Fairbanks Tall Timbers: Darrin ‘Bear’ Edson

The Fairbanks Tall Timber Series was created to honor those who have served the Fairbanks community well. Join accomplished journalist Tom Hewitt either in person or via Zoom as he interviews these stalwart members of our community.

In his three decades serving as UAF’s Operations Superintendent in the Facilities Services Department, Darrin “Bear” Edson has seen just about everything under the midnight sun when it comes to the maintenance of Alaska’s flagship university campus. Edson’s nickname is fitting, given that he revived the Nanook mascot program at hockey games in 1998 and wore the costume for a decade (an experience he described to the newspaper as “breathing through a straw while running in place in a sauna with sweat dripping down your face”), but in fact, his “Bear” persona dates back decades earlier, to his experience in seventh-grade wrestling. Edson has plenty of interests outside of his work and mascot service, especially fishing, barbecue, and operating a mining claim out the Steese Highway. He’s looking forward to doing more of all three, as well as getting to spend more time with his family, after he wraps up his on-campus service.