Thelma Mcconnell and Alvin Clare Miller
Thelma McConnell owned the Hunger Hut Bar, and her life partner was Alvin Clare Miller, a north road homesteader.
Al was born on April 30, 1927 in Pennsylvania. Al came to Alaska after serving in the merchant marines and homesteaded near his fellow merchant marine and partner, Jack Dugger, a mile or so off Pipeline Road. Jack Dugger's homestead was adjacent to Al’s and his cabin was about 1/4 mile from Al’s. Family lore says that Jack and Al had been in the Merchant Marine’s together and partnered up to help each other build their homesteads. The cabins they built were very similar with the exception that Al’s had an attic of sorts with a home made bed he called "Snuffy Smith."
Al worked as a longshoreman, mostly at Rig Tenders Dock, and had commercial set net sites on both sides of that dock. He later retired from the Inland Boatman’s Union, sold those sites, and bought the drift boat, "The Gusto," with Thelma, who held a drift permit and fished Cook Inlet for salmon and also Prince William Sound for halibut. Al passed away from cancer on October 28, 1991 in Anchorage.
Thelma McConnell was born Thelma Lake in Spokane, Washington on February 12, 1926, and came to Nikiski in the 60’s from Idaho after her divorce from C.J. McConnell. With her business partner, Iris Duncan, she operated, and later bought, the Hunger Hut Bar from Frank and Elsie Moore. Thelma ran the bar until her death. As mentioned above, she had held a commercial Cook Inlet drift permit and fished using Snug Harbor boats with her son, Phillip Stolz, until she and Al bought The Gusto. The Hunger Hut and Thelma were North Road institutions for many years, and hosted many events as well as being the major original sponsor of Kiddies Day via traveling performances of the "Pussy Posse," a group of women who sang in bars to make money to buy gifts for Nikiski children.
Thelma and Al were a couple for some 30+ years, but never married. They were, as North Roaders would say, “shacked up”. Thelma passed away on July 12, 1993, after suffering a brain aneurysm while driving in her car and crashing into Steve’s Service station. Her ashes were spread on the lake at the Miller homestead where Al’s had been spread a few years earlier. A plaque was erected near the original outhouse with their names on it, with the saying “A Pair To Draw To”.
After Thelma's death, the Hunger Hut bar went to her son Tim. When he passed in 2004, it was inherited by his sister, Linda Superman, who still owns and operates the Hunger Hut bar and adjacent motel.
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SANDRA STOLZ-JONES OBITUARY
Nikiski resident Ms. Sandra Arliene Stolz-Jones, 68, died Monday, July 3, 2017 at Central Peninsula Hospital in Soldotna, Alaska.
Services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017 at Pat and Stacy Fagan's home in Nikiski, Alaska.
Sandra wars born on Dec. 22, 1948 in St. Maries, Idaho to Alvin Miller and Thelma McConnell. She graduated from Priest River High School.
Sandra moved to Nikiski, Alaska in 1974. She later retired from working for various Alaska oilfield companies.
The family wrote: "Sandy was a longtime Alaska resident. She enjoyed spending time with family, dancing, playing softball, bowling and fundraising for Kiddies Days, senior citizens, youth groups and local families in need. Sandy has fun playing video games, so much fun that she got cut off from calling the help line after so many calls! She loved telling jokes and her quirkiness always followed. She was most passionate about the love she had for her grandchildren."
Sandra was preceded in death by her mother, Thelma McConnell; father, Alvin Miller; and brothers Harold Stolz, Timothy Stolz and Phillip Stolz.
She is survived by her son, Bret J. Bach of Hawaii; daughter, Stacy Fagan of Nikiski; daughter-in-law, Shawna Bach of Hawaii; song-in-law, Patrick Fagan of Nikiski; grandsons Kenneth A. Fagan of Nikiski and Koa J. Bach of Hawaii; granddaughter, Kaia L. Bach of Hawaii; sisters Sharon K. Lamm of Oregon and Linda Superman of Nikiski; brother, John Stolz of Nikiski; sister-in-law, Judy Stolz of Nikiski; 15 nieces and nephews; and a large extended family of friends.
timothy stoltz obituary
Longtime Nikiski resident Timothy Lynn Stolz died Dec. 7, 2004, in Nikiski, Alaska. He was 54.
Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, 2004, at the American Legion Post 20 in Kenai. A reception will follow the service. An additional memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, 2004, at the King's Bar in Priest River, Idaho.
Mr. Stolz was born July 7, 1950 in Spokane, Wash. He graduated Plummer High School in Plummer, Idaho, in 1969 and North Idaho Junior College in 1970. He then served his country honorably from 1970-72 in the U.S. Army Transportation Command in Europe with top secret clearance.
He worked throughout the Pacific Northwest as a highly skilled tree faller, until he moved to Nikiski in 1984. In Alaska, he worked as a fisherman and in many construction trades. He was also a partner in the Hunger Hut Bar in Nikiski.
Mr. Stolz was a member of the American Legion and the Moose Lodge.
"It's hard to sum up one's life in this short statement, but Tim was a good soul. He was always there to help family and friends even at a personal expense. His heart was as good as his soul and we know of no enemies. The great loves of his life were his three sons.
"Family and friends were Tim's priorities. His smile and kindness will be greatly missed by all and though we are saddened by his passing, he leaves us with only kind thoughts in our own hearts for him. We are all blessed to have been a part of his life," his family said.
Mr. Stolz was preceded in death by his mother, Thelma McConnell; his father, Louie Stolz; and a brother, Harold Stolz. He is survived by his sons, Toby Stolz, who is serving in the U.S. Air Force in New Mexico, and Tyler and Lindsey Stolz of Spokane, Wash.; a grandson, Lucas Stolz; brothers and sisters, John Stolz of Nikiski, Sharon Lamm of Salem, Ore., Phillip Stolz, Sandra Jones and Linda Superman, all of Nikiski; his companion, Diane Henry of Nikiski; many nieces and nephews and a long list of friends.