Representative Donald William Spencer View All Years

DONALD “DON” W. SPENCER

Donald “Don” W. Spencer was born January 11, 1922 in Valley Junction, Iowa. He received his education in West Des Moines and graduated from Valley High School in 1940. On December 29, 1962, he married Ruth Brock in Spencer, Iowa.

During high school he worked at Meredith Publishing for the Better Homes and Gardens magazine and after graduation took a job at a locker processing plant. After his father’s sudden death they moved back to farm near Lost Island Lake. He continued to work in surrounding towns at lockers butchering and cutting meat.

In 1978, he received the Iowa State Police Association award recognizing his dedication and outstanding contribution toward law enforcement legislation. He was a member of Farm Bureau, VFW, Lost Island Protective Association, Estherville Chamber of Commerce, Ruthven and Dickinson Co-op Elevators.

Raised in a Catholic family he was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and served as a trustee of Calvary Cemetery for over 20 years. Faith was important to Don and in 1997 he and his wife built the Holy Cross Resurrection Chapel just south of their home. The Chapel was open for public use, celebrating weddings, funerals and weekend church services.

Don was a Democrat from Clay County. He was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in the fall of 1974, serving two terms, including one extra session. During his time he served on the following committees: Energy, Judicial and Law Enforcement, Natural Resources and Ways and Means. During his time he served on many interim study committees.

Representative Spencer passed away on January 26, 2017 at the age of 95.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE EIGHTY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IOWA, That in the passing of the Honorable Donald “Don” W. Spencer, 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.

MEGAN JONES

HELEN MILLER

DAN HUSEMAN

Committee