We caught up with 2002 Newberry High School graduate Dennis Walker, who is now retired from the Air Force and living in Alaska.
With Carol Stiffler
When did you graduate from Newberry High School, and what were you involved in while you were there?
I graduated in 2002 the son of Linda and Tim Walker. My mother did a number of odd jobs around town but probably is remembered for driving school bus and my father drives truck for Bill French. During high school I was in 4H, Boy Scouts, ran track and cross country.
Where else might we have seen you around town?
I showed cattle at the fair for several years. The Logging Museum was one of my grandparents’ favorite community organizations and I helped them, especially with the breakfasts.
While not seen, you might’ve heard me on 93.7 WNBY—usually on Sundays, playing the Detroit Lions and Detroit Tigers games.
Where did you go after graduation?
I literally left the day after graduation to go into the United States Air Force, intending to do just a 6-year enlistment and come back to Newberry to work for the state as a radio technician.
Why did you decide to join the Air Force? Did you have a particular interest in aviation?
At the time I did not specifically have an interest in aviation, but knew the Air Force had good technical training and skills that I could use later in life. I had gotten introduced to two gentlemen in the local community that got their electronics training through the military. Fred was a radio tech for the DNR and a retired Air Force member. Paul was a retired state police radio tech who received his training in the Navy. After hearing their stories and seeing their technical abilities, I knew the military had a lot to offer.
It wasn’t until I got stationed in Georgia at Robins Air Force Base and started working with the KC-135 air fueling tanker that I developed a taste for flying. While at this assignment, the shop I was in was tasked with operating some extra equipment on the jet and this is where I got the first idea of flying in some capacity.
How did you end up in Alaska? And please introduce us to your husband and household.
The assignment in Georgia ended and I got orders to relocate to Alaska. Growing up, my grandparents Gus and Louise, loved all things Alaska. I saw their magazines and pictures of Alaska from a young age. So, getting orders to Alaska it was a dream come true. I just had to convince my boyfriend-now-husband to follow me north, which ended up being a fairly easy sell. I started the journey north to Alaska in February of 2008—by way of Newberry—pulling a gooseneck trailer with our household goods and Maine Coon cats tow. They got to see their first snow in Newberry, which was quite comical.
I was fortunate enough to have my grandfather ride with me on the road trip up to Alaska. He originally drove the Alcan Highway to Alaska a few years after World War II ended when the road was open to civilians. It was interesting hearing his stories and memories of how the road had changed over the years from a trail through the Canadian wilderness to an actual paved road.
How does winter in Alaska compare with winter in the U.P. Is it much different?
This is a tough question, because Alaska is twice the size of Texas and there are many different microclimates within the state. It would be like comparing Houghton to Escanaba. When looking at the high and low temperature around the state, there could be a difference of 100° in one day. As far as Anchorage is concerned, our snowiest winter on record—and I was here for it—was the winter of 2011-2012 with 135” of snow. Anchorage itself is protected by the mountains, but you don’t have to go too far to get into areas that get dumped on. A little over a hundred miles east of Anchorage is Thompson Pass, where they average around 500” of snow annually. The state keeps this road open year-round going through the pass.
Do you ever run into the other former locals that also live in Anchorage? What’s that like?
There are definitely Yoopers up here for sure. Just the other day when I was up in Fairbanks for work and I had to go to NAPA Auto Parts, the guy at the counter and I got talking and I found out that his dad had a place in Curtis. He knew exactly where Newberry was. The first Yooper transplant that I ran into here was Ron Hermanson, a friend of my Uncle Jerry. He lived in Kodiak, this made for a number of years of great fishing trips and excuse for my uncle to come visit.
A few winners ago by chance I ran into Tabitha Bergman and ended up helping her pull her vehicle out of the snow. Penny Baker, a friend of my mother’s, has had me over to her Alaska home for Thanksgiving. One of the Dzelak girls spotted the Rahilly Motors sticker on my truck and followed me into a parking lot. Steven Whitman, whom I went to high school with, comes up to Anchorage occasionally for his aircraft maintenance job and I’ve gotten to hang out with him.
What kind of plane do you own and how do you use it?
It’s a 1967 Cessna 182. I use it for personal use. For most Alaskans, airplanes are just another vehicle, not a luxury item. For me, it’s a good combination of speed (it can go 130 mph), range of six hours, and a useful load of about a thousand pounds. It’s nothing flashy – very utilitarian with a stripped out interior and a wood floor. There’s been anything in it from four people, camping gear, lumber, windows, groceries, dead animals, parts for a friend’s ATV or snowmobile. Bringing a friend’s Rottweiler back to town to see a veterinarian after getting tangled up with a porcupine. An airplane in Alaska makes the state smaller, more accessible and a great way to see the state. I’ve only made one trip with it to the lower 48 and did end up in Newberry with it for a couple days.
We’ve been hearing about quite a few plane crashes lately. How do those affect you and the flying community?
While these events are very tragic, we must remember that aviation is still one of the safest ways of traveling. You’re more likely to die in an accident on the way to or from the airport. The aviation community is continually striving for improvement. Even a private pilot is required to meet with an instructor every two years. Can you imagine if you had to meet with a driving instructor every time you renewed your driver’s license?
Do you make it home often?
I try to make it back at least once a year. Two years ago, I had the opportunity to bring one of our squadrons C-17 cargo aircraft to KI Sawyer. We were on a mission to pick up an Alaska Air National Guard helicopter and Airmen from Alpena. The day before the pickup, we repositioned the jet to KI Sawyer. None of the other crew members had been to the U.P. before, and they enjoyed their time in the Marquette area. On the way to Alpena, we flew low (under visual flight rules) to enjoy the beauty of the U.P. and to give family at Interlaken Resort a chance to see the jet.
How do you feel your time in the U.P. has shaped your life?
It’s given me an appreciation for nature, the outdoors, independence, patriotism, community, and a sense of adventure. A lot of the same things that draw people to the U.P. bring people to Alaska. It is also a place where we measure distance in hours.
Is there anything you’d like to add?
I would encourage young people to look into the military, whether it be active duty or the guard. I’ve been lucky to have the opportunities and experiences I’ve had because of the military.
If you’ve ever had any thought about visiting Alaska, do it. Any time of year is a good time to visit, but May through September is the typical tourist season. If you’re looking for some type of adventure this summer while getting paid, that is typically the time of the year that seasonal businesses start looking for employees. The drive typically takes about five days from Newberry. Some people will drive a vehicle up, sell it, and fly back, like Newberry Indians sports broadcaster Jay Maki.
Dennis Walker is a graduate of Newberry High School, lives in Anchorage Alaska. Air Force veteran retired, 8 years active duty as a radio technician, 14 years Air National Guard as an C130 and C17 Loadmaster. Commercial, Airline Transport Pilot currently employed as a medevac pilot flying a King Air 200.
