Representative Joseph B. Flatt View All Years

JOSEPH B. FLATT

MR. PRESIDENT: Your committee, appointed to prepare a suitable resolution commemorating the life, character and public service of the late Honorable Joseph

B. Flatt, begs leave to submit the following memorial:

Joseph B. Flatt was born in Des Moines, Iowa, December 24, 1921. He was married to Dorothy Rothwell of Plover, Iowa, in May 1944 and she survives.

Mr. Flatt graduated from Lincoln High School in Des Moines and attended Drake University. He also attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College.

He served in the United States Army from 1941-1945 and received an infantry battlefield commission in Tunisia, North Africa in 1943.

Mr. Flatt owned and operated clothing stores in Winterset, Des Moines and Ankeny.

He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1958 as a member of the 58th General Assembly from Winterset. Later he was elected to the Iowa Senate from the Winterset area and served in the 59th, 60th, 60th extra, 61st, 62nd and 63rd General Assemblies. He resigned that seat after he moved to Ankeny.

He served in the National Guard as Lt. Colonel commanding the 2nd Battalion 168th Infantry. In 1969 he became Brigadier General, Commander of Troops of the Iowa National Guard, and retired in that position in 1976.

Mr. Flatt was Past President of the Winterset Chamber of Commerce, Past Commander of Sons of Union Veterans — Civil War, member of American Legion and Lions Club, President Ankeny Chamber of Commerce, Vice President Iowa Clothiers Association, Chairman Iowa Civil War Commission, member of the Governor’s Prayer Breakfast Committee, Chairman of the Polk County Building and Space Committee, Chairman of Ankeny Centennial Committee, member and Chairman of the Board of the Saylorville Baptist Church. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Faith Baptist Bible College of Ankeny. He was awarded the Outstanding Citizen Award for service to community by the Ankeny Chamber of Commerce in March, 1980.

Mr. Flatt died March 10, 1980, in Sun City, Arizona. Besides his wife, he is survived by two sons, Joseph, Jr., Carmel, Indiana and Kevin, Ft. Riley, Kansas; and two daughters, Christine Abbott, Indianola, Iowa and Sharon Kennedy, Phoenix, Arizona.

Now Therefore, Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-eighth General Assembly of Iowa: That in the passing of the Honorable Joseph B. Flatt, the State has lost an honored citizen and a faithful and useful public servant, and the Senate by this resolution would express its appreciation of his services to his community, state and nation and tender its sympathy and kindest regards to the members of his family.

Be It Further Resolved: That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journal of the Senate and that the Secretary of the Senate be instructed to forward an enrolled copy to each member of his family.

RAY TAYLOR

GARY L. BAUGHER

C. JOSEPH COLEMAN

Committee

The resolution was unanimously adopted.