Robert A. Pegues

1936 - 2011

Former Fairbanks resident Robert A. Pegues died July 3, 2011, at the Petersburg Medical Center.
"Uncle Bob," as he was affectionately known, was born in Juneau Sept. 20,1936, to pioneer Alaska reporters Jack and Dorothy Pegues. He and his twin Dick became members of a growing "thundering herd" of Pegues boys who grew up in Juneau. In 1942, the family moved to Skagway for a short time before returning to Juneau in late 1943. Much of his youth was spent in the Silverbow Basin, Granite Creek and on Mount Roberts. During high school, Bob honed his skills as a top-notch radio broadcaster at KINY-AM in Juneau.
After graduating from Juneau High School, Bob continued his broadcast career with both KINY-AM and KJNO-AM in Juneau until he moved to Fairbanks. In Fairbanks, he worked at KFAR-AM radio and TV as announcer, news reporter, co-anchor, director of KFAR news and as station manager. He also served as the network film director for Midnight Sun Broadcasting Network in Anchorage.
Bob moved his home to Tenakee Springs in 1963. While there, he worked at Snyder Mercantile and in commercial crab fishing. He commuted to the North Slope during the pipeline construction, serving in the Air Transportation Division of Husky Oil until he retired as assistant chief of their Alaska Air Operations. During the Exxon Valdez saga, he worked as a controller in Exxon's Spill Response Center.
Bob served on the Tenakee Springs City Council, including three terms as mayor. In 1979, he joined brothers Don and Dick Pegues and friend Clark Emery, in purchasing properties associated with Snyder Mercantile in Tenakee Springs. He was involved in the purchase of the old Superior Cannery in Tenakee Inlet where Bob lived in the former superintendent's home, and commuted by skiff to work, meetings and social events in Tenakee. Bob was devoted to the history of the cannery and did considerable traveling, research and interviewing to gather historical material for a book he was writing about the Superior Cannery.
Co-founder of the Tenakee Historical Collection he served on its board of directors. He wrote many factual and entertaining articles for the The Store Door, the organization's quarterly newsletter. His contributions to Alaska history, both written and verbal, will be missed by many.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents; bothers Jack, Jim, Terry, Geoff, Dick and Bill Pegues; uncle and aunt Don and Bertie Haley; sisters-in-law June Pegues and Elsie Pegues; and niece Barbara Pegues.
He is survived by his brothers, Donald H. Pegues of Tenakee Springs and Rodger Pegues and wife Donna of Juneau and California; sister-in-law Josephine Pegues of Juneau; Sharon O'Toole of Ireland; and many nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life will be held in Tenakee in August at a later date. At his request, Bob's cremains will be spread in Tenakee Inlet.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Tenakee Historical Collection, P.O. Box 633, Tenakee Hot Springs, AK 99841.