Neva Egan

Neva Egan
1st First Lady of Alaska
In office January 3, 1959 – December 5, 1966
Preceded by	office created
Succeeded by	Ermalee Hickel
4th First Lady of Alaska
In office December 7, 1970 – December 2, 1974
Preceded by	?
Succeeded by	Bella Hammond
Personal details
Born	October 3, 1914 Wilson, Kansas
Died	January 19, 2011 Juneau, Alaska
Political party	Democratic Party
Spouse(s)	William Allen Egan

Desdia Neva Egan (October 3, 1914 - January 19, 2011) was an American educator who served as the first First Lady of Alaska from the state's creation in 1959 to 1966, and again from 1970 to 1974.^[1] Egan was the wife of the state of Alaska's first governor, William Allen Egan, and the mother of former Juneau Mayor and Alaska State Senator Dennis Egan.^[2]

Biography

Early life

Egan was born Desdia Neva McKittrick on October 3, 1914, in Wilson, Kansas.^[1][3] She was the third of five children born to Joseph Leland McKittrick and Martha Desdia Alderson McKittrick.^[1][3] McKittrick worked at her family's grocery store to earn the tuition money to attend Kansas State College.^[1] She then transferred to the University of Wyoming, where her aunt was a faculty member, in Laramie, Wyoming.

McKittrick began her career teaching music in a public school in Glenrock, Wyoming, for two years.^[1] She was paid a salary of $1,000 USD annually.^[1] She moved to the Territory of Alaska from Wyoming in 1937.^[2] McKittrick sailed to Alaska onboard a steamship called the Teachers Special, which brought teachers to Alaska to work in the territory during the winter.^[3] McKittrick moved to Valdez, Alaska, where she became one of just three new teachers hired for the Valdez school district that year^[1] for a one-year teaching assignment.^[2] She taught fourth through sixth grader, as well as music, in the Valdez public school system.^[3]

McKittrick soon met her future husband, William Allen Egan, in Valdez, and the couple married on November 16, 1940.^[3] William Egan was also elected to the Alaska Territorial House of Representatives in 1940.^[3] William and Neva also operated a small grocery store, the Valdez Supply.^[3]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Dunham, Mike (2011-01-21). "Neva Egan, the first of Alaska's first ladies, dies at age 96". Anchorage Daily News. http://www.adn.com/2011/01/20/1658903/neva-egan-wife-of-alaskas-first.html. Retrieved 2011-02-18. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Morrison, Eric (2006-07-02). "Parade grand marshals paved the way, Egan and Williams helped to shape state government, economy". Juneau Empire. http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/070206/loc_20060702015.shtml. Retrieved 2011-02-11. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "Desdia Neva McKittrick Egan". Ellsworth Independent-Reporter. 2011-01-25. http://www.ellsworthinderep.com/web/isite.dll?1295645912647. Retrieved 2011-02-11. 

Persondata
Name	Egan, Neva
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	October 3, 1914
Place of birth	Wilson, Kansas
Date of death	January 19, 2011
Place of death	Juneau, Alaska