One of the club's charter members, and a long-time Seward resident, Ms. Sue Kaanta, recently passed away. At the June 26 meeting, we dedicated some time to our friend's life. The Sailing Inc newsletter included a lovely eulogy that we share here, with their permission:

"Seward took a deep breath when the last patriot left town on Monday after a long 4th of July weekend and the town was left to quietly pulse on its own for a few hours of a cool summer night. As always, Seward was the place to be for the Alaskan mid-summer holiday. Though for some, the revelry was muted by the sadness of the loss of our wonderful friend, Sue Kaanta, to cancer on June 20th.
For the friends of Sue, it was a very bittersweet weekend. We celebrated her shortened, but very full life, as a group of bereft friends who each sensed a great personal loss. We know that her passing will impact the community where she has been an active resident and an involved member of the boating community, as a boat owner and a harbor worker and volunteer. Sue joined our Sailing, Inc staff from 2004 to 2007 and was a great addition to our sailing family. She had friends from every walk of life and from all over the world.
Sue spent the last few years of her life achieving her goal of finding the perfect boat and spending time on board with friends last summer. She would be cruising Prince William Sound today, if not for a sickness that ended her dream too soon. Her boat is aptly called, Morning Star. I like this, because as a sailor, I recall mornings on the water, when after cruising through the dark night, the first light was indeed the star of the morning. It always sheds the first light of hope that the day is ahead. For me, when in the future I see the Morning Star in the sky, I will always be reminded of Sue; of her kind spirit, her gentle ways and her zeal to live life to the fullest. It was a grand pleasure and privilege to have known her.
Shine on, Morning Star!"

Join all the members of the club by remembering this human, our friend Sue Kaanta.