A WORLDWIDE traveller and adventurer who found work in the Alaskan wilderness has died as he neared the completion of his dream home.

North-East born and bred Dennis George Heatley had been building the log cabin for the past ten years, ever since he moved to the state following a chance encounter.

He had built the home for himself and his wife in 40 acres of land he bought overlooking the river and forests at Anchor Point, on the Kenai peninsula.

Mr Heatley was born in Darlington in 1950 to parents Jack and Betty, who had run pubs and clubs in the region.

He went to Alderman Leach Primary School with his brother, Mick, before the family moved a number of times, living in Sunderland, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Stockton.

He returned to his home town aged 17 to serve an apprenticeship as a welder and pipefitter at Whessoe.

His travelling bug came from his aunt, Marjorie, who had ventured as far afield as Everest. She financed his first trip abroad, to Europe.

Through his work, Mr Heatley journeyed across the world, including to Norway, South Africa and South America.

His brother also introduced him to fishing and they spent many camping trips at Scotland's Loch Lomond and Loch Maben.

He joined the Pike Anglers Club, through which in 1988 he met Ken Bethe, an American who was promoting his Alaskan fishing business.

Mr Heatley was temporarily out of work and he decided to take up the offer to move initially to Anchorage.

He spent the first season helping to run the business and look after clients, camping, fishing and protecting the group from bears and moose.

He also continued fishing during his spare time and hunted goat, caribou and Dall sheep.

Mr Heatley met his third wife, Myra, while in Alaska, and he returned to Darlington only to finance the next summer's trip.

The couple holidayed across the world, including to South-East Asia. When they returned to Alaska, Mr Heatley took up flying lessons and he made his first flight with three passengers in September 1992.

The pair married the following year in Reno, Nevada.

By 1995, Mr Heatley had secured a job in Alaska's huge oil industry, using the skills he had learnt on Teesside.

The same year, the couple bought the 40 acres of land. It was his dream to build a lodge overlooking the river where he could fish sockeye salmon.

When he died last month, the home was nearing completion. The first of its 52 windows had been installed, the roof needed only the final touches and the interior needed doing.

Mr Heatley's death, at the age of 57, was due to cancer.

His wife said said: "He lived large and laughed often. There is no better epitaph."

Memorial services are being planned in Alaska and Loch Lomond next year to commemorate Mr Heatley's life.

Friends who would like more details about the services are asked to contact Dorothy Sweet on 07828-329528.