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Senator Jake Flake: Friend and Champion
 The world seemed a little darker this week, the heat a little more unbearable as Arizona mourned the loss of an outstanding leader. Senator Jake Flake was only one man, but his passing left an overwhelming void in our day-to-day activities.There were two memorial services for Senator Flake - one in Phoenix and one in Snowflake - but tributes to his life will not cease when the services are over. Our celebration of this man will continue, because our appreciation for him is entwined in our hearts.
Senator Flake was a unifying force, a figure that brought people together across party lines, county borders and ideological entrenchment. He was a rural cowboy to the core, always guarding the interests of rural Arizona, yet he cared about preventing negative decisions for the urban areas, as well.
 He was a staunch advocate for counties, even when it did not make him popular at the legislature. He had a knack for building the coalitions it took to get things done, but was not afraid to stand alone for something he believed in. His leadership helped bring reform to funding of the Arizona Long-Term Care System (twice!), guided many CSA legislative priorities into law, and we may never know how many cost shifts to counties he prevented in state budgets.There are many who can call themselves friends of Jake Flake, for it only took a moment in his company to know that he really cared. The following thoughts and stories illustrate the impact he had on leaders in every county.
We cannot fully express our sadness that Senator Jake Flake will no longer join us at CSA meetings and events. His memory will be with us always.
 County Tributes
 "Jake was always there for rural Arizona and we certainly have appreciated his commitment and kindness at CSA and in Coconino County. Even when we disagreed he was always a gentleman. He helped us get the lands around Flagstaff including the Centennial Forest to fall within the Arizona Preserve Initiative boundaries when we were working on this bill. For this and many other issues we are truly grateful for Jake's efforts. Jake certainly has been, and is, a big part of Arizona." - Coconino County Supervisor Matt Ryan"My association with Senator Flake began when I was a greenhorn in the political world, serving as mayor of the Town of
 "Jake was a giant of a man both physically and spiritually. When things at the legislature would get rough, we could go to Jake, get a bear hug and be renewed so we had the strength to continue fighting for what we knew was right. Jake never cared about your party affiliation, he cared about justice for all. May we each measure-up to the greatness demonstrated by this man." - Gila County Supervisor Shirley Dawson"I first met Flake when I was just 10. Real early one May morning I was corralling cattle with two other girls (one younger and one older) for Bud Jones on his ranch just west of Payson. Jake was Bud's yearling buyer that year and was at the corrals with the cattle trucks when we got there with the herd. Once we had the gates close, Jake teased us by asking Bud where the cowboys were. Bud said he could drive 10,000 head of cattle across Arizona with the three of us, if he was of a mind to - and then introduced us to Jake. If nothing else, it was hard to forget someone named Jake Flake from Snowflake." - Gila County Supervisor Tommie Cline Martin (Click here to read additional comments.)
"Senator Flake had the ability to know good policy and an innate strategical sense of how to get that policy accomplished. He became our 'sounding board,' a gauge by which we determined the feasibility of many of our ideas. We will miss his insight and knowledge of county issues." - Craig Sullivan, CSA
 "Jake was a straight-shooter who knew how to immediately go to the core of any problem and find a solution. He would do anything he could to help his friends and I was proud to be one of them. I was a cotton farmer from Safford and he was a rancher from Snowflake, but we both shared a love for rural issues and priorities. He did a great job of representing counties and I'm not sure he was ever aware his district didn't actually include every county in the state. He always tried to form policies that were good for all of "Jake was real, no games. I remember him saying, 'I'm not sure I like this bill, if Drew and Hank like it I'll vote for it.' I remember feeling so special to have one of the most honest men I've ever known trust my judgment." - Graham County Supervisor Drew John
 "I met Jake when he was first elected to the legislature 11 1/2 years ago. One of the things I first noticed was that he was a common sense person. He didn't complicate things. He looked for less complicated solutions that made sense. He took on big issues as well as little ones affecting small counties like ours. He always stayed apprised of our county's needs. He looked at bills to see how they affected rural counties and the rest of the state. He always had all of Arizona in mine. He was not just a legislator, he was my friend. I respected him and he respected me and those are just not words - you felt it. The state's lost a good guy. He was one of a kind." - Greenlee County Manager Kay Gale
"Jake Flake was one of the finest gentleman I have ever known. He treated everyone the same. Jake was famous for his kind, courteous and positive personality. He was a joy and upbeat to be with him. I was deeply moved that in the obituary it noted: Mission President, Stake President, High Councilor and nursery worker...We will all miss him but his tradition will always be with us." - Maricopa County Supervisor Fulton Brock
 "Jake was always ready to give good advice. One time, after attending a meeting in Payson, he came by our small place in Strawberry that had just been built a little earlier. I was pretty proud, after all, that I was now in his district, so he dropped by to officially greet his newest constituent. When we bought the property, it had been surrounded by just a barb wire fence all around, like you'd see out on the range. We had replaced the fence on three sides with just some inexpensive aluminum bar-type horse fence, but had left the old barb wire fence all along the front because we just couldn't decide what kind of fence would be the perfect fit out front. So time wore on, we couldn't decide, agonized and fretted, and after a while we kind of forgot and were getting used to just having the old barb wire fence there and in no hurry to replace it. Finally Jake said one day, 'I've got to put my foot down, you've got a half-decent looking little place there and you've got this ratty ugly old fence out front.' He didn't mince any words. 'You need to replace it,  Lady Di!' he bellowed out in that deep commanding Jake tone that we all came to know so well. 'Put something decent there!' And we said, 'Well what? We can't decide.' He said, 'I know just the thing. Put a white vinyl scalloped picket fence out there. It'll look good and you'll never need to maintain it.' And everyone in the family said, 'Of course! Jake has suggested just the perfect fence.' So up it went just as he described it and it looked great and looks good to this day. It's always been known as "Jake's fence." And shortly afterward, Jake showed up bearing a carload of campaign signs, and said, 'Well finally, you've got a decent fence I won't be embarrassed to hang my sign on!' " - Diane Sikokis, Maricopa County"I first began working with Senator Flake, he was just plain Jake back then. When we began to work on  "Senator Flake and I shared the belief that frozen yogurt could fix just about any bad day at the legislature. On those days when everything went wrong we would head to the Capitol cafeteria, treat ourselves to plastic bowls full of self-serve frozen yogurt, and talk about Payson, friends, or family... anything that did not involve vote counts, budgets or state trust land reform negotiations. The day never seemed quite as bad after that." - Beth Lewallen, CSA "Senator Flake was our strongest supporter the last time the legislature was balancing the budget on the backs of counties, and did not feel good about taking anything from counties. He said: 'This is sort of like robbing your kid's piggy bank.' " - Dennis Miller, Santa Cruz County"Jake was in all sense of the word a true gentleman and a champion for all rural
Biography
 He married Mary Louise Skouson on June 19, 1959 in the L.D.S. Mesa Arizona Temple. They are the parents of 13 children, grandparents to 55 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. He worked his whole life on the ranch where he was raised. He and 3 of his brothers purchased the ranch from their dad, forming the F-Bar Cattle Company which marketed Beefmaster bulls and heifers all over the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The primary purpose of the ranch, however, was to raise their kids. He served his church in several callings, including counselor to a Stake President and a mission President, a member of the High Council, Stake President, and nursery leader. He was elected to the Arizona State Legislature in 1996 serving from 1997 until his death. Jake served in the House of Representatives for 8 years, including 2 years as Speaker of the House. He also served 2 terms as a State Senator.
 Jake is survived by his wife, Mary Louise Flake of Snowflake, and 12 of his 13 children; Shon (Pamela) of Snowflake, Crystal (Darrell) Petersen of Snowflake, Penny (Dean) Bauer of Mesa, Darin, deceased 2005 (Jennifer Aileen) Flake of Snowflake, Douglas (Jennifer Beth) of Spanish Fork, Ut, Celeste (Jeff) Dana of Mesa, Wynn (Kami) of Gilbert, Travis (Teresa) of Snowflake, Tyler (Jennifer Lee) of Gilbert, Brandon (Jennifer Marie) of Snowflake, Mindy (Chad) Sanders of Gilbert, Amy (David) Orr of Mesa, and Kayla (Jeff) Larson of Logan, Ut; he is also survived by his grandchildren and great-granddaughter and well as 6 of his 7 siblings. He was also preceded in death by one grandson, Joseph Sanders. Additional Tributes
Photos from Senator Flake's Phoenix Memorial Service - The Arizona Republic
Online Guestbook - The Arizona Republic
 - White Mountain Independent
- Arizona Capitol Times
- The Arizona Republic
- The Tucson Citizen
- The East Valley Tribune
"Desert Whispers: Our State Will Miss Flake's Experience" - The Arizona Daily Star
"A Salute to Jake Flake" - The Arizona Republic
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