Daily Sitka Sentinel

Services to be Held For Theodosy Merculief, 41

Theodosy “Dosy” Timothy Merculief

Services have been scheduled for Theodosy “Dosy” Timothy Merculief, Khan-naa-goot, who died April 9 in a boat accident. He was 41.

A wake will be held at the Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi house, Sunday through 11 a.m. Monday. Masks and social distancing will be in place.

The funeral will be at noon at St. Michael’s Cathedral. (Face covering and social distancing will be the protocol, and masks will be by the door.)

Following the funeral, burial will be at the Russian Orthodox Cemetery. A memorial service will be at 3 p.m. at the Elks Lodge.

Those with questions may contact Jay Merculief-Barker via Facebook messenger.

Dosy was born May 17, 1979, in Sitka, the son of Terenty Alan Merculief of St. George and Alberta Christine Duncan of Angoon, who had met while students at Mt. Edgecumbe High School. They married after graduation, and had a son Terenty Jr.

Terenty Sr. enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany, where the family lived three years and where their second child, Robert, was born. Jay arrived soon after they returned to the U.S., and Dosy was the youngest; his mother adored him. 

Dosy graduated from Sitka High in 2000. He had various jobs around Sitka – at Schmolck’s, Sitka National Park Service, UAS, Triple A, Spenard Builders Supply, Mt. Edgecumbe High School, SEARHC, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Dosy was an avid outdoorsman. He loved fishing, hiking, hunting and being out on the boat. If he could have been on the boat every day, he would have. Getting his food and putting it away to feed his family was extremely important to him. He loved his children more than anything and talked about them to everyone.

He also talked about what an amazing mother Natalie was to their children and how she was always keeping Aliyah busy. Aliyah runs, did roller derby, volleyball and swimming.

Dosy’s favorite month was August because it was the beginning of hunting season. He was so proud to name his son August (Auggie). He would get so excited just talking about hunting season coming up so he could go out on the boat and up the mountain. 

Dosy was also in pool league for several years and tried never to miss a game. He was very passionate about pool league and getting together with his team. 

He loved Sitka, and never planned on leaving.

Dosy was preceded in death by his beloved mother Alberta Christine Duncan of the Deeisheeta’an clan from Angoon; his maternal grandparents Mary and Robert Duncan of Angoon, and his paternal grandparents Terenty and Mary Merculief from St. George. 

Survivors include his father, Terenty Alan Merculief II of Sitka; brothers Terenty Jay Merculief of Juneau and Robert Merculief (Theresa) of Anchorage; sister Jay Merculief-Barker (Pat Barker Jr.) of Sitka; his significant other, Natalie Wojcik, Sitka; daughter Aliyah Shayanne Merculief, Sitka; sons August Thomas Merculief and Xavier Theodore Merculief, both of Sitka.

Dosy’s father had nine siblings and his mother had 13, and those family members had many children. In all, Dosy had well over 100 first cousins. 

Pallbearers and honorary pallbearers are Jimmi Jensen, Robert Merculief, Tom Gamble, Jefferey Duncan, Patrick Barker Jr., Andrew Atkinson, Rich Didrickson, David Johnson, Frank Bentley, Jeffrey Young, and Mitchell Young.

The family extended “a huge heartfelt thank you” to the first responders and others: Tom Climo, Bae Widmier, Camila Gomez Duclos, Trooper Ferguson, Officer Martin, Emmitt Anderson, Nicole Duclose, Terry Perensovich, the Sitka Fire Department, Sitka Police Department, and SEARHC doctors, nurses, lab and other staff.

Apologies were extended to anyone who might have been missed.

“The outpouring from the first responders, community, friends and family has been unbelievable,” the Merculiefs and Natalie said.