Theodore Fulton "Ted" Stevens, Sr. (November 18, 1923 – August 9, 2010) was a Republican U.S. Senator from Alaska. He served in the United States Senate for 40 years from 1968 to 2009. He was the 87th President Pro Tempore of the Senate from 2003–2007. For his services as president pro tempore, Senator Stevens was named as only the third President pro tempore emeritus of the United States Senate. Even by Senate standards, Stevens was extremely effective at getting billions of dollars in federal funds for Alaska. He was so effective at it he was nicknamed "uncle Ted". He also served as the Solicitor of the Department of the Interior from 1960 to 1961. The airport in Anchorage, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport was named after him in 2000. Stevens was born in Indianapolis. In 2010, Stevens died in a plane crash in Alaska at the age of 86.