Former Alaska State Writer Laureate dies

Jerah Chadwick, Alaska State Writer Laureate, died on June 7 in San Antonio, Texas. He was born in Tacoma, Washington, in 1956 and moved to Unalaska in 1982.

Chadwick administered the University of Alaska's Aleutian and Pribilof Island Center in Unalaska until he retired in 2008. He helped establish the Museum of the Aleutians and was a founding director of Unalaskans Against Sexual Assault and Family Violence.

He published several books of poetry, notably "Story Hunger" (Salmon Publishing) in 1999. He served as the State Writer Laureate from 2004 to 2006.

In recent years he suffered from Alzheimer's disease. He was preceded in death by his life partner, artist Michael Rasmussen. He is survived by his sister Barbara and other family members. After cremation, his ashes will be returned to Unalaska for a celebration of life.