Print
Permanent LinkSenator Jack W. Hester View All Years
JACK W. HESTER
Jack W. Hester passed away on April 29, 1999, at the age of sixty-nine. He is survived by his wife, Joan; four daughters, Mrs. Bill Hileman and Mrs. Bob Baker, both of Dallas, Texas, Mrs. Neal Kunzman and Mrs. Brian Flemming, both of Minden, Iowa; two sons, Dave of Council Bluffs, and Ken of Honey Creek; two brothers, Everett Jr. of Denver and Richard of Clearwater, Florida; ten grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.
Jack Hester was born in Modale, Iowa, and graduated from Persia High School in 1947. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He and Joan were married for forty-six years. They became the first husband-and-wife team to serve in the Iowa Legislature when Joan was elected to the House in 1984. Mr. Hester was active in many community activities and organizations. He was a township trustee and a member of the Extension Council and Westfair Board, the Neola Community Choir, and the Pottawattamie County Pork Producers. He was also a member of American Legion Post No. 337, the Loess Hills Eagles Model Aircraft Club, the Hazel Dell United Methodist Church, and the Husker Chapter of the Studebaker Drivers Club. In his retirement, he spent his time traveling, and he spent many hours building and flying radio-controlled airplanes.
Jack Hester farmed for thirty years, and he was a 4-H leader and a past president of the West Pottawattamie Farm Bureau. His family was named the 1975 Farmers Home Administration Farm Family of the Year for Cass and Pottawattamie counties.
Senator Hester was a Pottawattamie County Republican and was elected to the Iowa Senate in 1978. He served from 1979 to 1994, during the 68th through the 75th General Assemblies. He was ranking member of the Senate Natural Resources Committee and the ranking Republican on the Ways and Means Committee. Fellow lawmakers spoke many kind words about Senator Hester. Some were that he was a quiet man on the floor but always worked hard behind the scene, and that he was a gentleman and a good legislator and everyone liked him.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE SEVENTY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IOWA: That in the passing of the Honorable Jack W. Hester, the State has lost an honored citizen and a 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.
NANCY BOETTGER, Chair
MICHAEL GRONSTAL
DERRYL MCLAREN
Committee