Obituary: Neil David Stichert

Obituary
4 hours ago
2 min read

Cancer took the life of Neil David Stichert, a longtime Juneau community member, on Aug. 15, 2026, at the age of 54.

He was born June 9, 1972, in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, to Gary and Nancy Stichert. The family lived in Pocatello, Idaho. before making their home in Casper, Wyoming. He graduated from Kelly Walsh High School in 1990 and attended Casper College before transferring to the University of Wyoming, where he earned both a Bachelor of Science in fish and wildlife biology (1995) and a Master of Science in rangeland ecology and watershed management and water resources (2000).

Fish and fish habitat were at the forefront of Neil’s personal interest and professional career since he was a teenager. He fished the many rivers of Wyoming and worked for Wyoming Game and Fish as a teenager, but once he encountered salmon for the first time while working in Idaho, the rest of his life and work focused on anadromous fish — particularly restoration of degraded habitat.

He worked seasonally for the U.S. Forest Service in Cordova and Petersburg before attending graduate school where he met his future wife, Samia Savell. They moved to Anchorage, Alaska, in 2000, where he started a career dedicated to restoring and protecting salmon habitat on private and public lands, initially with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (2000-2019) and then with the U.S. Forest Service Alaska Region (2019-2026).

Neil and Samia were married in Centennial, Wyoming, in 2002 shortly before making their home in Juneau. They reveled in nature, enjoying camping, fishing, skiing, and hunting throughout Alaska, and raised their two daughters to value the outdoors.

Neil had a hard-working and problem-solving approach to everything he did, from his professional career to volunteering, having a family and helping friends. He helped Territorial Sportsmen build public use cabins at Halibut Cove and Howard Bay, repaired sailboats and fundraised for Juneau Youth Sailing, and was a long-time Southeast Alaska Land Trust board member.

He is survived by his wife, Samia Savell, daughters Lauren and Miranda, mother Nancy Stichert of Casper, Wyoming, and brother Mark Stichert in Kodiak, Alaska. In lieu of flowers, please consider supporting conservation by contributing to the Neil Challenge at (https://givebutter.com/neil-challenge).