Jay Kerttula facts for kids
Jalmar Martin "Jay" Kerttula (born April 6, 1928 – died November 13, 2020) was an American businessman, farmer, and politician in Alaska. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Kerttula served for a very long time in the Alaska Legislature. He was in the House of Representatives from 1961 to 1963 and again from 1965 to 1973. Later, he served in the Senate from 1973 to 1995. For many years, he was the person who had served the longest in the Alaska Legislature. In 2019, another politician named Lyman Hoffman served even longer.
Jay Kerttula's Early Life
Jalmar Kerttula, known as "Jay," was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on April 6, 1928. His parents were immigrants from Finland. In 1935, his family moved to the Matanuska Valley Colony in Alaska. This was a special farming program started during the New Deal to help people. The colony was northeast of Anchorage.
Jay Kerttula went to Palmer High School. He then studied at the University of Alaska and the University of Washington. After finishing college, Kerttula became the manager of a dairy cooperative. A cooperative is a business owned and run by its members. He also worked as a real estate developer in the Matanuska Valley. This meant he bought land and built things on it.
In 1955, Kerttula married Helen Joyce Campbell, who was called Joyce. She helped him manage his office and his political campaigns. Joyce passed away in 2015. Their oldest daughter, Beth Kerttula, also became a politician. She was a state representative from Juneau for 15 years.
Jay Kerttula's Political Career
Jay Kerttula was first chosen to be a member of the Alaska House of Representatives in 1960. He represented the city of Palmer. He served in the House from 1961 to 1963. He ran for election again in 1964 and won. He then served four more terms, from 1965 to 1973.
In 1969, his fellow Democratic party members chose him for an important role. He became the Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives. The Speaker is the leader of the House. He served as Speaker from 1969 to 1970. In 1972, he was elected to the state senate. He served in the Alaska Senate from 1973 to 1995. Later, he became the Alaska Senate President from 1981 to 1984. The Senate President is the leader of the Senate.
Jay Kerttula's Legacy
The Matanuska-Susitna College has a building named after Jay Kerttula. It is called the Jalmar Kerttula Building, or JKB. Many classes are held there, like English, computer network support, and biology. It also has offices for academic affairs, the director, marketing, and the student government. The college bookstore is also in this building.
See also
- Raymond Rebarchek Colony Farm – Raymond Rebarchek became Kerttula's stepfather after Jay's father passed away in the 1960s.
