State’s lawmakers express affection, respect for Flake
by The Associated Press on Jun. 10, 2008, under Local
Flake
PHOENIX – Arizona legislators have started saying goodbye to one of their own, opening House and Senate floor sessions with expressions of affection and respect for Sen. Jake Flake.
The 72-year-old Snowflake Republican died Sunday at his home in Snowflake, about two weeks after he broke multiple ribs when he was thrown from a horse.
“There are 23 members, zero absent, six excused and one vacancy,” Senate President Tim Bee, R-Tucson, noted with an audible sigh at the beginning of Monday’s floor session after senators recorded their attendance.
“You just think of a guy up on a big horse, with a big hat riding off into the sunset,” Rep. Bob Robson, R-Chandler, told fellow House members.
Lawmakers praised Flake’s fairness, cordiality and willingness to coach new lawmakers on the ways of the Legislature.
“There’s going to be a hole down here that’s hard to fill,” said House Speaker Jim Weiers, a Phoenix Republican who followed Flake in that chamber’s top leadership post.
“He was one of our last true cowboys before the population boom came and changed the way we all live,” said Sen. Robert Blendu, a Litchfield Park Republican who served with Flake in both legislative chambers.
Rep. Jack Brown, a St. Johns Democrat who swapped seats with Flake to stay in the Legislature despite term limits, said Flake was “a good man who served the state well.”
Gov. Janet Napolitano ordered that flags at state buildings be lowered through Sunday in honor of Flake.
A Phoenix memorial service for Flake is planned at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Phoenix Arizona East Stake Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835 E. Missouri Ave. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in Snowflake at the Snowflake Main Street Chapel of the LDS church.
Sen. Jake Flake in 2004
