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“REMEMBERING WALTER L. KUBLEY, SR.” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Senate section on pages S108-S109 on Jan. 25, 2011.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
REMEMBERING WALTER L. KUBLEY, SR.
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, today I honor Walter L. Kubley, Sr. On December 14, 2010, Alaska lost this shining star who truly possessed the legendary ``Pioneer Alaskan Spirit.'' Walter, who we called Wally, served Alaska in a long diverse career that ranged from work at the Ketchikan Volunteer Fire Department to the Alaskan Secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. When Wally was Commissioner of Commerce under Governor Keith Miller, he worked alongside his good friend and Commissioner of Revenue, George Morrison, and took revenues generated from the first oil lease sale in Prudhoe Bay and invested it to create the seeds of what is now known as the
``Permanent Fund.'' This fund evolved and allowed the citizens of our State to share in the bounty of our natural resources. Wally also made an indelible mark on the infrastructure and transportation system of Alaska. His tireless efforts as one of the authors of the legislation that created the Alaska Marine Highway System have continued to act as the integral yarn of the socioeconomic fabric of southeast Alaska. I myself have spent many hours on the beautiful ``roads'' that can be attributed to this caring man. As the ``Father of the Alaskan Highway System,'' Wally often talked of bringing his family along on the maiden voyage of the M/V Malaspina mainline ferry from Seattle to Ketchikan that launched in 1963. Wally also served in the State legislature with Senator Ted Stevens, who he remained close with until his death and served as an honorary pallbearer along with Representative Don Young. Whether his title was as an Alaskan House Representative, Commissioner of Commerce, or Commissioner of Transportation, his lone goal was to help his region, his State, and its people.
Wally was born and raised in Ketchikan in 1921 as the third generation of his family in Alaska. After graduating from high school, he studied at Whitman College but withdrew from school and joined the U.S. Coast Guard after the tragic events at Pearl Harbor. With his extraordinary childhood knowledge of the Alaskan coast, he served as captain of a submarine chaser out of Prince Rupert on the lookout for enemy submarines in the waters of southeast Alaska. After the war, he married his beautiful fiancee and the love of his life, Fern, who served as Mrs. Alaska in 1962. They spent 60 wonderful years of marriage together. At a young age, Wally left a cultural mark in the community as he built the world famous Sourdough Bar, the first bowling alley in Ketchikan, the Billiken Bowl, and the Sportsman Bar and Cafe in Ward Cove. Wally's grandson, Wally Jr., is now the owner of the Sourdough Bar and has continued the traditional weekly coffee forum held every Thursday morning up until his passing.
As the patriarch of a sixth generation Ketchikan family, Wally will be missed deeply by his loving family and all those who have known his caring nature. Wally's grandfather came to Alaska during the Gold Rush and after a few years prospecting in Hyder moved to Ketchikan in 1904 and set his family's roots. Wally owned a cabin built with hand hewn yellow cedar at Mirror Lake in the Misty Fjords. This later became the Mirror Lake Sportsman's Club where Wally enjoyed relaxing times fishing with his children, grandchildren, and friends. He was never without a smile and his own brand of creative thoughtfulness always shined bright. He is survived by his sons Don and Larry, daughter Kaaren, and his grandchildren.
Wally and I shared a common birthplace in Ketchikan and a love for our homeland of Alaska. Without the work that he has done, the state of Alaska would be a different place. I can easily say that Wally helped create the Alaska that future generations will happily inherit. He was the driving force for many Alaskan traditions and we owe him immense gratitude. May he rest in peace.
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