Representative Glen E. Bortell View All Years

GLEN E. BORTELL

Glen E. Bortell was born on September 9, 1914 in Grinnell, Iowa to John E. and Katherine Bortell. He passed away on April 18, 2015, at the age of 100. He is survived by his daughter, Glenda and her husband Norman; son, John and his wife Peggy; son, William and his wife Cynthia; grandchildren; and great-grandchildren.

After graduating from Newton High School he moved to Des Moines where he met his wife, Mary McKowen. Glen and Mary were married on May 20, 1939 and remained married for 64 years.

Bortell was very active in the community. In 1962 he started the Bortell’s Bar Rockin B Ranch, a camp for boys and girls, in Charles City, Iowa. He was the owner/operator for 20 years and became known to thousands of kids and families as “Uncle Glen”.

Bortell was a Madison County Hospital Trustee, Township Trustee, on County and Central Iowa Health Planning Councils, a member of Farm Bureau, the State Historical Society, Lions International, and a Consistory. He was a 32nd degree Mason, Shriner, and a Scottish Rite; and very active in the St Charles Masonic Lodge. Bortell was involved in a number of horse groups, including the Flying Hoofs Drill Team and the Za-Ga-Zig Shrine Mounted Patrol in Des Moines, Iowa.

After retiring to Florida in 1985 he served on the board of the First United Methodist Church, assisting in fundraising efforts. He was also a volunteer transporter for many years at the Citrus United Memorial Hospital and accrued more than 6000 volunteer hours, which lead to being named Volunteer of the Year in 2013.

Glen Bortell was an Adair County Republican. He served in the Iowa Senate from 1970–1971, during the 63rd General Assembly; and in the Iowa House from 1973–1977, during the 65th and 66th General Assemblies.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE EIGHTY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IOWA: That in the passing of the Honorable Gene E Bortell, the State has lost an honored citizen and faithful and useful public servant, and that the Senate by this resolution expresses its appreciation of his service to the State and tenders 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 the family of the deceased.

Chaz Allen

Jake Chapman

Tom Shipley

Committee