN 2003, HE MARRIED SARAH SMITH IN ANCHORAGE, BUILDING A BLENDED FAMILY GROUNDED IN LOVE AND TRADITION.
A SKILLED TRADESMAN—CARPENTER, WELDER, MECHANIC, FISHERMAN—SIDNEY DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO FAMILY AND COMMUNITY. HE HELPED FOUND BRISTOL BAY NATIVE CORPORATION AND STUYAHOK NATIVES LIMITED, AND SERVED ON ELDER BOARDS FOR SOUTHCENTRAL FOUNDATION AND ALASKA TRIBAL HEALTH CONSORTIUM. HE WAS DEVOTED TO THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH AND TO THE SUBSISTENCE LIFESTYLE, PASSING DOWN TRADITIONS OF HUNTING, FISHING, AND STORYTELLING. KNOWN FOR HIS WIT, WISDOM, AND LOVE OF PINOCHLE AND BASKETBALL, SIDNEY WAS A STEADY, LOVING PRESENCE AT EVERY FAMILY EVENT.
SIDNEY WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS BIRTH PARENTS FRANK GRANT WOODS SR. AND IRENE OSTERHAUS, HIS ADOPTIVE PARENTS HENRY AND MARY SMITH, SISTERS FRAN SHUGAK AND HATTIE DULL, BROTHER EDDIE WOODS, AND SONS DARRELL EARL WOODS AND JUSTIN QUINCY SMITH.
HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS CHILDREN: FRANK III, DARREN WITH HIS WIFE SHARON, ZENA WITH HER PARTNER ENRIQUE, SIDNEY WITH HIS PARTNER APRIL, KEN PEPPINGER, DAWN PEPPINGER, THAD PEPPINGER, ROSE GARCIA, AND TERRA PEPPINGER.
GRANDCHILDREN INCLUDE: JESSIE WITH HER CHILDREN MARK, ARI, AND ROMI; SHELLEY AND HER HUSBAND NIGEL; FRANK IV AND HIS WIFE TOBITHA WITH THEIR CHILDREN MIRI, MARILYN, GEMMA, AND JOVIE; DARRYL AND HIS WIFE KRISTINA WITH THEIR DAUGHTERS HERMOINE AND ARIEL; CADE, PRESTON, ARRIANA, ELAYNE, CORAL, RYDER, AND AUBREY; DANA, CASSIDY AND HER HUSBAND ELI WITH THEIR CHILDREN DARREN AND ELLA, AND ASHLEY; ANASTASIA AND HER PARTNER CHRIS WITH THEIR CHILDREN LENNEA, DAVID, VICTORIA, AND JEVON; CHRIS AND HIS CHILDREN VICTORIA, BROOKE, AND GERALD; DARREN, DEVIN, DARREL AND HIS CHILDREN ASHLANE, ASHTON, AND MELANIA; PHILIP AND HIS CHILDREN DAGAN AND VASSILIE; SASHA JURASEK, HOLLY AUKONGAK, TAMMI DIAS, SHADDE LAMAY, QUINNA LAMAY, JOSHUA GARCIA, AND ZADA MORNING.
This memorial website was created in the memory of our loved one, Melissa Robinson. We will remember her forever.