Jean Keene (The Eagle Lady from Homer AK) passed away last night January 13, 2009 at 7:00 pm. She will me missed.

Hi David,

Thank you very much for posting this. I am adding some obit links below.

James

Homer's 'Eagle Lady' dead at 85
By TOM KIZZIA, Anchorage Daily News
HOMER -- Jean Keene, the 85-year-old "Eagle Lady" whose feeding program draws hundreds of bald eagles and scores of nature photographers to the Homer Spit each winter, died Tuesday evening in her Spit home.
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/654023.html


Jean Keene, Alaska's "Eagle Lady," dies
Obit from the Denver Post
By STEVE QUINN Associated Press Writer
JUNEAU, Alaska—A woman known in Alaska for feeding hundreds of eagles at her home in Homer during the winter has died. Jean Keene was 85.

Her son, Lonnie, said she died at home Tuesday evening of natural causes.
http://www.denverpost.com/obituaries/ci_11453802

Some older articles about her and her feeding program:

State ponders ban on feeding of eagles
By this time next year, Homer's 'Eagle Lady' may have to find another form of recreation
ANCHORAGE - The eagles are returning to the Homer Spit, as the "Eagle Lady" has resumed her winter feeding program. The professional photographers and expensive "photo safaris" will follow soon.
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/122705/sta_20051227011.shtml

Alaska town to bid farewell to troublemaking bald eagles
HOMER, Alaska — The most convenient place in the United States to take great close-ups of bald eagles is closing.

The City Council in Homer, a tourist and fishing town on Alaska's Kachemak Bay, voted this week to phase out a feeding program that for nearly 30 years has drawn hundreds of eagles to feast each winter on handouts of herring, halibut and salmon. The town acted after Alaska's Board of Game declined to regulate the feeding.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002813056_eagle18.html

...a few other article links:

Another obit with a short, but nice, bio:
Jean Keene, known as the "Eagle Lady," 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.
http://www.baldeagleinfo.com/eagle/JeanKeene.html


From Naturescapes Website:
"I don't get excited too often about things; I'm a fairly steady guy who takes things in stride. Not much surprises me so when I’m surprised, it's a big deal. Photography is no different. When I go to a location that stuns me, take notice. It doesn't happen often, but Homer, Alaska in winter is one of those places."
http://www.naturescapes.net/012004/th0104.htm

Hey Folks,

I received this e-mail today.

James

___________________

For Jean Keene's Memorial service information and to post your condolences, please visit this Land's End Resort website link:

http://www.endofthespit.com/jeankeene.htm

We would love to hear comments and reflections from her friends around the world!

Please do not hesitate to contact me directly should you have any concerns.

Sincerely,

Lisa Stanley

I own Jacobson Photography and have talked with Jean and have taken a lot of Photos out at her place. I love it out there.
we will miss her.

Do you guys have photographs that you wish to share that were taken at Jean Keenes? I would love to see some. It looks like this is truly an end to an era.

James

I will post some later today. I have to go to cardiac rehab this morning. Just about every published Eagle photo in the past 20 years have been taken at Jean's.