Jean Keene, the "Eagle Lady" passed away January 13, 2009. She was 85.
Jean Keene lived in a campground on the Homer Spit since her relocation to Alaska in 1977. Jean began feeding a pair of eagles on the Spit shortly after her arrival. She worked for a seafood plant where she had permission to gather surplus and freezer burned fish for the eagles. After ten years, more than 200 eagles were coming by Jean's place for breakfast. Jean loaded fish into barrels and then into her pickup for the short drive home. Before she doled out fish to the eagles, she chopped them into smaller chunks making it easier for them to carry. Jean fed 200 to 300 eagles about 500 lbs. of fish daily from late December through mid April.
An ordinance passed by Homer officials to ban eagle feeding on the Homer Spit was to go in effect, but an emergency ordinance has allowed eagle feeding to be extended for 60 days following Jean Keene's death. Since eagle feeding had already began for the winter, wildlife officials agreed it might be best to taper off the feedings.
Jean was known around the world for her generosity and efforts to care for the Homer eagles. |
Jean Keene, "The Eagle Lady" (October 20, 1923 - January 13, 2009) |
