A memorial service will begin at 4 p.m. April 4 at Valley Funeral Home Wasilla Chapel, 151 E. Herning Ave.
McCants was born Aug. 24, 1964, in Miles City, Mont., to Albert James and Virginia Mae (Hirsch) McCants. He attended elementary schools in Miles City and North Pole, Mont., and high school in Miles City.
McCants had a severe, near-fatal motorcycle accident in Miles City in late 1980 and the family moved to Alaska to stay in December of that year.
Some of McCants’ jobs included cooking in the New China buffet in Anchorage, new car detailing at Nye Ford in Wasilla (where he earned Employee of the Year and received a trip to South America), and working in the retail and service departments of Performance Plus, a Polaris dealership in Wasilla.
He became unable to work due to bone and nerve damage sustained in the motorcycle accident, and thoroughly enjoyed playing video games with his son James and watching NASCAR events on TV with him.
McCants is survived by his son James; James’ half-sister Kimberly and half-brother Dustin; their mother Tara Gibbs; his father, Jim (Dee) McCants; and brother Dwayne (Teresa) McCants, all of Alaska.
He is also survived by his maternal grandmother Hertha Hirsch of Miles City; aunts Thelma (Bill) Witt, Linda (Vern) McCants of Billings, Mont., Loretta (Jim) Gaughan of Texas and Irene (Vern) Johnson of Belgrade, Mont.; uncles Allen (Jan) Rustad of Baker, Mont., and Alvin (Barb) Hirsch of Rock Springs, Mont.; nephews Dakota and Jeremiah McCants of Alaska; stepbrothers Norman (Carla) Lamb and Fred Lamb, both of Casper, Wyo.; stepsister Linda Wade of Kissimmee, Fla.; step-granndmother Monte Willman of Plevna, Mont.; step-aunt Roberta Willman of Plevna; step-niece Trista Brown of Kissimmee; step-nephews Dean (Lexi) Lamb of Grand Junction, Colo., Brandon (Stephanie) Lamb of Casper and Donald Brown of Kissimmee; and step-grandniece Kiersten Lamb of Casper.
McCants is also survived by cousins David (Jennifer) McCants, Jennifer (Tony) Lowry and Tara of Colorado; Lana McCrorey (with Alicia and Mark) of Utah; Allison (Cain) Koler of North Dakota; Renee of California; and Marjorie (Eric) Christiaansen, Jason Witt, Erin (Henry) Griffith, Sarah Rustad, Georgia Ruastad, Rick Webster, Carol and Stacy, all of Montana.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Virginia; maternal grandfather Carl Hirsch; and paternal grandparents Albert Benjamin McCants and Irene Rustad.
Valley Funeral Homes & Crematory of Wasilla and Palmer is assisting the family.
Source: Frontiersman, 1 April 2008
