Obituary - Robert Valliant

Wednesday, December 27, 2006
THE JUNEAU EMPIRE

A funeral Mass will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Paul's Catholic Church for longtime community leader Robert "Bob" Valliant. A reception in the church lobby will follow the service.

The 64-year-old former CEO of Bartlett Regional Hospital died Dec. 19, 2006, at his home in the company of his family, following an extended fight with cancer.

He was born Oct. 31, 1942, in El Reno, Okla., to Raymond and Matilda Valliant. His father, a chief warrant officer in the U.S. Army who frequently served in foreign countries, had settled his family in Lawton, Okla., where Bob and his sister, Barbara, grew up.

He saw service in Vietnam as a U.S. Army officer, during which he received several medals, including decorations for valor in combat. He left the U.S. Army as a Major after 11 years of service.

He returned to school graduating with an master's degree in business administration in hospital administration from Trinity University in San Antonio.

In the early 1980s, he began his hospital career as an assistant administrator in Arlington, Texas.

On Feb. 20, 1980, he came to Juneau as an interim chief executive officer assigned to Bartlett Regional Hospital by Quorum Health Resources, which has the hospital management contract.

He was promised it would be a three-month assignment. Five weeks later, on Easter weekend, he was joined by his wife Josie and 6-year-old step son, Bruno, who arrived to a mixture of rain, snow and sun.

The Valliants fell in love with Juneau. He accepted the position of full-time CEO and "three months" turned into 17 years.

Valliant was past president of the Juneau Chamber of Commerce and Glacier Valley Rotary Cub. He also served on the Qualis Health Board of Directors, a national nonprofit quality improvement organization, and the American College of Healthcare Executives. He was past president of the Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association, and chaired a task force on domestic violence.

"Bob strongly believed in contributing to the community," his wife noted. "He really enjoyed life and his friends, and he truly loved each of his three sons." An enthusiastic cook, Bob was known for his fajita parties. He loved to travel in Mexico and to explore Mexican culture.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father.

He is survived by his wife of 18 years, Josie Valliant; sons, Jason and John Valliant; step son, Bruno Del Olmo; and sister, Barbara Clyde.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Bartlett Foundation, 3260 Hospital Dr., Juneau, AK, 99801, or the Foundation for End of Life Care, 5050 Thane Road, Juneau, AK, 99801.