Joseph I. Hutter, 77, retired Bettendorf Police Officer, two-term Iowa State Representative, community activist and civic volunteer died Saturday, April 18, 2015 at Genesis Medical Center, East Campus in Davenport.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, April 23, 2015 at the McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Chapel in Bettendorf.  Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday at the funeral home.  Burial with full military honors will follow at Rock Island National Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials may be made to the family to be distributed amongst several community organizations.

Born on August 31, 1937 in Dubuque, Iowa, Joe was the son of Irvin & Marie (Ryan) Hutter.  He served in the United States Navy from 1956 to 1958.  On May 6, 1965 he was united in marriage to Barbara O. Roberts in Bettendorf.  She preceded his in death on June 8, 2003.

Joe served on the Bettendorf Police Department for many years and retired as Captain.  As a member of AmeriCorps, he then joined the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) in 1999. He was instrumental in founding Operation Medicine Cabinet, a program where old medicine could be brought to law enforcement who would properly dispose of it with the help of RSVP volunteers. He also served on the RSVP advisory council.

A tireless organizer and a fund-raiser, he was the former coordinator of the Scott County Sheriff's Senior Volunteers, including finding funding for them to have uniforms and to use a special vehicle. Joe was also instrumental in organizing the Bettendorf Park Ambassadors program.   

Additionally, he was also involved in the SALT (Senior and Law-enforcement Together) program now called Scott County VIPS (Volunteers in Police Service.) He initiated the 911 cellphone program for seniors where phones could be donated to the sheriff's department who refurbished them so they could call 911 only.

Continuing his civic duty, Joe served as a Republican State Representative in Iowa’s District 82 and served in the House of Representatives from 2003-2007. He was also on the statewide board of Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa, or Hawk-I, the state health insurance program for children.

As President of the Mississippi Valley Fair Board, where he was on the board for almost 30 years, he was also active with the Bettendorf Jaycees, the Scott County 4-H and had served on the board of the Catfish Jazz Society for several years.

Joe also wrote a regular column in the senior publication, 50+ Lifestyles, titled “On the Go with Joe” and regularly wrote a column in the Bettendorf News.  An engaging conversationalist, he kept his thumb on the pulse of his community.

A strong advocate for Scott County and eastern Iowa during his tenure he focused on the advancement of the Bettendorf community and will be remembered as a “great ambassador” for Bettendorf.

Those left to honor his memory include his daughters, Jody (Nathaniel) Miller of Bettendorf, Jennifer (Dan) Klindt of Eldridge and Jill Hutter of Bettendorf; and his grandchildren, Joseph & Kayla Miller.

            In addition to his wife, Barb, Joe was preceded in death by his parents.