Gene Guess

Walter Eugene Guess (December 30, 1932 – March 13, 1975) was an American lawyer and politician.

Gene Guess
Personal details
Born	Walter Eugene Guess (1932-12-30)December 30, 1932 Tutwiler, Mississippi, U.S.
Died	March 13, 1975(1975-03-13) (aged 42) Juneau, Alaska, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	College of William and Mary (BA) University of Virginia, Charlottesville (LLB)

Born in Tutwiler, Mississippi, Guess graduated from George Washington High School in Alexandria, Virginia. In 1955, Guess graduated from the College of William & Mary. He served in the United States Army as an artillery officer at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. In 1959, Guess received his law degree from University of Virginia School of Law. He worked as an attorney for the United States Department of the Interior and settled in Anchorage, Alaska. He then practiced law in Anchorage. From 1965 to 1973, Guess served in the Alaska House of Representatives and was a Democrat. He served as speaker of the house in 1971. In 1972 and 1974, Guess campaigned for the United States Senate and lost the elections. Guess died of an aneurysm at the Baranof Hotel in Juneau, Alaska while on a business trip. His daughter Gretchen Guess also served in the Alaska Legislature.[1][2][3]

Notes

1. 'American Legislative Leaders in the West, 1911-1994,' Nancy Weatherly Sharp and James Roger Sharp-editors, Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut and London: 1997, Biographical of Walter Eugene "Gene" Guess, pg. 128
2. 'Heart attack fatal to Gene Guess,' Fairbanks Daily News Miner, March 14, 1975, pg. 1, 3
3. 'Candidates get in, out as filing deadline nears,' Peninsula Clarion, Paul Queary, June 2, 2000

Political offices
Preceded by Jay Kerttula	Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives 1971–1973	Succeeded by Tom Fink
Party political offices
Preceded by Wendell P. Kay	Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Alaska (Class 2) 1972	Succeeded by Don Hobbs