Wasilla Council mourns unexpected loss of Dryden

WASILLA — Wasilla City Council member Mike Dryden died unexpectedly Saturday night.

Dryden served two terms on the Wasilla City Council in Seat A and lived a vibrant life including service in the military and publishing two books. On Monday, the Wasilla City Council held a moment of silence for Dryden before any business took place. Numerous members of the council were moved to tears at the sadness of the unexpected loss of Dryden.

“Mike was definitely a southern gentleman. Both of us being from the south, if I made something or whatever he and I would talk about it and he’s like you got any of that?” said Councilwoman Glenda Ledford through tears. “He was always very appreciative and a lot of times he was the voice of reason here.”

Dryden was remembered as a tireless civil servant. Cottle compared Dryden to E.F. Hutton in the way the council would quiet down to hear what he had to say when he had something to say. Councilman Tim Burney told a story about Dryden loaning him wood from his garage, including a near identical impression of Dryden’s southern accent. Cottle said that the Council has until Oct. 29 to appoint a new member to fill Seat A, which will be discussed at the next council meeting. Dryden’s vacant Seat A will not be on the ballot in the upcoming Oct. 6 election.

“We all have a different history, but we’re all the same on the inside, so if we understand each others history and we listen to each others stories and we listen to each others issues, we can all get along and we can all move forward and I think that would be the most important legacy that councilman Mike Dryden leaves behind,” said Councilman Stu Graham. “I hope that in today’s kind of challenging social environment to put it mildly that we can encourage others to learn from his example.”

Dryden served as a Captain in the U.S. Army for seven years and as a major in the Army Reserve for 17 years until 1998. He was an aviator and wrote for The Senior Voice as well as other publications and taught as a substitute in Mat-Su Borough School District Schools. Cottle noted Dryden’s service to the Civil Air Patrol and his publishing endeavors including senior news and two books that Cottle said he had read and was entertained by.

“Mike was a good guy. Me and him didn’t always agree but we always got to where we needed to be. I’m going to miss Mike,” said Cottle. “Mike was a good man. He never hurt anybody and tried to give back to the community more than what he got so I’m going to miss Mike.”