At the age of 75, Dennis Egan, a former state senator and mayor of Juneau, passed away on Tuesday
Who was Dennis Egan? (Wiki, Age, Bio)
After working for years in radio broadcasting, where Dennis was named Alaska Broadcaster of the Year in 1990 and was inducted into the Broadcaster Hall of Fame in 2001, Egan—the son of Bill Egan, the first governor of Alaska, who presided over the state from 1959 to 1966 and 1970 to 1974—decided to enter politics.
The 1965 Juneau-Douglas High School alumnus served in the Alaska Army for seven years, from 1967 to 1974, in the 910th Engineer Company of the National Guard. According to his legislative biography, he also served as a volunteer fireman.
He became a member of the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly in 1989 before being chosen as mayor in 1995, where he served for five years.
Egan served in the Alaska legislature for nine years, during which time he fought to preserve Juneau as the state capital and opposed attempts to shift it to Anchorage or another location. He was elected twice before stepping down from office in 2018.
Egan was “larger than life,” according to Sen. Jesse Kiehl (D-Juneau), who claimed in a press release that he charmed almost everyone he encountered.
Dennis was a straight shooter who genuinely valued everyone around him, according to Kiehl. Dennis also constantly listened to his community. “He placed Alaskans first, and his heart belonged to Juneau. Alaska was his home.”
Statements for Dennis Egan
Sen. Minority Leader Tom Begich (D-Anchorage) expressed his sorrow over Dennis Egan’s passing: “Alaska, Juneau, and all of us who knew him to grieve his loss tonight. Dennis was a friend and co-worker whose welcoming grin, pleasant voice, and dry sense of humour made the legislature and his community more cheerful for many years. Dennis was influential and will be sorely missed. I’m thinking of his family and friends right now.”
According to a press release from Sen. Bill Wielechowski (D-Anchorage), Egan could be counted on to brighten the mood in Juneau.
“Dennis served his community with elegance and grace”, according to Wielechowski. “He was well-respected and consistently tried to do what was best for his neighbourhood and Alaska. He gave the state and its citizens a great deal of care. His companionship, loyalty, and sense of humour will be sorely missed.”
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