"Man is born for trouble as the sparks fly upward." Job 5:8

This month we were grieved to hear that our next-door neighbor Margaret lost her father, and that on November 16, another house fire occurred near us which claimed the life of an Alaska Airlines flight attendant:

"Many of you are already aware, but for those that are not, recently returned ANC based flight attendant, Julia Weber (Julia Orth when she was based here the first time in the early 1990's) died tragically in a fire at her parents' home in Willow last Tuesday. Services were held on Sunday. Julia was a single mom and is survived by her six-year-old son Jacob (and her parents.) An account has been set up for her and the information is posted below... The family lost everything in the fire. A memorial fund has been established to assist the family. Contributions can be directed to:

Julia Weber Memorial Fund

C/o Sandy Petram

1020 S. Bailey St.

Palmer, AK 99645

Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union

Account Number: 1319930TR

"Published on Wednesday, November 17, 2010, 10.24 AM AKST.

Caswell – An explosion reportedly preceded a blaze that killed a 42-year-old woman Tuesday. According to a report from the Alaska State Troopers, the fire was called in at around 10:45 a.m. near Mile 87.2 of the Parks Highway. One person made it out alive with only minor injuries. That survivor, '"told investigators that one person, Julia Weber, 42, of Talkeetna, did not make it out of the home. Weber's remains were recovered from the home after the fire was contained,"' according to troopers. The family dog also died in the fire. The 3,000 sqare-foot home and its outbuildings were completely destroyed. As for what caused the blaze, troopers say that the Alaska State Fire Marshal is investigating and that '"an explosion occurred prior to the fire starting."' This is the third fire involving a fatality in the Valley in two weeks. The first was Nov. 3 when a young boy lost his life in Meadow Lakes. The second was also in Caswell, actually in the same mile of the highway as Tuesday's fire. Four people, two of them children, were found dead in that home, but troopers say not all of them died in the fire."