By Neil Torquiano Channel 2 News KTUU

4:31 p.m. AKST, February 5, 2013
ANCHORAGE, Alaska—

Gov. Sean Parnell has ordered state flags to be lowered to half-staff Thursday in honor of the late-state Rep. Martin “Marty” Farrell.

Farrell died in January at the age of 85 in Portland, Oregon.

“Representative Farrell was a fair person who will be remembered for his public service, not only as a U.S. Marine during the Korean War, but as a lawmaker during a critically-important era in our state’s history,” Governor Parnell said.

Farrell served a term in the State Legislature from 1971 to 1972. He served as chairman of the House Resources Committee in 1972.

According to the Governor’s office, Farrell served when the “Legislature took up the first major overhaul of state regulatory and right-of-way laws following the announcement that the Trans Alaska Pipeline System would be built to transport oil from the large North Slope discoveries.”