[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Page 26426]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                             ELMER RASMUSON

  Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I rise to honor a truly great Alaskan, 
a close personal friend, Elmer Rasmuson, who passed away last Saturday 
at the age of 91. Alaska is a far better place as a consequence of his 
life of public service, his achievements in business, and his personal 
philanthropy.
  Elmer was born in Yakutat, Alaska in 1909, not long after the 
Klondike gold rush. His life spanned Alaska's modern history, history 
that he had a significant hand in shaping.
  Elmer served Alaskans in both the public and private realms. He was a 
successful banker who put together Alaska's first system of statewide 
branch banking. That wasn't any easy thing to do in a wild, far-flung 
territory like Alaska with four time zones, but he succeeded in doing a 
tremendous job with tremendous imagination and perseverance.
  Along the way, Elmer amassed a personal fortune, which he had, in 
recent years, used to benefit libraries, museums, and universities in 
our State. This legacy will live on, as it was Elmer's wish that his 
personal fortune continue to benefit Alaska long after his death.
  Elmer also enjoyed a distinguished record of public service. He 
served on the University of Alaska Board of Regents for nearly twenty 
years; and he was the mayor of Anchorage from 1964-1967--including the 
difficult period of time encompassing the Good Friday Earthquake of 
1964 and the rebuilding of Alaska's largest city.
  Elmer also had a keen interest and expertise in fisheries issues. He 
served on the International North Pacific Fisheries Commission from 
1969 to 1984; he served as the first Chairman of the North Pacific 
Fisheries Management Council. He was instrumental in the creation of 
the 200-mile fisheries limit, and in rebuilding the State's salmon runs 
after years of federal neglect.
  Elmer brought this knowledge of fisheries management to the U.S. 
Arctic Research Commission, a position that President Ronald Reagan 
appointed him to fill in 1988. He served in that position with great 
distinction, to the benefit of Alaska and the entire Nation.
  We will long remember the benefits from his legacy of continuing 
philanthropy. Elmer hired me back in 1959, my first job in banking. I 
worked for him as a branch manager at one of the small offices in 
Anchorage and later throughout offices in southeastern Alaska. We 
remained close friends through the 40 years that followed. His son Ed 
and his wife Cathy have shared many memories and good times with both 
Nancy and me.
  Elmer's commitment to Alaska was evident in many ways. In the private 
sector, he was willing to take risks, commit capital to budding 
enterprises in Alaska. In the public realm, he gave of his time and 
fortune. Just last year, Elmer and his wife Mary Louise donated $40 
million to the Rasmuson Foundation so the foundation can provide grants 
to education and social service nonprofit organizations. He also gave 
another $50 million to the Anchorage Museum of History which Elmer 
helped start. In fact, on his 90th birthday he gave away $90 million. 
He also donated the largest single donation to the University of Alaska 
Museum in Fairbanks.
  It is important to add that Elmer was generous in many other ways 
other than his wealth. He gave his time and effort to civic groups, 
including the Boy Scouts.
  There is a saying that the true meaning of life is to plant trees 
under whose shade you do not expect to sit. That is the true test of 
generosity. By that measure, Elmer Rasmuson was an extraordinary 
individual in his generosity. Alaskans will remember him


for generations to come. They, as Nancy and I, will miss him greatly.

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