Winfield Ervin, Jr.

Winfield Ervin, Jr. (1902–1985) was a Mayor of Anchorage, Alaska.

Biography

Ervin was born in 1902 in Portland, Oregon to Winfield Ervin, Sr., a native of Lebanon, Oregon and Theora McNall of Bellingham, Washington. He moved with his family to Lewiston, Idaho and later lived in Bellingham while Ervin, Sr. worked for the Brown and Hawkins Company in Alaska. In 1917, the family was reunited in Anchorage, Alaska. In 1922, Ervin, Sr. founded First National Bank Alaska.

Ervin, Jr. married Velma Lucille Flora Brown in 1937. He served on the City Council, and was appointed Mayor of Anchorage on March 19, 1946, a day after mayor John E. Manders resigned. Ervin stood for election on April 2, but was defeated by Francis C. Bowden, who was sworn into office on April 8.

In 1951, Ervin and Velma moved to Seward, Alaska, where they operated a garage. In 1959, they moved back to Anchorage, where Ervin took a position with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. In 1964, they moved to Seattle.

Ervin died in Seattle, Washington in 1985. He is buried, along with Velma, who died in 2005, in Acacia Memorial Park in Seattle.

References

Mayors of Anchorage, Alaska, USA Town/City of Anchorage (1920 – 1975) David Conroy Bush Eckmann Clayson Reed Delaney Gill McCroskey Gill Brown Romig Brown Vaara Stolt Wolfe Manders Ervin (acting) Bowden Loussac Taylor Hinchey Anderson Lounsbury (acting) Byer Sharrock Rasmuson G. Sullivan Greater Anchorage Area Borough (1964 – 1975) Asplund Roderick Municipality of Anchorage (since 1975) G. Sullivan Knowles Fink Mystrom Wuerch Begich Claman (acting) D. Sullivan