Obituary - Edward G. Pagano

Friday, January 26, 2001
THE JUNEAU EMPIRE

Former Juneau resident Maj. Gen. Edward G. Pagano, 74, died Jan. 20, 2001, in Anchorage.

Gen. Pagano was born April 22, 1926, in Unga, Alaska. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1944, serving in the Pacific Theater and the invasion of Okinawa, where he earned the Bronze Star with V Device and the Purple Heart. He was honorably discharged in December 1946.

He earned a degree in business administration from the San Francisco State College in 1952. In 1954, he enlisted in the Alaska Army National Guard, serving in Kodak and Anchorage, and in 1964 was transferred to Juneau as the operations and training officer of the Alaska Army National Guard. In 1966 he returned to active duty in the Army. He was named state director for the Selective Service System in 1971.

In 1982 he retired as a colonel and was appointed Alaska adjunct general of the Alaska National Guard. He retired from this position in 1986.

Gen. Pagano was a recipient of the Governor's Award in 1987. He also received numerous military awards.

He was affiliated with the Boy Scout Council, Armed forces YMCA Board, VFW, American Legion, Elks, Rotary, Association of the U.S. Army, Reserve Officers Association and the National Guard Officers Association.

He is survived by his wife Rosemary and sons Milton Pagano and Frank Pagano, all of Anchorage; daughter Robyn Winter of Virginia; step-son Jim Donahue of Novato, Calif.; step-daughter Beth McNaughton of Anchorage; brothers Milton Pagano of Kodiak and Frank Pagano of Anchorage; sisters Vivian Beukers of Edmonds, Wash., and Gladys Rosier of Juneau; half-brothers August Heitman of Anchorage and L. Patrick Heitman of Kodiak; half-sisters Merle Gundlach of Eugene, Ore., Dodie Heitman of Auburn, Wash., Sally McLaughlin of Nevada and 11 grandchildren.
A funeral Mass was held Jan. 25 in Anchorage.

Family requests memorial donations be sent to the Anchorage Veterans Monument Fund, P.O. Box 101862, Anchorage, AK 99510.

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