Oliver Backlund

Oliver Backlund, 95, passed away on July 23 in Gig Harbor, WA.
He was born in Holt, MN on November 30, 1926 to Ole and Inga (Olson) Backlund. He attended schools in Holt and Newfolden, MN. He loved math, and he enjoyed learning poetry, so much so that he was still reciting Robert Frost in his last days. After graduating from high school, Oliver joined the Navy and was stationed in the South Pacific. After the war, he took courses in surveying and in 1949 was hired by the Interior Department to work for the Alaska Road Commission. He always said, when he stepped off the plane in Anchorage in February 1949, he thought he had died and gone to Heaven.
As a surveyor in a growing territory and state, Oliver left his footprints all over Alaska working for the Bureau of Roads, the State Department of Highways and the Alaska Department of Transportation. He worked as a rodman, rear chainman, head chainman, survey aid, site surveyor and head surveyor on projects including parts of the Seward Highway, the Parks Highway, Dew Line construction, placement of the Yukon River Bridge on the Dalton Highway, the “Hickel Highway”, Chena Hot Springs Road and the Taylor Highway. In 1976 he earned his certification as a Photogrammetrist by the American Society of Photogrammetry.
He was a dedicated member of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church and was recognized as an esteemed elder of the community of faith for the Society of St. Simeon and St. Anna. He was a lay Eucharistic Minister for the Episcopal Diocese of Alaska and he volunteered for Episcopal Marriage Encounter and Retrouvaille with the Roman Catholic Diocese with his wife, Andrea. Other volunteer activities included serving as a member of the FNSB Platting Board and as a member of the Title 17 Road Standards Committee. He was a big brother for Big Brothers Big Sisters, and a hospice volunteer.
He was a member and former president of the Pioneers of Alaska, Igloo #4, President of the Igloo #4 Foundation, a lifetime member of the Tanana-Yukon Historical Society and he was a charter member of the Interior Alaska Sourdough Chapter of the International Sourdough Reunion. In his eighties, he received an expert marksmanship qualification from the NRA. He won three gold medals in the International Senior Games for marksmanship. In his 70’s, he took flying lessons and completed his solo flight. He was Mayor of Ester in the 1960’s and through the years, many old friends continued calling him Mr. Mayor.
Oliver was an avid cross-country skier and fly fisherman. He was a lifelong learner who loved to read, listen to classical music and play bridge. He spent countless hours researching his family history. He enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren.
With the help of many friends, Oliver built and proved a cabin home site on Cascaden Ridge along the Elliott Highway.
He was a resident of Alaska for 72 years and lived in Fairbanks since 1951. He celebrated his 50th anniversary of Alaska residency by fly fishing all over the state including the Kenai and Russian Rivers, Cordova and Yakutat. He also maintained a special place in his heart for the Kona Coast of Hawaii.
Oliver is survived by his beloved wife of 32 years, Andrea Carroll Backlund, his daughter Lisa (Roland) VanDoorne, grandkids Abigail and Kaes, his son, Eric and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held in Gig Harbor in the theater at Harbor Place on Friday, August 12 at 2 p.m. Additionally, a service will be held in Fairbanks on Thursday, September 8 th at 2 p.m. at St Matthews Episcopal Church. Following the service, a reception and pioneer memorial will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the lobby at Fairbanks Lutheran Church.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Pioneers of Alaska Igloo #4 Foundation; St. Matthew’s Church in Fairbanks; Big Brothers Big Sisters of Alaska or St. John’s Episcopal in Gig Harbor.
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