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Verner Stor Wilson III, April 24, 1986 - March 23, 2023

Verner Stor Wilson III
Courtesy of Raquel Schroeder
Verner Stor Wilson III

Verner Stor Wilson III was born to Verner and Jacquelyn Wilson on April 24, 1986, and raised in Dillingham, Alaska, where he learned to value and appreciate the sustainability of the environment. He was a passionate advocate for the protection of Bristol Bay and wild salmon and spent his summers commercial fishing with his father. Verner passed away on March 23, 2023, at the age of 36.

Verner's passion for the environment led him to pursue a degree in Environmental Management at Yale University after completing his undergraduate studies at Brown University. He went on to work with organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund, the Bristol Bay Native Association, and Friends of the Earth. In his role as the Director of Natural Resources at the Bristol Bay Native Association, Verner worked on regional strategies to adapt to climate change, international shipping issues, co-management of the region's fisheries and other wildlife, and conservation of the land and waters for future generations. As a Senior Oceans Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, he focused on shipping-related marine environmental issues in the Pacific Northwest and the Arctic. He devoted a substantial part of his adult life to campaigning against the proposed Pebble Mine in his home region of Bristol Bay, Alaska.

In addition to his work, Verner loved traveling the globe, exploring new cultures, and working to preserve the natural world for future generations. He was particularly fond of pangolins, manatees, and the beauty of nature.

Verner was a kind and compassionate soul, always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, colleagues, and all those whose lives he touched. His legacy will live on through the impact he made in the world, and the inspiration he provided to others to continue the work he so passionately pursued.

Verner was a loving and devoted family member, survived by his mother, Jacquelyn; father, Verner; sister, Helena; brother, Jules; sister, Ivory, niece, Raquel; nephews, James and Connor, Evan, and Finley; and many more cousins, aunties, uncles, extended family, and friends. He was preceded in death by his Grandpa Verner, Grandma Nancy, Grandma Ellie, Grandpa Isaac, Uncle Allen, Uncle Glenn, Uncle Kenny, Brother-In-Law Bill, and Loving Partner David. Verner’s life will be celebrated at Seventh Day Adventist Church in Dillingham, Alaska on March 31, 2023 at 2:00 p.m., friends and family are encouraged to attend.

Bristol Bay Obituaries is a place for people to remember family members and loved ones who have passed on. This is a community page; KDLG staff don’t edit submissions. Email submissions and photos to obituary@kdlg.org