Bettye Fahrenkamp (September 6, 1923 – August 12, 1991) was an American educator and politician. Born in Wilder,

Fentress County, Tennessee Fentress County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,489. Its county seat is Jamestown. History Fentress County was formed on November 28, 1823, from portions of Morgan, Overton ...

, Fahrenkamp served in the

Women's Army Corps The Women's Army Corps (WAC; ) was the women's branch of the United States Army. It was created as an auxiliary unit, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), on 15 May 1942, and converted to an active duty status in the Army of the United S ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. She received her bachelor's degree in education from the

University of Tennessee The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (or The University of Tennessee; UT; UT Knoxville; or colloquially UTK or Tennessee) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee, United St ...

. In 1956, Fahrenkamp moved to Fairbanks,

Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; th ...

with her husband, "Gib" Fahrenkamp, a contractor (and later fellow politician), where she taught music in the Fairbanks school district. Fahrenkamp retired from teaching in 1974. She was involved with the Democratic Party and served on the staff of United States Senator

Mike Gravel Maurice Robert "Mike" Gravel ( ; May 13, 1930 – June 26, 2021) was an American politician and writer who represented Alaska in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1981 as a member of the Democratic Party. He ran for president twice: in 200 ...

of Alaska. Fahrenkamp served in the

Alaska Senate The Alaska State Senate is the upper house in the Alaska State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. It convenes in the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau, Alaska and is responsible for making laws and confirming or reje ...

from 1979 until her death in 1991. Fahrenkamp died from bone cancer at her home in Fairbanks, Alaska. The

Alaska Legislature The Alaska State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is a bicameral institution consisting of the 40-member Alaska House of Representatives (lower house) and the 20-member Alaska Senate (upper house). There a ...

passed a bill in 1992 to name room 203 in the

Alaska State Capitol The Alaska State Capitol is the building that hosts the Alaska Legislature and the offices of the Governor of Alaska and Lieutenant Governor of Alaska. Located in the state's capital, Juneau, the building was opened on February 14, 1931, as a fede ...

as the "Fahrenkamp Room" in her honor.

References

1923 births 1991 deaths People from Fentress County, Tennessee Politicians from Fairbanks, Alaska Military personnel from Tennessee Women in the United States Army University of Tennessee alumni Educators from Tennessee 20th-century American women educators 20th-century American educators Women state legislators in Alaska Democratic Party Alaska state senators Deaths from cancer in Alaska Deaths from bone cancer in the United States 20th-century American women politicians 20th-century members of the Alaska Legislature {{Alaska-politician-stub