october january known eagle lady trick rider subject national attention feeding wild bald eagles homer spit homer alaska supporters criticized drawing large population eagles area death city homer passed law prohibiting feeding predatory birds early life born october minnesota eldest sisters brother grew dairy farm helped farm including feeding cows learned ride horses talented horse breaker trainer recruited traveling outfit trick rider mid-1950s anticipating upcoming appearance madison square garden career abruptly cut short riding accident performance arena detroit michigan performing trick called death drag missed leaning far saddle fell horse knocked unconscious head hit arena wall foot caught dragged arena horse legs personnel able stop horse suffered left knee surgery repair knee spent months recovery waist plaster cast cast removed able walk ride facility necessary perform time worked professional truck driver hauling cattle late 1950s married gave birth son early 1960s single mother opened dog cat business raised bred later owner operator minneapolis minnesota came alaska time early 1970s attend cousin wedding attracted state beauty returned visits making decision son deemed old decisions chose remain minnesota took week drive minnesota alaska ending homer parked end homer spit homer spit remained years took job fish processing facility spit subsidiary spring later feeding eagles career eagle lady began shortly arrival homer morning noticed bald eagles beach near saw offering food eagles natural extension practice keeping bird filled seeds wild began bring home surplus fish bucket job morning throw fish eagles short fence end spring half dozen eagles showing breakfast eagles departed arrival summer spit active human visitors returned winter tourist season ended resumed daily feeding years bald eagles visiting winter early spring day job feeding involved fish winter begin august fish burned fish donated employer local companies fish supplemented meat salvaged heard road killed highway began feeding eagles december year job took hours work morning obtained permission employer use company large containers fish burned salmon herring company large transferred fish hand barrels garbage cans loaded truck drive load yards fisheries plant cut fish fist sized pieces thrown eagles fish fully frozen use axe break fish smaller large garbage cans don know told reporter like fish yard fish truck fish fish gets kind gross especially handling lot persistent efforts broke leg managed feeding schedule winter diagnosed breast cancer doctor advice underwent hired friend conduct feeding operations absence days surgery july leak explosion fisheries plant caused fire led evacuation homer spit ultimate destruction facility major supplier fish remains feeding operation able report winter came found sources ready eagles returned number visiting eagles fluctuated eagles day months winter early spring attracted area fed estimated pounds fish day pounds year fish supply included surplus burned fish fish processing facilities spit purchases limited funds retirement benefits fish contributed supporters visitors come watch eagles fed spit cost asked stay cars safety safety eagles public attention work publicized washington_post believe rush book eagle lady alaska author photographer anderson documents life relationship eagles received lifetime service award strongest supporters local hotel owners got extra business normally sluggish winter season photographers able use clever framing shots order appear eagles wild photographers money works bought new house profits news satire program daily reported april edition homer bald eagles large activities crew spent days march shooting footage including feeding session interview interviews homer residents controversy progress feeding eagles criticism concerned large population eagles drawn homer believed eagles harmed familiarity people worried spread disease change birds natural allegedly bird populations area cranes driven killed eagles direct evidence fact increased area degree founding new colony close home according broadcast homer residents consider birds menace known cause car accidents steal pets cases birds shot ordinance passed prohibits feeding eagles city limits city council granted exemption giving special permission continue feeding bald eagles city limits april time death died home january aged respiratory condition death homer city council passed new resolution banning feeding eagles predatory birds person effective march resolution effective date delayed spring concern birds die starvation highly aggressive feeding ended middle winter memorial planned nearby hotel favorite dining spot supplied fish
Jean Keene