Allan Adasiak

1940 - 2018

Allan Adasiak died on Jan. 25, 2018, in his winter home of Mesa, Ariz. He was 77. Mr. Adasiak was born in East Rochester, N.Y., to Henry and Elsie (Carnecki) Adasiak. He graduated from San Leandro High School in California, attended Princeton University, and later transferred to the University of California, Berkley, where he met his wife, Janette Peterson. They married in 1964 and shortly thereafter packed up and drove the Alcan to Alaska.
Allan was a reporter for the Anchorage Times, the Anchorage Daily News and Alaska Magazine. He served as press secretary for Governor Wally Hickel, then as a special assistant in the Department of Law. He helped craft the regulations that created the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission and ultimately became the CFEC's head commissioner. After moving to Anchorage, Allan worked as a private investigator and technical writer, serving as one of the investigators on the Exxon Valdez oil spill.
Allan enjoyed his years singing with the Anchorage Concert Chorus and performing in local theater in Juneau and Anchorage. He firmly believed in exercise to preserve health and was a regular at Anchorage swimming pools and at Gold's Gym for many years. More than anything, Allan loved reading and discussing ideas, and he was passionate about writing. He was a classical music and jazz enthusiast and supported the arts. An adventurous spirit, Allan loved to travel and spent many winters of his retirement living in Turkey, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Argentina, Mexico, and finally Arizona. Employing his interview skills as a reporter and his keen sense of humor, Allan had an ability to make friends everywhere went in the world.
Allan is survived by his wife, Jan Adasiak of Anchorage; his daughter, Anne Adasiak Andrew (Tim) of Anchorage; grandchildren, Juliana and Eric; and son, Paul Adasiak (Laura) of Fairbanks, Alaska; grandchildren, Eleanor and Josephine; and his sister, Paula Tillson of South Lake Tahoe, Calif.
A memorial gathering is planned for Feb. 25, 2018, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Sons of Norway Lodge, 8141 Briarwood Street in Anchorage.