Jack Coghill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jack Coghill
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Coghill in 1973
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| 6th Lieutenant Governor of Alaska | |
| In office December 3, 1990 – December 5, 1994 |
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| Governor | Wally Hickel |
| Preceded by | Steve McAlpine |
| Succeeded by | Fran Ulmer |
| Member of the Alaska Senate | |
| In office January 1985 – December 3, 1990 |
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| Preceded by | H. Pappy Moss |
| Succeeded by | Dick Shultz |
| Constituency | District J |
| In office January 1959 – January 3, 1965 |
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| Preceded by | New district |
| Succeeded by | Grant H. Pearson |
| Constituency | District L |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 24, 1925 Fairbanks, Territory of Alaska, U.S. (now Alaska, U.S.) |
| Died | February 13, 2019 (aged 93) North Pole, Alaska, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican (before 1990, 1994–2019) Alaskan Independence (1990–1994) |
| Spouse | Frances Gilbert |
| Children | 6, including John |
John Bruce "Jack" Coghill (born September 24, 1925 – died February 13, 2019) was an important American politician and businessman. He served as the sixth lieutenant governor of Alaska from 1990 to 1994. He worked with Governor Walter Hickel during this time. Both were part of the Alaskan Independence Party.
Before becoming lieutenant governor, Jack Coghill was known as "Mr. Republican" in Alaska. This was because he was a strong member of the Republican Party. In 1990, he was first chosen as the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor. However, he and his running mate, Arliss Sturgulewski, had different ideas.
The Alaskan Independence Party then changed their candidates. They chose Wally Hickel and Jack Coghill to run together. After they won, Governor Hickel soon stopped following the Alaskan Independence Party's ideas. But Coghill stayed loyal to the party. He even ran as their candidate for governor in 1994.
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Jack Coghill's Public Service
Jack Coghill was born in Fairbanks in 1925. He spent 22 years as the mayor of Nenana, a town in interior Alaska. He was very well-known for this role.
Coghill also served in Alaska's government for many years. He was elected to the territorial House in 1952 and again in 1956. This was before Alaska became a state. He represented the 4th District, which covered parts of interior and southwestern Alaska.
Serving in the State Legislature
After Alaska became a state, Coghill became a senator. He served in the first three state legislatures. He ran for re-election without anyone running against him in 1960. He did not run again in 1964.
He was elected to the state Senate again in 1984. He served there until December 3, 1990. On that day, he left his Senate seat to become the lieutenant governor.
Helping Write Alaska's Constitution
Jack Coghill was also chosen to be part of Alaska's constitutional convention. This was a special group of 55 people who wrote the state's constitution in 55 days. His own copy of the constitution is displayed at Constitution Hall. This hall is on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. In 2004, he received an honorary doctorate from the university.
Jack Coghill's Family Life
Jack Coghill married Frances Gilbert, who was from Fairbanks. They had six children together. Their children were Patty, John Jr., twins Jerry and Jim, Paula, and Jeff. John Jr. later followed in his father's footsteps and became a state legislator.
Jack's father, William A. Coghill, came to the United States from Scotland. He chose to come straight to Alaska. He was a pioneer who hiked to the Interior from Valdez. He worked as a printer for what is now the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner newspaper. Later, he opened a trading post in Nenana. The Coghill General Store is still open today and is owned by the family.
Jack Coghill had two older brothers, William F. and Robert A. Sr. Both stayed in Alaska their whole lives. William F. was a retired U.S. Army Colonel and a former chief financial officer for the Alaska Railroad. Robert A. Sr. managed Coghill's Store after their father passed away.
In 2009, Jack Coghill published his autobiography called "Growing up in Alaska." This book shared stories about his personal and political life in Alaska. He was one of the last people who signed the state constitution to be alive. Jack Coghill passed away on February 13, 2019, at 93 years old.
