Neva Egan, American First Lady of Alaska (1959–1966, 1970–1974), widow of William Allen Egan died she was , 96

Desdia Neva Egan  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]

(October 3, 1914 - January 19, 2011)

Biography

Early life

Egan was born Desdia Neva McKittrick on October 3, 1914, in Wilson, Kansas.^[3][1] She was the third of five children born to Joseph Leland McKittrick and Martha Desdia Alderson McKittrick.^[3][1] 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 Alaksa 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]

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