Myra Antoinette Alsaker

Myra Alsaker passed from this life to the next on February 7, 2018, just shy of her 94th birthday. Beautiful, black haired Myra Kirby and her red headed twin brother were born in Cleveland, Ohio on April 26th, 1924 to Aurelia and John Kirby. She was birthed by a German midwife, wrapped in a blanket, placed in a shoe box and settled on the door of an old fashioned oven to keep her warm.
Myra’s early years were spent in a close knit German\Irish community. In her mid-twenties, she defied convention, left the comfort and security of family and home and moved to California. She and her paternal Aunt Margaret enjoyed the California lifestyle and spent many happy hours at Yosemite.
Myra was employed as the Administrative Assistant to the Executive Officer at the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California. There she met her lifelong love and husband of almost 50 years, Rudy Alsaker.
Myra was Rudy’s partner and companion during the 30 years he served his country in the Navy. They raised their family, daughter Debra and son David, at many stations around the globe: Hawaii, Morocco, Maryland, Okinawa, the Philippines, Virginia, California and finally Seattle. Myra’s passion was her family. At each station, Myra made a warm and loving home for her family. Amid the many moves the family made, Myra was always the steady center. Myra’s faith, courage and grace were never more evident than when she lost her son David in 1976.
Myra and Rudy retired to and lived happily for many years in Moscow, Idaho near Rudy’s close knit family. Myra and Rudy moved to Boise when their second grandchild was born, and spent their time traveling and being much loved grandparents to their two grandchildren.
Myra’s family and friends will greatly miss her gentle spirit, gift of listening deeply and without judgment, wisdom, willingness to allow others to shine, kind and compassionate heart, green thumb, love of animals and travel, cooking and the baked goods she made with such love, competitive spirit, fiery temper when the world was not going as she thought it should and her deceptively wicked skill at cards. Although she will be forever missed, those who knew her rejoice that she is finally reunited with Rudy.
A rosary will be said for Myra at 10 am on Friday, February 16 at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church. A funeral mass will follow at 11 am and lunch at noon. Myra will be buried in Moscow with her family.
Myra is survived by her daughter Debra who loved her, her beloved son-in-law Chris Burke, the grandchildren who filled her life with pride and joy, Kaitlin Burke, Zach Burke, Katrina Pirnack Burke, her adored great-grandson Max, her nieces Mary Margaret Alsager Frye (Ron), Pam Hemingway, Patty O’Donnell, Debbie Darty, Lindy Shepherd and Kim Scarniac, and her nephews Chet Reilly, Steve Reilly, Dan Alsaker and John Michael Kirby.
Myra was preceded in death by her parents, brothers, husband and son. The family suggests that donations in her honor be made to the Idaho food Bank or the Boise Rescue Mission.