Covenant News

Former Governor Attended Anchorage Covenant Church

JUNEAU, AK (August 5, 2005) - Service arrangements are pending for former Alaska Gov. Jay Hammond who died in his sleep Tuesday at age 83. The former two-term governor attended First Covenant Church in Anchorage.

Hammond served as the state's governor from 1975 to 1982, having previously served six years in the state House and six years in the state.

Born in 1922 in New York State, Hammond was the son of a Methodist minister. He was a U.S. Marine fighter pilot in the South Pacific during World War II. Following his discharge, he paid $4,000 for an amphibious plane and headed for Alaska, where he worked for a time as a trapper, hunter and guide before entering politics.

During his time in office, Alaska's tourism industry was created, fishery stocks were revived and the Alaska Permanent Fund was created following development of the Alaskan pipeline project. The fund pays nearly every man, woman and child in Alaska a yearly share of the state's oil wealth. Last year, the payout was $919 per person.

"He was kind of a larger than life, quintessential Alaskan," said Fred Dyson, a Republican state senator from Eagle River. "He was a war hero and a man of great personal Christian faith. He had done it all."

Hammond is survived by his wife and three children.

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