Dan H. Cuddy

1921 - 2015

Alaska pioneer, Daniel Hon Cuddy, passed away in Anchorage, Alaska, on Tuesday, May 12, 2015, at the age of 94. His was a life well lived. Dan was born in Valdez, Alaska, on Feb. 8, 1921; the second son to Warren and Lucy Cuddy. The young Cuddy family moved from Valdez to Anchorage in 1933, where they quickly set down deep roots. Warren opened a law practice and eventually purchased controlling interest in the First National Bank of Anchorage. Dan attended Anchorage High School. He continued his wildlife adventures, running trap lines along Ship Creek, duck hunting on the Cook Inlet mud flats and sheep and moose hunting in the Chugach Mountains. As a young boy, Dan served as grounds keeper of the golf course that is now the Park Strip and later as an employee of the Emard Packing Company, rising quickly from the "slime line" to supervisor in 1938. Dan attended Stanford University, but World War II interrupted his education. He was assigned to the 1255th Engineer Combat Battalion, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge and assisting in the closing of the concentration camp at Buchenwald, Germany. During the war, Dan earned three Bronze Stars and a World War II Victory Medal for his heroic and meritorious services in a combat zone. He had tremendous respect for his fellow soldiers, and always referred to them as "The Heroes." After the War, Dan returned to Stanford to finish his economics degree, and later attended University of Washington Law School. While in law school, Dan agreed to a blind date with Betti Puckett and they were married the following year. The young couple settled in Anchorage, driving their roots deeper. Dan began his professional career in his father's law firm in 1947. He assumed the role as president of the First National Bank of Anchorage upon his father's death in 1951. Dan was only 30 years old. It is believed Dan was the youngest bank president in the nation at the time. He enjoyed banking because he said, "he liked helping people, serving the community and helping it grow." He continued working at the Bank until the last days of his life. In all of that time, Dan often commented, "I never received a promotion!" Dan loved Alaska and respected those who chose to live and thrive in this state. He loved his family, he loved his Bank, he loved to fish and hunt and he taught his family to share his loves. Dan is preceded in death by his parents, Warren and Lucy; his brother, David; his wife, Betti; and his granddaughter, Nikki. He is survived by his six children, Betsy (David) Lawer, David (Kathy) Cuddy, Gretchen Cuddy, Jane (Gary) Klopfer, Lucy (Mark) Mahan and Laurel (Fred) Stutzer; 14 grandchildren and their spouses; and three great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at the Wendy Williamson Theater on May 26, 2015, at 6 p.m., with a reception at the Lucy Cuddy Center immediately after the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Betti Cuddy Foundation by making checks payable to Betti Cuddy Foundation and mailed to the Foundation c/o Raymond James, 3401 Denali Street, Ste 103, Anchorage, AK 99503. Contributions may also be made in memory of D.H. Cuddy to the University of Alaska Foundation in support of the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Program Support, sent to the University of Alaska Foundation, 1815 Bragaw St., Suite 203, Anchorage, AK 99508.