Menard’s vision leaves lasting legacy

The Mat-Su Borough lost one of its gems in the wee hours of the morning this past Tuesday when Borough Mayor Curt Menard’s nearly six-year battle with multiple myeloma, a relatively rare blood cancer, came to an end.

A quiet and unassuming man, Menard helped shape the future of Alaska and the Mat-Su Valley for generations to come with a selfless service to community and state that few can match. For more than 25 years, Menard gave himself to the community and state he loved and called home. From serving on the Mat-Su Borough School District board, to the House of Representatives and state Senate, and most recently as the borough’s mayor, Menard worked tirelessly to make the state and borough a better place to live, work and play.

His life was not without adversity. Losing his right arm as a young, right-handed dentist with a family to care for, Menard painstakingly taught himself to use his left hand and his new prosthetic to expertly ply his dental trade. In 2001, Curt and his wife, state Sen. Linda Menard, faced a challenge no parent should have to face when their son Curtis was killed in a plane crash.

It would have been easy to retreat within one’s grief in either of these events, but Curt would have none of that. He was one of the primary organizers and public supporters of the Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex, and the ice arena there now bears his son’s name.

There isn’t enough room in the confined space of this editorial to list all of the accomplishments and contributions to the community of Dr. Curtis Menard Sr., but we can tell you that it would be difficult to speak to someone, or drive through the borough and not come across a person or place, that hasn’t been touched in some fashion by Menard.

In this day and age, leadership of his caliber, especially in the political arena, is rare. Menard respected diversity of opinions and had the increasingly rare ability to put that which was best for the people above party politics.

He worked easily and respectfully across party lines. The esteem in which he was held by a broad spectrum of people can be seen in the outpouring of positive comments and words of support found on Internet forums around the state, and at www.frontiersman.com, since the news first broke of Menard’s death.

His soft-spoken style suited him well and earned him the respect he deserved. Whether one agreed with Menard’s politics, no one could doubt he cared deeply about the community he served and the state he loved.

Godspeed, Curtis. As a kind and decent man, you will be missed by countless friends, neighbors and loved ones. As an ethical and caring leader, you will be missed by this community. But, “We’ll see you on down the trail.”

Our heartfelt and deepest condolences go out to the Menard family. A memorial service for Mayor Menard will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Wasilla High School gymnasium.