The Vision - Distinctive and Personal Ash Scattering Service
Former Alaska Nature Guide
As a former nature guide in Alaska, founder and President, Stan Reese, has experienced the beauty of this great state. He heard many visitors and former residents request, as part of their final wishes, to be brought back to a place they love for a distinctive ash scattering service.
Stan is also a parent, an established photographer, and an avid hiker. He donates his time to organizations such as the River Keeper and Make-A-Wish where he is training for a 26.3 mile hike in a single day across the southern edge of the Appalachian Mountains to raise money for children with critical illnesses.
The idea of Eternal Alaska came to Stan in 2018 while standing atop one of the high peaks in the Alaska Mountain Range. As he gazed contently at Denali, the tallest mountain in North America, he was home. He had found forever peace and happiness in the wildness of Alaska.
As he relayed his final wishes to his loved ones, he knew the logistics of such a request were tremendous. Which child would carry out the task of his ash scattering service? When would they go? Would his ashes just sit in a closet and gather dust? Would one of his children even want to go to Alaska for this unique memorial? Would he be a burden? How would they measure out enough time from their busy lives to respect his final request?
Why Eternal Alaska
As he researched the idea of his own ash scattering service in Alaska, Stan found several companies that specialized in this task, But, they were in the lower 48 states and none of them seemed to offer the personal, destinctive service he thought he deserved.
It seemed that these other companies treated ashes like a parcel that could be boxed up and sent through the mail. The thought that his ashes would be packaged, stamped, and delivered to the post office just didn't seem quite right. He knew he deserved more. He hoped his children would expect better.
That is when the idea of Eternal Alaska began to grow. Stan knew that there were many more people like him who wanted their ashes respectfully scattered in Alaska. He knew that the surviving family members would never want to just box up the ashes and put a stamp on the box and mail it to someone they have never met.
Love and trust, he thought, are important. Stan knew he could never box up someone he loved and send their ashes across the country to someone he has never met.
He knew there had to be a better, more respectful way. Eternal Alaska was developed out of this understanding.