Donald Francis "Logan" Logan

1950 - 2011

On April 16, 2011, one day after again missing his deadline for filing his tax returns, Donald Francis Logan (aka "Logan") took off on the adventure of his life. This time, he had a good excuse.
The consummate adventurer, Logan was born Jan. 14, 1950, in Ohio. Logan moved to Alaska in the 1970s, then took time out to obtain his juris doctorate at Villanova Law School. He started a private law practice in Fairbanks and began to develop his unique reputation among attorneys and non-attorneys alike.
Throughout his life, Logan was known among friends and fellow counsel as a true adventurer. His sailing trips aboard his boat, the Scotty Ann, were legendary. Sailing in Indonesia and Africa, Logan was never bothered by the pirates. Then again, perhaps the pirates knew better than to mess with Logan. After all, Logan's reputation for dealing with various police officers also was legendary, and Logan held the record for local attorneys having been either arrested or confronted by the police for various purposes. To Logan, "hostile to law enforcement" was a justly earned badge of honor.
An eccentric, but true academic, Logan was known for tenacious litigation, creative thought and brinksmanship in the courtroom and just about everywhere. A prankster, Logan truly loved practicing law while pulling stunts on friends and opponents alike. Logan often went for the "out of the ordinary" cases. As an adventurer, Logan was arrested by the Russians one time in his "paddling into tomorrow" expedition from the western coast of Alaska into eastern Russia. Alas, the Russians did not want Logan either, and promptly returned him to Alaska.
Not a particularly religious person, Logan always said that "If there is a God, we're on the same side."
Logan sailed, enjoyed kayaking and mountaineering, traveled and even parachuted. Logan was successful in climbing Denali and also worked in his spare time as a weld inspector on the pipeline, a heavy equipment operator in a gold camp and a general laborer, while still practicing law.
On May 7, 2011, before a gathering of friends, Logan's Last Will and Testament was solemnly read verbatim by Magistrate Alicemary Rasley at the Chena River Wayside. Before the reading of Logan's will, Logan took his last canoe trip down the Chena River. Contrary to prior canoeing sessions, Logan was not at all talkative, but preferred to remain quietly in his glass jar for a well urned rest.
Upon the reading of the will, the disposition of Logan's body parts and personal effects was announced. The reading was attended by various friends from throughout Alaska, including notable jurists whose names will not be disclosed.
Logan is survived by his partner, Maureen Dey of Fairbanks; cousins, Tyler and Joyce Goodman and Louise Lievers, all of Tucson; and great-cousins, Grant and Grace Goodman of Tucson.
Finally, Logan's will mandated that a party be held at the Howling Dog at some point in time. When is an open question, so stay tuned.
Logan's last comment in his will, citing the Grateful Dead, was, "What a long, strange trip it's been." And it's not over yet.
Arrangements were entrusted to Fairbanks Funeral Home.