Primitive1 Posted August 10, 2010 Report Share Posted August 10, 2010 My daughter worked for Senator Ted Stevens here in DC until he was not re-elected and we are on pins and needles and praying that he was one of the survivors on the plane that went down last night in Dillingham...please keep us posted if you hear anything! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted August 10, 2010 Report Share Posted August 10, 2010 Shana I am so sorry for Alaska's loss and for our nation's loss. I do hope that when I reach 86 I am able to board a plane to go fishing. He was one heck of a man!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted August 10, 2010 Report Share Posted August 10, 2010 I heard he died in the plane crash -- I just read it. What a shame... So sad for our "Uncle Ted" as we Alaskan's called him. He served in the United States Senate from December 1968 until January 2009 now died at age 86. What a way to go... rest in peace, Uncle Ted. **************** FOLLOW UP ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: OK someone walked in my office and said he might not be dead and the newspapers are retracting stories... . I will keep you posted. Years ago, he survived a plane crash (his first wife died in it)... with everything he's gone through i will say that this guy has 9 lives... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted August 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2010 Unfortunately, they have now confirmed that he did not make it. He will be missed a great deal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted August 10, 2010 Report Share Posted August 10, 2010 2 plane crashes in 1 lifetime? WOW. rest in peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted August 10, 2010 Report Share Posted August 10, 2010 Awww yeah I just see it's official. And I heard that the weather around Dillingham where he was -- cloudy and rain. I just don't understand why these pilots take chances in that weather -- especially for a fishing trip. Really! The fishing can wait for sunnier days; I'd rather be a fair weather flyer and fair weather fisher. There are far too many "hard clouds" (mountains) around that area that those small planes can run into... what a shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted August 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2010 Yes very sad.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted August 11, 2010 Report Share Posted August 11, 2010 I read the story this afternoon, too. So sad, but he did live a very full life, for that we can be thankful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted August 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2010 "I think it is safe to say, without any fear of contradiction, that no senator in the history of the United States has ever done more for his state than Senator Ted Stevens. Alaska would not be what it is today were it not for him."- Senator McConnell Thank you sir. You will be missed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted August 11, 2010 Report Share Posted August 11, 2010 .....no senator in the history of the United States has ever done more for his state than Senator Ted Stevens. This is a very true statement. He was a very powerful senator in Washington DC. It's a young state, so many of us were here before it became a state. We Alaskans have many blessings that include good paying jobs and lovely homes that allow us the comfortable lifestyles that most of us enjoy here, and it's great place to raise a family. Much of this has to do with people like Ted, and others, who helped make it happen. Alaska has been my home for nearly 35 years and I can't imagine living somewhere else... well maybe some day when I'm old... I'll find me a warm spot on a beach :cool: but for now, this is a grand place to be. The Alaskan lifestyle is very unique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted August 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2010 Yes it is a very unique place to live, we actually lived there 3 separate times...once in Juneau when my DH worked for the rescue coordination center in the USCG, then he had a ship he commanded in Ktn, and then we returned to Ktn a 3rd time just because we loved it there. We spent a total of about 10 years there and all of my children consider it home as they grew up there, I do too just because it is such a special place to live and the people are great! When my middle dtr graduated from college we had been transfered here to DC and working for Ted Stevens was her first job out of college with her English degree. She was one of his legislative correspondants (she researched and answered letters that people wrote to their senator) and then he signed them. He was like a dad to all of the people in his office (most of which were also from AK) she learned so much and they all loved him. They all attended court with him when he went through the issues in 2008. Working for him as a wonderful experience for her. (She also had some travel time in AK on small planes which had some close calls but that is life there and I am thankful all went well). His staff are actually getting together tonight....as they have every few months since he left office.. Thanks for the ear..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted August 11, 2010 Report Share Posted August 11, 2010 Ketchikan is a beautiful place. I must go back. I met Ted a couple of times. Alaska is fortunate that with our small population, many of us have met our US Senators on several occasions. It's easy to "bump into" people in places like the airport and other ceremonial events. ((hugs to you and your daughter, Vicki)) I can understand the loss and sad hearts right now. Everywhere I drive around town here all of the flags are at half mast. Here is a photo of me holding a trivet I recieved when I attended a luncheon where Senator Ted was the keynote speaker. It was a Women's luncheon when he was visiting here in Fairbanks about 10 years ago. It's been on my desk all of this time. A nice keepsake. I gotta add a funny to this... well, during that luncheon he was up there speaking about many issues, and kept talking and going on and on and on and just kept talking. The audience was all women. I do recall his speech was dragging on... and it was like 2:30 PM and people started getting up and leaving because I think they had jobs to get back to. We finally left at 3PM when he finally wrapped it up. I think he just enjoyed the visit with the "Ladies" and just kept talking. He was a sweet man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted August 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2010 Yes, my daughter told me that he would always call all the staff into his office and after everyone was in there, he would look around and say, "Ladies, please excuse my language but Men, get off your ?*??'s and let these ladies sit down!" He always insisted on the men being gentleman...he apparently did this all the time. Nice trivet and a good memory for you. The friends we made in Ktn are still our close friends to this day, kind of like a family. A great place! (even if it does smell like fish!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted August 12, 2010 Report Share Posted August 12, 2010 It's funny about this place up here in godforsakenmiddleofpodunknowhere... you either love it or you hate it. I have met many of our military families that are stationed up here and ended up returning to live permanently after getting out of the military. That says something, I think! PS: All fishing villages, no matter where they are in this wonderful world of ours, they smell like fish. It's just a fact of life. A fishy fact... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted August 12, 2010 Report Share Posted August 12, 2010 Aahh...I'm now dreaming of fresh halibut and king crabs! Yummy!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherri Posted August 12, 2010 Report Share Posted August 12, 2010 I remember meeting Ted Stevens when my mom dragged me to a "coffee" when he came to our neighbor's house one afternoon to talk to a group of ladies from the area where I grew up (Spenard)....very early in his political career. It was late '60s and I was probably about 11 or 12 and wanting to be just about anywhere besides all dressed up with a bunch of moms talking politics. I can also hear my mom saying, "now be still and listen - someday you'll remember this and be glad you went." Uncle Ted, as he was called, was a great friend to Alaska and will be remembered fondly by many. I agree with pretty much everything you all have said about Alaska....except I've never gotten to SE AK...yet - but I bet I would love it there, too. I, well, along with my parents, moved up in 1960 and then moved Outside with my husband and 3 kids 28 years later. Many good times, close calls and great adventures. It'll always be home. My daughter, her husband and my three (soon to be 4) grandbabies now live in Wasilla, so I have a built in excuse to go back often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted August 12, 2010 Report Share Posted August 12, 2010 Sherri, next time you visit the grand kids, let me know --- maybe I can swing down to Wasilla for a visit. I would love to see you again. PS What glacier is in the background of your avatar photo... looks like it could be the Columbia glacier in Prince William Sound? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherri Posted August 13, 2010 Report Share Posted August 13, 2010 That sounds fun, Shana! We went up for a couple of weeks last August, but this year my son is getting married here, so the kiddos (and their parents) are coming down! I think it'll be my turn to go back up next year. I'll be sure to let you know - it'd be great to meet up with you if we could work it out! The glacier in the pic is Holgate in the Kenai Fjords. It was calving like crazy that day - we were able to get some fantastic pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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