In the Peace Corps, he spent two years in El Salvador supporting community development projects. Upon his return, he enrolled in law school at the University of California at Davis, where he was an honorary member of The Chicano Law Students Association. In his second year he was recruited by the Greater Anchorage Area Borough to serve a six-month internship in the Anchorage Borough Attorney's Office; thus began his long association with Alaska government.
Obituary for El Salvador RPCV Allan Edward Tesche
Tesche was politician, administrator, mentor
Published: July 25th, 2009 09:03 PM
Last Modified: July 25th, 2009 09:03 PM
Allan Edward Tesche, 60, died in Houston, Texas, on July 14, 2009, from complications from heart surgery.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Central Lutheran Church.
Allan was born Aug. 3, 1948, to Marilyn and Frederick Rutledge Tesche in Los Alamos, N.M.
He graduated with honors from the University of California at Davis in 1970.
In the Peace Corps, he spent two years in El Salvador supporting community development projects. Upon his return, he enrolled in law school at the University of California at Davis, where he was an honorary member of The Chicano Law Students Association. In his second year he was recruited by the Greater Anchorage Area Borough to serve a six-month internship in the Anchorage Borough Attorney's Office; thus began his long association with Alaska government.
Allan was invited by Mayor Jack Roderick to return after graduation as a staff attorney. Allan's work on borough-city unification in 1975-76 led Mayor George Sullivan to elevate him to deputy municipal attorney, a position he held until his appointment to lead the Mat-Su Borough Legal Department in 1980. In 1982, Allan returned to Anchorage to head the Department of Property & Facilities. In 1988, he left city employment to join the law firm Russell & Tesche, where he practiced until retiring in 2006.
In 1978, Allan married Pamela Dunham. Together they raised two children, operated G Street B&B and went on family adventures.
After seeing the community work of friend Nick Aguilar in San Diego, Pam supported Allan's plunge into local politics. Allan served nine years on the Anchorage Assembly. He championed many progressive policies and is credited with the adoption of property tax relief, liquor and tobacco control measures and urban beautification initiatives.
Allan was a member of Central Lutheran Church, where he mentored youths and served as Church Council president.
After leaving the Assembly, Allan helped launch municipal consulting firm RMA Consulting Group and served as acting city administrator for the City of Akutan. He worked for Akutan until his death, and his efforts supporting new developments in Akutan are an ongoing testimony.
Allan is survived by his wife, Pamela; son, Frederick; daughter, Mary; brothers, Frederick and wife Sharon of Saluda, N.C., Thomas and wife Kim of Covington, Ky., and Daniel of Clovis, Calif.; sister, Caroline of Tampa, Fla.; father and mother-in-law, Richard and Carrie Dunham of Whidbey Island, Wash.; brothers- and sisters-in-law, Paul and Kathleen Dunham of Fresno, Calif., Larry and Susan Goodman of Seattle, Cynthia and Eric Olsen of Spokane, Wash., and Linda Wesson of Clovis, Calif.; and by his nieces and nephews.
