Eugene W Klymko

Gene died peacefully on Jan. 26, 2019, at home in Anchorage, Alaska. He was born in Nova Skvaryava, Ukraine, then part of Poland, on June 28, 1922, one of four children and raised nearby in Zhovkva. Gene experienced dramatic world events first-hand when his part of the world plunged into World War. He managed to evade the various armies and by war's end found his way to the American Sector in Germany. There he lived in a camp for displaced persons - "not refugees," he would explain - and studied architecture, earning a degree in 1951. To his relief - and delight - the U.S. granted him immigration and he lived and worked near New York City for several years, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1957. He moved to Minneapolis, Minn., in the late 1950s, becoming a licensed architect and a partner with Val Mickelson, together designing several notable commercial and small college projects. He arrived in Anchorage in the mid-1970s and joined Livingston Slone Architects in 1978, practicing until early retirement in 1984. He especially enjoyed travel to projects in bush communities, making friends with local folks while practicing his craft. A life-long bachelor, he loved Alaska and designed and built a home on the Anchorage hillside. His home was his castle: a unique design with numerous clever architectural features and details. He was ever busy: gardening, skiing, fishing, hiking, cooking and often entertaining neighbors and guests with his European charm - keeping his mind and body fully engaged until the end of his life. A gathering of friends to celebrate his life will be held at his home on June 28, 2019. Email genek@gci.net to request information.