Allan Tesche enjoyed a good debate

By Dave Harbour

Former Assembly Member Allan Tesche passed away this week following heart surgery in Houston.  I first met Allan in 1965 at Los Alamos High School, high on a hill above San Ildefonso Pueblo in New Mexico, somewhere between Taos and Santa Fe. He was a well known student leader and I was the new English teacher in town.

The 1966 Yearbook pictures Allan  as a member of the Senior Executive Committee and comments that, "The last year of their high school career proved to be as memorable as the previous two had been for the seniors of Los Alamos High School. Next to Allan's Yearbook portrait, his quote reads, "I am a firm believer in freedom of the press." His credits included: "Boys' State Alternate; Class Treasurer; Highlands Day; Homeroom Volleyball; Lookout Editor; Student Council; Topper Revue." One of the most pictured and publicized student in the yearbook because of his boundless energy and accomplishments, Allan was featured for his work as editor of the School Newspaper, The Lookout. The entry explained that, "The Lookout entered its second year of offset printing with great success. ...Al Tesche broke an all female precedent by serving as the paper's first male editor."

Allan and I said, "Hi" to each other in the halls, but otherwise had fairly little interaction that year. Who would have known that, later in our careers, we would both settle in Anchorage, remember our 1960-era years with shared nostalgia, trade sentiments about our experiences with heart surgery and vigorously debate every sort of local public policy issue. Allan and I weren't in the category of close friends, but I think he genuinely enjoyed our occasional conversations and meetings as much as I did. Or, at least I hope he did.

God bless you, Allan; rest in peace as my warm memories follow you along with those of countless fellow citizens.