Representative William Frederick Stipe View All Years

WILLIAM FREDERICK STIPE

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee, appointed to prepare a suitable resolution commemorating the life, character and public service of the late Honorable William Frederick Stipe, begs leave to submit the following memorial:

William Frederick Stipe was born on a farm near Grant, Montgomery County, Iowa, March 7, 1870. He was the son of David Stipe, a native of West Virginia and a Federal soldier in the War of the Rebellion, and Amy Overman Stipe, born in Ohio.

He was educated in the rural schools, Villisca high school, Western Normal college at Shenandoah and Highland Park college in Des Moines where he received his A.B. degree in 1894. Mr. Stipe edited the Villisca News and the Call at Stanton, Iowa, for four years.

He studied law in the offices of McPherson & Beeson at Red Oak, and took a special course in law at George Washington University, Washington, D. C. He was admitted to practice law and became a member of the firm of Stipe & Clark, later Stipe, Davidson and Davidson, at Clarinda; remaining a member of that firm for fifty-four years.

In the Sixtieth congress he served as clerk of the committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. He served as chairman of the Republican County Central Committee for two years and of the Eighth District Republican Congressional Committee for four years.

Mr. Stipe was elected State Representative in 1910 and re-elected in 1912.

He was author of the city manager plan law. He also served as Clarinda city attorney for fourteen years and chairman of the legal advisory committee of the Iowa League of Municipalities for ten years. During World War II it was estimated that he sent some 40,000 news letters to Clarindans in the armed forces. His sons, William and Linn, served in the armed services during World War II, the latter giving his life for his country.

Mr. Stipe served his community as an active member of the Methodist church and at their national conferences; also as a member of the Fifteenth District Bar Association and the State Association, serving on the executive committee of the latter four years. He was a member of the American Bar Association, the Kiwanis Club and the Masonic Order.

William Frederick Stipe died at his home at Clarinda, Iowa, May 17, 1956. Survivors include his widow, a son, William of Evanston, Illinois; a daughter, Mrs. Agner Hitt of Alexandria, Virginia, two sisters, a brother and five granddaughters.

Therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Fifty-seventh General Assembly of Iowa: That in the passing of the Honorable William Frederick Stipe, the people of Page County and the entire State of Iowa have sustained a great loss and the House expresses its appreciation of his character and public service and tenders, by this resolution, its sincere and heartfelt sympathy to his beloved family in their great sorrow and loss.

Be It Further Resolved: That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journal of the House and that the Chief Clerk be directed to forward an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.

VERN LISLE,

FRED L. JOHNSON,

IVAN WELLS,

Committee.