County bids farewell to Wooters

44-year tenure with Webster County Auditor’s office ends

By JESSE HELLING, Messenger staff writer
The year 1964 saw the Republican Party take a drubbing throughout the United States.

As President Lyndon Johnson sailed to re-election, GOP candidates fell from office one after another — including Webster County’s then Republican auditor Cy Beers, who was defeated for re-election by Democrat Charles Knudson.

For then-19-year-old Republican Alan Wooters, who began working in the Auditor’s office in June 1964, November might have marked the end of his county career, as Democrats cleaned house of the opposing party following their electoral victory.

But that was not to be the case.

“I couldn’t vote, so I was allowed to stay,” said Wooters. At the time, the voting age was 21.

Thus began Wooters’ 44- year tenure in the office, during which time he worked with three auditors — all Democrats.

Wooters officially retired from his post as First Deputy Auditor this week.

A Gowrie native whose family has lived in Webster County for more than 100 years, Wooters took a non-elective position in the Auditor’s office after studying at the American Institute of Business in Des Moines.

“I started work on a Friday, got married on Saturday and was back at the office Tuesday,” Wooters said.

In retirement, Wooters said he’s looking forward to devoting more time to his volunteer endeavors, including delivering Meals on Wheels. He also serves as president of the Gowrie Historical Society and is a member of the Webster County Republican Central Committee.

In the immediate future, Wooters is planning a trip to Lake Okoboji with his wife Shirley — who retired from Heartland Bank last year — and their children and grandchildren, he said.

The Webster County Board of Supervisors formally received Wooters’ retirement Tuesday.

Board Chairman Joel Lizer referred to Wooters as a very dedicated county employee who will be greatly missed — sentiments shared by County Treasurer Jan Horton.

“We’re losing a very valuable person to the county, a very special person,” said Horton, who began her own career with the county in 1960.

Through the years, Horton said that she and Wooters had become close friends.

“He will be very well missed not only by me but everybody,” she said.



Contact Jesse Helling at (515) 573-2141 or jhelling@messengernews.net