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FAIRBANKS — A framed winter scene of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church is the focal point of a grouping of Alaska artist prints on the living room wall of Oliver and Andrea Backlund’s sun-filled home.

The little log church on First Avenue has been and continues to be central to the Backlunds’ life. They met at St. Matthew’s two decades ago, were married there in 1989 and continue to take an active role in the church’s activities and programs.

Most recently, the Backlunds have been involved with Alaska Interfaith Power & Light, also known as the Regeneration Project, which brings faith communities and religious organizations together to reduce their impact on the environment.

“If we are going to share this glorious creation, we need to be responsible in how we use our part of it,” Andrea said.

“Amen,” Oliver said.

The Backlunds frequently finish each other’s sentences. Their strong relationship is evident in not only their words but in their eyes, as they affirm each other’s thoughts and exchange warm glances.

The intimacy of the couple’s relationship for the past two decades is based on a daily ritual they began years ago — one that never varies and has maintained and reinforced the love and respect they share for each other.

They never go to sleep without asking the other’s forgiveness for what they may have done, saying: “If I have offended you in any way today, would you please forgive me,” Andrea said.

“And if there has been any issue, then we can talk. Only after that, when we have forgiven each other and there is peace between us, do we pray,” she said.

The Backlunds credit excellent pre-marital counseling for their introspection and problem solving abilities. In the ensuing years, they have given much time and thought to the marital covenant as organizers for Engagement Encounter and Retrouvaille, a program for couples to heal their marriages.

Oliver was widowed and Andrea was divorced when they met at St. Matthew’s where Andrea was teaching a class.

“I was not pleased with my personal life and went back to church,” Oliver said.

They were married a year and a half later on Armistice Day and will celebrate their 19th anniversary Tuesday.

“It was a good idea to get married,” Andrea said. “We’ve never decided who asked.”

“Or who said ‘Yes,’” Oliver added.

Oliver, 81, said he is still amazed at how different their backgrounds are, yet how well they get along.

“Andrea has a fine intellect, and was teaching all of those years. She earned a doctorate at a very young age. While I joke and tell people I do my best work with a double-bitted axe.”

Andrea, 68, views their differences — strengths and weaknesses — as complementary.

Raised in Minnesota, Oliver served two years in the Navy and arrived in Alaska in 1949 with a contract in his pocket to work for the Public Roads Administration.

“When I stepped off the plane in Anchorage, I thought I had died and gone to heaven,” he recalled.

In the ensuing years, he worked as a land surveyor, married and had two children, Lisa and Eric. In 1980, he retired after 25 years from the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities.

“I found retirement wasn’t that great and became self-employed as a land surveyor,” Oliver said. “It was very fulfilling but not renumerative.”

In the early 1980s, he built a home in the hills near the university, where he and Andrea live with two cats.

Andrea was raised on the East Coast, the daughter of an Episcopal minister. In 1973, she arrived in Fairbanks with her daughter and mother to take a position teaching political science at the university.

It was after Andrea’s mother died in 1987 that she decided to renew her faith.

“I found such a warm and loving welcome at St. Matthew’s, I felt that was the place I needed to be,” she said.

Helping hands

In their two decades together, the Backlunds have worked as volunteers in many ventures and have been honored with awards, locally.

They are a family sponsor for Habitiat for Hummanity. They are the proud “Bigs,” (Big Brother and Big Sister) to Joe, now almost 16, since just before he started second grade.

“He’s a very big part of our life,” Andrea said. “We really benefit a lot from him. He’s a great gift.”

Their weekly activities with Joe range from dinner, plays and concerts to lots of hockey games.

The Backlunds also sponsor six children through World Vision, an international Christian organization that provides community and educational supplies and support and medical care for children and families in third world countries.

The couple’s generosity also extends to their friends.

Attorney Gayle Garrigues telephoned the Backlunds at 5:30 a.m. one morning this summer, asking for shelter for herself and her two cats, as flood waters inundated her Rosie Creek area home.

The Backlunds put them all up, and were able to keep the peace among the four felines in the house.

“They took such good care of us,” Garrigues said. “They are so welcoming and opening and caring, my boy cat didn’t want to go home.”

Garrigues was a political science major and Andrea her principal professor at the university.

“She was a mentor for me early on in my life and career,” Garrigues said. “She was a wonderful mentor and turned into a wonderful friend.”

Garrigues recalled that it was a bit unusual in the 1970s to have a female political science teacher, especially one with bright red hair who dressed flamboyantly.

“She would started each class by opening up with questions and talking about the events of the day,” Garrigues said. “Some people would get completely outraged at her questions, but she was just getting people to think.”

Special diet

In addition to working within their church community to responsibly steward God’s creation, the Backlunds follow a “Low Carbon Diet” which is a program developed by David Gersohn, founder and CEO of Empowerment Institute. They have taught the program at St. Matthew’s and recently did the same at the Osher Lifelong Learning Program at the university.

“There are lots of ways people can save money, save energy and be part of the solution. We’ve greatly enjoyed what we’ve been doing,” Andrea said.

“Absolutely,” Oliver said.

When they’re not teaching, they continue to work on improving their own energy conserving habits at home and are considering installing some solar panels to heat water.

For fun, the Backlunds may be found target shooting or pursuing family genealogy in the Internet which Andrea describes as “kind of a grownup game of Clue.”

Andrea also likes to paint with watercolors, and Oliver builds recreational cabins for personal satisfaction.

Together, about 15 years ago, the Backlunds planted 600 trees on the edge of their south-facing 2.5 acre property, carefully hand watering and nurturing them.

Today, there is a thick forest of spruce, Scotch and Lodgepole pine, Siberian larch and crabapple trees which attract moose and other wildlife and lots of birds.

The Backlunds’ days are filled with projects and interests and an exercise routine each weekday. Monday is tai chi; Tuesday, pilates; Wednesday, Strong Seniors; Thursday, walking at the dipper, and Friday, tai chi again.

Saturdays are social with Joe and friends and Sunday is church.

The Backlunds involvement with the community and St. Matthew’s hasn’t gone unnoticed by their friends, who also are included.

“They’re always willing to put themselves out if you need assistance,” said Mary Manguso, a UAF history professor and longtime friend.

Noting the Backlunds 13 year age difference, Mangusso recalled Andrea saying not long after she and Oliver were married that she was going to retire, so she could take care of Oliver.

“The two of them have been taking care of the world every since,” Mangusso said.

Contact staff writer Mary Beth Smetzer at 459-7546.