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Palmer resident Danny Lee Ryherd died Sunday April 20, 2008, in Palmer. He was 56.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 10, at the Alaska Heritage Memorial Chapel in Wasilla.

Mr. Ryherd was born Dec. 30, 1951, in Anchorage, to Clarence and Louise Ryherd.

He began working in Alaska on the Valdez pipeline and later for the State Department of Transportation as a heavy equipment mechanic where he retired after 17 years. He moved to Palmer with his former wife and children in 1978.

"His greatest joys in life included spending time with his daughters and grandchildren, as well as restoring classic vehicles. He also enjoyed traveling, visiting other family, old movies, reading, and 4-wheeling. He loved his daughters more than anything and his hazel eyes always lit up when his grandchildren came into the room," his family said.

Mr. Ryherd was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Louise Ryherd; and grandparents.

He is survived by his daughters, Danielle McInnis, and her daughters, Stephanie McInnis and Randi Hopkins, of Palmer, and Karina Raemaeker, her husband, Tim, and their children, James Wysong, Dawnrae Wysong and Makayla Raemaeker of Soldotna; sisters, Joyce Auman, of Alsip, Ill., and Ginger Osborn, of Escondido, Calif.; brothers, Chriss Ryherd, and his wife, Susie, of Soldotna and Mike Ryherd and his wife, Bonnie, of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; two aunts; and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to benefit Danny's grandchildren be deposited at First National Bank of Alaska into Account No. 70503198.

Arrangements were made by Alaska Heritage Memorial Chapel.