Tim Hockin and Melina Shields were married at their house across Mud Bay Saturday under tarps and umbrellas. Aaron Davidman officiated. Nicholas Szatkowski played pre-wedding music. Sarana Miller led the crowd in a processional singing of “Hallelujah” on harmonium. Guests watched from an outdoor chapel fashioned with hemlock slab pews. Family included Tim’s brothers Matt Hockin of Salt Lake City and Pete Hockin of Houlten, Wis. and their families. Parents are Jim and Nanette Hockin of Minnetonka, Minn., and Fred Shields of Haines. Also in attendance were Melina’s uncles Jack Diem of Cincinnati, Ohio, Dennis Roussey of Stonington, Conn. and Pierre Roussey of Bloomington, Ill. Friends included Andy Rummel of Minneapolis, painting mentor Francis Donovan of Bellingham, Wash., Mike Bassett of Moab, Utah, Rishi Schweig of Point Reyes, Calif., and former residents Ken Seright, Mario Juarez, and Amy Whalen. Flower girls were Reese, Taylor and Nicole Hockin. Dylan Hockin was ring bearer. Jenna Rae was photographer. Lindsay Campbell of Juneau was hostess and wedding day manager. Up to 400 people hiked across Mud Bay for the event, which included a pig roasted by Melina’s brother Darren Shields, Mike Binkie, and Vija Pelekis. Guests also enjoyed potatoes from Spencer Douthit’s farm and salmon provided by Gregg Bigsby and Dennis Gudmundson. Leigh Horner made the two-tiered lemon and raspberry wedding cake with meringue butter cream and decorated with fresh flowers. Greg Horner hand-carved wedding-cake toppers of the bride and groom. Teri Podsiki and Lyn Fabio of Whitehorse helped Leigh decorate. Sarah Jaymot supplied sheet cakes. Kris and Lindy Jones with band Honky Tonk Habit played into the night, joined by Austin musician Christy Hays. Post-wedding plans include a canoe adventure in the Yukon Territory and a honeymoon abroad next spring.
Former resident Nori Nash won the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award for historical romance in July. This award is a prestigious one for unpublished authors in the romance genre. Nori writes under the pseudonym Lenora Bell. As a finalist, she attended a week-long conference in Texas and pitched her historical romance manuscript, “Charlene and the Duchess Factory,” to top New York literary agents. She had several offers of representation, and chose an agent with ICM Partners. She’s now hoping for a book deal. Nori is the daughter of Dwight and Nancy Nash. She works for the state department in Bolivia.
Thom Ely said he won’t ignore a beeping safety alarm again. He suffered carbon monoxide poisoning July 7 due to a malfunctioning propane refrigerator. He woke up with symptoms that felt like a bad hangover or flu. A blood test by Jenn Walsh at the fire hall and a reading at the house confirmed he’d been poisoned. Ely said his carbon monoxide alarm went off periodically for a couple months, but he attributed its beeping to a defective beeper. Ely has since cleaned the fridge’s burner, and reports it’s now working well.
Bob and Sally Lix celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with a trip to Anchorage to attend the Harvard, Princeton, Yale Club of Alaska annual lobster king crab dinner. Bob is a graduate of Harvard Business School. They then went to Fairbanks, where they attended a bridge sectional. They started the tournament by winning the first event overall, and continued to place throughout the tournament. In Haines, they enjoyed a visit with grandson been fishing in Juneau, and was to return to Portland.
Karen Garcia enjoyed a weeklong visit with dad Luis Garcia and sister Tara Garcia of Glenview, Ill. Mom Judy Garcia and brother Bryant Garcia couldn’t make the trip because of work, but hope to visit soon. During their stay, the Garcias went to Skagway, visited Kroschel’s Wildlife Center, and enjoyed the Southeast Alaska State Fair. Tara and Karen competed in the Fisherman’s Rodeo and Tara won a pair of Xtratuf boots. Other highlights included going to karaoke and bingo, visiting the animals at the Haines Animal Rescue Kennel, and picking blueberries on Sunshine Mountain.
Alicia Case and children James and Jilliyn are visiting parents Larry and Chris Sweet of Klukwan and friends. They’re staying with Alicia’s father-in-law Mike Case. Alicia’s husband Dan Case, an electrical foreman in Tacoma, Wash., couldn’t make the trip. James celebrated his 11th birthday with a party at the pool.