Representative Jack McCoy View All Years

JACK E. McCOY

Jack E. McCoy was born on May 28, 1929 in Ottumwa, Iowa. McCoy received his diploma from Ottumwa High School while serving in the US Army. He later attended classes at both Iowa State University and Parsons College. He married Gerada May Talbott on June 23, 1950 and their union created eight children.

He was a member of the First Christian Church, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, served for two years as the secretary of the United Packing House Workers of America and former Vice President of the Iowa Federation of Labor. He was instrumental in the 1955 merger of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) with the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). McCoy was the first Democrat ever elected to the Iowa House from Wapello County and at the time of this election in 1954 he was the youngest serving from any district at the age of 25. He became very passionate and committed about his voice representing the working man.

In the course of his time as Representative he worked on and saw passage of the 1955 legislation that created the dams at Saylorville Lake and Lake Red Rock. This helped to keep the Des Moines River in its banks and kept hundreds of thousands of Iowans safe from the flooding that had ravaged central and southern regions before they were in place. He led the gubernatorial campaign of Herschel Loveless who unexpectedly beat then Governor Hoegh. He organized Presidential campaign activity throughout the State of Iowa for candidate, John F. Kennedy. He was noticed by AFL-CIO President George Meany and McCoy was named to the AFL-CIO staff in 1962 serving as one of the seven regional directors for political education until 1987.

McCoy was a Democrat from Wapello County. He was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in the fall of 1954, serving for two terms. Throughout his time he served on many committees; Claims, Labor, Mines & Mining, Public Lands & Building, Public Utilities, Telephone, Telegraph & Express, Departmental Affairs, Private Corporations, Social Security, Agriculture 2 & Horticulture, Compensation of Public Officers & Employees and Cities & Towns Appropriations .

Representative McCoy passed away on December 29, 2014 at the age of 85.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE EIGHTY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IOWA, That in the passing of the Honorable Jack E. McCoy, the State has lost an honored citizen and a faithful and useful public servant, and the House by this Resolution would express its appreciation of his service.

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.

LARRY SHEETS

MARY GASKILL

CURT HANSON

Committee