Alaska Governor Michael J. Dunleavy and First Lady Rose Dunleavy today issued the following statement on the passing of Alaska Senator Chris Birch:

“Rose and I are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Senator Chris Birch. Chris was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. His immense contributions to the communities and the state will always be remembered. As an engineer, he was truly involved in building our great state. He was an ardent supporter of responsible resource development and utilizing our resource wealth to move our state forward. Alaska and her people will always be grateful for the service and commitment of Senator Birch. Our deepest prayers are with his wife Pam and his children and grandchildren.”

Senator Birch, a University of Alaska Fairbanks Engineering graduate, played an instrumental role as an engineer in development throughout Alaska. He served as a member of the Anchorage Assembly, the Alaska House of Representatives, and most recently the Alaska State Senate, representing his family and his constituents with integrity.

Governor Dunleavy has directed Alaska state flags to fly at half-staff in honor of Senator Chris Birch from Friday, August 9 through Wednesday, August 14, 2019.