Robert W. Ward
Encyclopedia
Robert Walter Ward was an electrician
, business and government executive, and Republican
politician from the U.S. state
of Alaska
. He was the third Secretary of State of Alaska
from 1969 to 1970, and was the last person to serve under that title, as the title was changed to Lieutenant Governor by a constitutional amendment passed by voters on August 25, 1970.
to Floyd and Eunice Ward, and grew up in northeastern Washington. He moved to Ketchikan, Alaska
in 1954 to work as an electrician at the Ketchikan Pulp Company, who had opened a pulp mill in the community that same year. Ward remained with Ketchikan Pulp until 1966, becoming head of the electrical department.
Ward began his political career when he was elected to the Ketchikan city council in 1961. He later became the first chairman
of the Ketchikan Gateway Borough when it was established in late 1963.
Newly-elected Governor Walter Hickel appointed Ward as Alaska commissioner of administration in late 1966. It was in this position that he became the Secretary of State. One of the responsibilities of Alaska's governor is to craft an order of succession from amongst the cabinet officers. When Hickel resigned to become the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Keith Miller
, the elected Secretary of State, became governor. Ward, as the next in line, became Secretary of State.
Ward, running along with Miller for a full term, were defeated by the slate
of Bill Egan and Red Boucher
in the 1970 election. He later made another unsuccessful attempt at regaining the position, and was also an unsuccessful candidate for mayor of Juneau in 1988, which was won by Bruce Botelho
.
His later service in government included stints as head of the Alaska Power Administration, a federal agency, and as a member of the first board of directors of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation.
Ward was appointed commissioner of the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities by Governor Jay Hammond
on October 24, 1978. The department had been created the previous year by Hammond by merging the Departments of Highways and Public Works.
Ward left state service in 1982, and worked as a lobbyist in Juneau. He was diagnosed with leukemia
in January 1996. His last public act was serving as a presidential elector in the 1996 election
. He interrupted the treatment he was undergoing in Seattle for his leukemia in order to participate in the balloting. He died on April 3, 1997 in Seattle, where he was still undergoing treatment.
in 1949. They divorced in 1973. They had three children: Kenneth, Robert Jr. and Karen. He married Beverly Ann Wilson on June 26, 1976, and remained with her until his death.
Kenneth Ward established a commuter airline, Ward Air. Robert Ward, Jr. was a candidate for a Ketchikan-area seat in the Alaska House of Representatives
in the 1980s, and is currently the city manager
of Skagway, Alaska
.
Electrician
An electrician is a tradesman specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, stationary machines and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of existing electrical infrastructure. Electricians may also...
, business and government executive, and Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. He was the third Secretary of State of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
from 1969 to 1970, and was the last person to serve under that title, as the title was changed to Lieutenant Governor by a constitutional amendment passed by voters on August 25, 1970.
Life and career
Robert Ward was born in Addy, WashingtonAddy, Washington
Addy is an unincorporated community in Stevens County, Washington, United States.Addy was first settled in 1854 by Thomas Brown and his family. A small town alongside State Route 395, Addy was not tracked by the 2000 U.S. Census, but in the 2010 census the population was 265. The town has one gas...
to Floyd and Eunice Ward, and grew up in northeastern Washington. He moved to Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan is a city in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska, United States, the southeasternmost sizable city in that state. With an estimated population of 7,368 in 2010 within the city limits, it is the fifth most populous city in the state....
in 1954 to work as an electrician at the Ketchikan Pulp Company, who had opened a pulp mill in the community that same year. Ward remained with Ketchikan Pulp until 1966, becoming head of the electrical department.
Ward began his political career when he was elected to the Ketchikan city council in 1961. He later became the first chairman
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of the Ketchikan Gateway Borough when it was established in late 1963.
Newly-elected Governor Walter Hickel appointed Ward as Alaska commissioner of administration in late 1966. It was in this position that he became the Secretary of State. One of the responsibilities of Alaska's governor is to craft an order of succession from amongst the cabinet officers. When Hickel resigned to become the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Keith Miller
Keith Harvey Miller
Keith Harvey Miller is an American Republican politician from Alaska. Miller was the second Lieutenant Governor of Alaska under Walter Hickel from 1966 until Hickel's resignation to become U.S. Secretary of Interior in the Cabinet of President Richard M...
, the elected Secretary of State, became governor. Ward, as the next in line, became Secretary of State.
Ward, running along with Miller for a full term, were defeated by the slate
Slate (elections)
A slate is a group of candidates that run in multi-seat or multi-position elections on a common platform.The common platform may be because the candidates are all members of a political party, have the same or similar policies, or some other reason....
of Bill Egan and Red Boucher
H. A. Boucher
Henry Aristide "Red" Boucher, Jr. was the fourth Lieutenant Governor of Alaska from 1970 to 1974. He had also served as mayor of Fairbanks, Alaska from 1966 to 1970, and in the Alaska House of Representatives...
in the 1970 election. He later made another unsuccessful attempt at regaining the position, and was also an unsuccessful candidate for mayor of Juneau in 1988, which was won by Bruce Botelho
Bruce Botelho
Bruce M. Botelho is an American attorney and politician in the state of Alaska. Born in Juneau, Alaska, he has served as the mayor of Juneau on two occasions and was the Alaska Attorney General for eight years. He is currently mayor of Juneau....
.
His later service in government included stints as head of the Alaska Power Administration, a federal agency, and as a member of the first board of directors of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation.
Ward was appointed commissioner of the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities by Governor Jay Hammond
Jay Hammond
Jay Sterner Hammond was an American politician of the Republican Party, who served as the fourth Governor of Alaska from 1974 to 1982.-Early life:...
on October 24, 1978. The department had been created the previous year by Hammond by merging the Departments of Highways and Public Works.
Ward left state service in 1982, and worked as a lobbyist in Juneau. He was diagnosed with leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
in January 1996. His last public act was serving as a presidential elector in the 1996 election
United States presidential election, 1996
The United States presidential election of 1996 was a contest between the Democratic national ticket of President Bill Clinton of Arkansas and Vice President Al Gore of Tennessee and the Republican national ticket of former Senator Bob Dole of Kansas for President and former Housing Secretary Jack...
. He interrupted the treatment he was undergoing in Seattle for his leukemia in order to participate in the balloting. He died on April 3, 1997 in Seattle, where he was still undergoing treatment.
Family
Robert Ward married Peggie Garske of Ione, WashingtonIone, Washington
Ione is a town in Pend Oreille County, Washington, United States. The population was 447 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Ione is located at ....
in 1949. They divorced in 1973. They had three children: Kenneth, Robert Jr. and Karen. He married Beverly Ann Wilson on June 26, 1976, and remained with her until his death.
Kenneth Ward established a commuter airline, Ward Air. Robert Ward, Jr. was a candidate for a Ketchikan-area seat in the Alaska House of Representatives
Alaska House of Representatives
The Alaska House of Representatives is the lower house in the Alaska Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. The House is composed of 40 members, each of whom represents a district of about 15,673 people . Members serve two-year terms without term limits...
in the 1980s, and is currently the city manager
City manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
of Skagway, Alaska
Skagway, Alaska
Skagway is a first-class borough in Alaska, on the Alaska Panhandle. It was formerly a city first incorporated in 1900 that was re-incorporated as a borough on June 25, 2007. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city was 862...
.