Richard Garvin

Sep 13, 1926 -

Sep 25, 2021

Richard was born in Hastings, Neb., on Sept. 13, 1926, to Irene and Homer Garvin, who moved to Seattle, Wash., in the late '30s, where he attended grade and junior high school. In December 1941, just after the raid on Pearl Harbor, Richard's father accepted a position as manager of the Capitol Theater in Juneau, Alaska. In June 1942, Richard's mother and younger sister Sandra Garvin Faunch joined Homer in Juneau. Parents; brothers, Paul and Howard; and sisters, Rogene and Sandra, preceded Richard in death.

The Army called Richard to service from 1944-1946, serving with the 41st Infantry Division in the last days of the war in Zamboanga, Philippines, and in several cities during his occupation duties in Japan with the 41st, 32nd and 25th infantry divisions as a radio operator. He returned to Juneau for a short time before enrolling in Seattle College, which soon became Seattle University.

Richard married the love of his life, Patricia May McCarthy, in October 1948, in Seattle, while he managed the Roxy Theater in Ballard. After 68 years of an exciting marriage, Patricia passed in February 2017, after a long battle with cancer.

In 1954, living in Anchorage, Alaska, Richard sold broadcast time for KBYR, then a small 250-watt station that introduced music, news, weather and sports to Alaska, while the only two other stations in town were still playing soap operas, taking over the listening market in Anchorage while two TV stations started up in town. Garvin was promoted to general manager of the 10,000-watt station KFRB in Fairbanks, Alaska, where he and Patricia lived from 1957-1962. Returning to Anchorage, Garvin was employed by KHAR until the earthquake, when he changed his career to the travel business.

Garvin's travel career started in 1964, right after the earthquake, when Alaska Airlines was expanding, as district sales manager and promoted to Assistant Vice President Sales-Alaska. He participated in the development of Alaska Airlines becoming a major national Alaska carrier promoting arctic tours. Garvin escorted the first Alaska Airlines charter flight from Anchorage to Khabarovsk along the Silk Route through Russia on June 6, 1970.

The marketing and sales varied experience included regional sales manager for Princess Tours, travel agency manager for ARA Services and district sales manager for Westours. He owned Marketing Representatives, representing many Alaska and Hawaiian hotels, airlines and attractions to travel agents in Alaska. In the mid-80s, Garvin purchased American Travel Service from Princess Tours, servicing major business and pipeline companies with vacation and business travel.

Alaska Travel Industry Association (ATIA) president announced the retirement of Garvin in December 2006. "A longtime Alaskan, an Alaska travel industry icon. In 2001, ATIA presented Garvin with the coveted 'Lifetime Achievement Award', a tribute to his many years of dedication to our industry."

Before joining ATIA, Garvin's 13 years with the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau included marketing to travel agents worldwide, tour operators and wholesalers in most of the major U.S. markets, as well as Germany, Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan. He organized and conducted familiarization tours for travel agents and the travel press, and attended domestic and international travel/trade shows promoting Anchorage and Alaska.

While living in Anchorage and Fairbanks Richard was a member of VFW, American Legion, the Pioneers of Alaska, Real Alaskans, Elks, Rotary, SKAL, Masons, Shrine, Toastmasters, ARWC and the Chambers of Commerce.

Richard is survived by his Anchorage family, niece, Debbie (Robin) Eaton, Laurie (Jim) Triplett, who he called his angels, and their children; nephew, Steve Faunch of Anchorage and niece, Patricia (Jay) Jurgenson of Henderson, Nev.; sister Dr. Rogene Stryker's daughter, Maggie (Fred) Badaracco of Palm City, Fla.; Richard (Cathy) Stryker of Austin, Texas; Garvin (Carol) Stryker of Houston, Texas; plus several grandnieces and grandnephews in Alaska and Texas.

Richard and Patricia's pride was their special Japanese garden, which won the mayor's blue ribbon in 2002, and remains an attraction to gardeners in Anchorage.

There will be a graveside service at Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery at 12 p.m. on Sept. 29, 2021.

A remembrance can be made to "Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska and Providence Anchorage Hospice."