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Eugene Peltola Jr Wiki (Mary Peltolas Husband) Age, Children, Family, Net Worth & BIO

Eugene Peltola Jr. aka Eugene “Buzzy” Peltola Jr. was the husband of U.S. Representative Mary Peltola, who represents Alaska’s at-large congressional district. He was a former regional director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) for Alaska and a longtime public servant. He died in a plane crash in western Alaska on September 13, 2023.

Age, Biography & Education

Eugene Peltola Jr. was born on June 14, 1965, in Bethel, Alaska. He was the son of Eugene Peltola Sr. and Alice Peltola, who were both prominent leaders in the Yup’ik community. He had three siblings: John, Paul, and Lisa.

He grew up in Bethel and attended Bethel Regional High School, where he excelled in academics and sports. He graduated in 1983 and went on to study at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in natural resources management in 1987.

Career & Achievements

Eugene Peltola Jr. began his career as a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in Alaska. He worked for the FWS for 34 years, serving in various positions such as refuge manager, deputy regional director, and acting regional director. He was involved in many conservation projects and initiatives, such as the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council.

In 2018, he was appointed as the regional director of the BIA for Alaska by President Donald Trump. He served in that role until 2022 when he retired from federal service. As the BIA regional director, he oversaw the administration and management of trust lands and resources for 229 federally recognized tribes in Alaska. He also worked to improve tribal self-governance, economic development, education, health care, and public safety.

He received many awards and honors for his service and leadership, such as the Presidential Rank Award, the Department of the Interior Meritorious Service Award, and the Alaska Federation of Natives President’s Award.

Parents & Siblings

Eugene Peltola Jr.’s parents were Eugene Peltola Sr. and Alice Peltola, who were both prominent leaders in the Yup’ik community. Peltola Sr. was a pilot, a businessman, a tribal administrator, and a board member of several Native organizations. He died in 2014 at the age of 81. Alice Peltola was a teacher, a cultural advocate, a health aide, and a board member of the Association of Village Council Presidents. She died in 2019 at the age of 82.

Peltola Jr. had three siblings: John, Paul, and Lisa. John Peltola is a former state trooper and a current tribal police officer in Bethel. Paul Peltola is the executive director of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. Lisa Peltola is the director of human resources and risk management at the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation

Marriage, Wife & Kids

Eugene Peltola Jr. married Mary Sattler in 2009. They had met when they were both working for the FWS in Bethel. Mary Sattler is a Yup’ik politician who served as a member of the Alaska House of Representatives from 1999 to 2009, a judge on the Orutsararmiut Native Council’s tribal court from 2020 to 2021, and a U.S. Representative from Alaska since 2022. She is the first Alaska Native and the first woman to represent Alaska in the House.

Peltola Jr. had four children from his previous marriages: Eugene III, Matthew, Michaela, and Joshua. He also had three stepchildren from Mary’s previous marriages: Kaeli, Jonathan Jr., and Joseph. He had four grandchildren: Eugene IV, Elijah, Isabella, and Noah.

He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating, snowmachining, and flying. He had a pilot’s license and owned a Cessna 185 aircraft. He was also a devout Russian Orthodox Christian who attended St. Sophia Church in Bethel.

Death and Obituary

Eugene Peltola Jr. died on September 13, 2023, at the age of 58. He was flying his plane from Bethel to Anchorage when he encountered bad weather and crashed near Aniak. He was the only person on board and no one on the ground was injured.

His death was confirmed by his wife’s office in a statement that said: “We are devastated to share that Mary’s husband, Peltola Jr.—‘Buzzy’ to all of us who knew and loved him—passed away earlier this morning following a plane accident in Alaska.”

The statement also described him as “one of those people that was obnoxiously good at everything” and “completely devoted” to his family and friends.

His death sparked an outpouring of condolences and tributes from various political leaders, such as President Joe Biden, Senator Lisa Murkowski, Governor Mike Dunleavy, Congressman Don Young (whom he succeeded), Senator Dan Sullivan, Congressman Jared Golden (his co-chair of the Blue Dog Coalition), Congresswoman Deb Haaland (the Secretary of the Interior), Congressman Tom Cole (the co-chair of the Native American Caucus), Congresswoman Sharice Davids (the other Native American member of Congress), and many others.

His funeral service was held on September 20 at St. Sophia Church in Bethel. He was buried at St. Nicholas Cemetery in Kwethluk.

He is remembered as a dedicated and respected public servant, a loving and supportive husband and father, a proud and generous Yup’ik, and a friend to all.

Wiki/BIO

Known asEugene Peltola Jr
NameEugene “Buzzy” Peltola Jr.
BirthplaceJune 14, 1965
Birth placeBethel, Alaska
Death dateSeptember 13, 2023
Death placeNear Aniak, Alaska
Cause of deathPlane crash
Instagrameugenepeltola
HomepageNewsUnzip.com
OccupationWildlife biologist, BIA regional director
SpouseMary Peltola (m. 2009)
ChildrenEugene III, Matthew, Michaela, Joshua (biological); Kaeli, Jonathan Jr., Joseph (stepchildren)
GrandchildrenEugene IV, Elijah, Isabella, Noah
ParentsEugene Peltola Sr., Alice Peltola
SiblingsJohn, Paul, Lisa

Net Worth

According to the web search results, there is no official information about Eugene Peltola Jr.‘s net worth. However, based on his career and achievements, we can estimate that he had a substantial income and wealth. He worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for 34 years, rising to the position of acting regional director for Alaska. He was appointed as the regional director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs for Alaska by President Donald Trump in 2018 and served until 2022. 

He received many awards and honors for his service and leadership, such as the Presidential Rank Award, the Department of the Interior Meritorious Service Award, and the Alaska Federation of Natives President’s Award. He also owned a Cessna 185 aircraft and operated two businesses.

His wife, Mary Peltola, is a U.S. Representative from Alaska’s at-large congressional district, who earns a salary of $174,000 per year. Therefore, we can assume that Eugene Jr. had a net worth of several million dollars at the time of his death.

Some Facts about Eugene Peltola Jr.

  • He was named after his father, who was also a pilot and a leader in the Yup’ik community.
  • Eugene graduated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a degree in natural resources management in 1987.
  • He worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for 34 years, rising to the position of acting regional director for Alaska.
  • Peltola was appointed as the regional director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs for Alaska by President Donald Trump in 2018 and served until 2022.
  • Eugene married Mary Sattler in 2009, who became the first Alaska Native and the first woman to represent Alaska in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022.
  • He had four biological children and three stepchildren from his previous marriages.
  • He had four grandchildren, whom he adored and spoiled.
  • He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating, snowmachining, and flying.
  • Peltola Jr. was a devout Russian Orthodox Christian who attended St. Sophia Church in Bethel.
  • He died in a plane crash near Aniak on September 13, 2023, while flying from Bethel to Anchorage.
  • He received many awards and honors for his service and leadership, such as the Presidential Rank Award, the Department of the Interior Meritorious Service Award, and the Alaska Federation of Natives President’s Award.
  • Peltola is remembered as a dedicated and respected public servant, a loving and supportive husband and father, a proud and generous Yup’ik, and a friend to all.

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Update: 2024-05-05