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Longtime Alaskan Nicholas Zerbinos died Friday, May 2, 2008, at Stone Brook Inn Assisted Living in Soldotna. He was 84.

A memorial mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Soldotna. Father Tony Dummer, OMI, will officiate. His ashes, along with his wife's ashes will be buried at a later date in Glennallen.

Mr. Zerbinos was born June 14, 1923, in Nashua, New Hampshire. He served honorably in the U.S. Army during World War II. He came to Alaska in 1957 with his children, Alex and Kathryn, landing in Seward.

"He moved to Glennallen in 1960. There, he met and married the love of his life, Rose Kretchmar," his family said.

Together with their children the couple homesteaded an area known as Tazlina. They worked together to help maintain the Copper Valley School.

"Mr. Zerbinos was an all around jack of trades from carpentry to equipment operator and diamond willow carver. He still maintained his home on the homestead in Tazlina and was very well know throughout the Copper Valley," his family said.

Mr. Zerbinos was preceded in death by his wife, Rose.

He is survived by his son, Alex and his wife, Meg of Soldotna; daughter, Kathryn Jacoby and her husband, David, of Wasilla,; grandsons, Nick Zerbinos of Soldotna, Eric Zerbinos of Phoenix and Terry Potter of Anchorage.

Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.