State Sen. Rocky De Witt dies at 66

SIOUX CITY — Rocky De Witt, a Republican who rose from relative obscurity a decade ago to a seat on the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors and then a seat in the Iowa Senate, has died following a battle with pancreatic cancer.

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He was 66.

De Witt, who was elected to the Iowa Senate in 2022, publicly announced his cancer diagnosis early last year. He continued to serve in the chamber in spite of the diagnosis.

“Cancer continues to be a battle I am fighting each and every day," De Witt said in a statement in April. "I am in constant contact with my doctors and care team, who have been helping me along the way as we consider the best treatment and pathway forward. At this time, I am focused on representing my constituents here at the Iowa Capitol, fighting to be their voice in Des Moines and finishing my first term in the Iowa Senate. I am determined to work on the priorities I was sent here to work on, and deliver on important issues for the people of Senate District 1.”

State and local officials offered condolences Wednesday.

“Kevin and I are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of a dear colleague and friend, Sen. Rocky De Witt," Gov. Kim Reynolds said in a statement. "Rocky spent a life dedicated to serving his neighbors in Northwest Iowa as a member of the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office before representing his constituents on the board of supervisors and, eventually, the Iowa State Senate. In just three years, Rocky made a profound impact in the state legislature, all while heroically battling cancer. Rocky was a dedicated husband and a loving father and grandfather. His family and friends remain in our prayers.”

"Rocky De Witt was the type of elected official we should aspire to elect," Woodbury County GOP Co-chair Suzan Stewart said in a statement on social media. "I doubt that he had plans early in life to be a politician, but when presented with opportunities to run for office, he worked hard to be elected, and then he listened carefully to what his constituents were saying as he legislated. His common-sense approach will be deeply missed."

"Matt and I are saddened to learn of Senator Rocky DeWitt's passing tonight," U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson wrote in a social media post. "We appreciated his leadership and service in the Iowa Senate, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time."

Rocky L. De Witt was born April 12, 1959, in Sioux City to Homer L. DeWitt Jr. and Orma J. (Kendall) DeWitt, who lived in rural Sioux City. Homer DeWitt owned DeWitt's Skelly Service Station in Morningside. Orma worked for more than a decade for the Wagner, Garrison & Abbott Livestock Commission Merchant Co. in Sioux City, and was later a homemaker.

Rocky De Witt's last name was almost invariably spelled with a space in it, while other members of the DeWitt family generally have not included a space in the name.

De Witt graduated from Lawton-Bronson High School in 1977. For 22 years he worked for the Iowa Public Service Co., later MidAmerican Energy, and was a journeyman electrician when he left the profession. He later worked at FedEx, then sold motorcycles at Rooster's Harley-Davidson dealership in Sioux City.

For a number of years, even while he was a Woodbury County supervisor, he also worked for the Woodbury County Sheriff's office as a courthouse security officer, putting him in an unusual spot — as a supervisor he had oversight authority over the sheriff, who in turn was De Witt's boss in the courthouse security job.

He got dialed into politics in the 2010s, initially as a frequent writer of letters to the editor, motivated by a fervent belief in gun rights and limited government. He was a fresh face in 2016 when he was swept into a Woodbury County Board of Supervisors seat with 65 percent of the vote. De Witt's seat was previously held by Larry Clausen, a Democrat.

In that election, with Donald Trump at the top of the ticket, Republicans were handed a majority on the county board for the first time in 34 years. Today the board is composed solely of Republicans.

"What I am hearing from people, they are just ready for new faces," De Witt said after he was elected to the county board.

De Witt suffered great personal losses, including the deaths of two of his three sons, Jeffrey and Justin Lee. Jeffrey died as a newborn in 1982. Justin Lee died in prison at age 39. At the end of February 2020, exactly three weeks after Justin died, De Witt's younger brother Kerry Lee DeWitt died at age 54.

Information on his survivors and funeral arrangements was not immediately available.

According to Iowa Code, if a seat in the Iowa Legislature is vacated while the legislature is in session — or if the legislature is going to convene before the next general election, which will be in 2026 — the governor will order a special election. The order must come not more than five days after the vacancy occurs, and the election must be held at least 40 days from date the governor issues the order. order.