Clinton mayor honors LaMetta Wynn, says her legacy ‘will continue to live on’

CLINTON, Iowa (KWQC) - The mayor of Clinton is paying respects to the city’s former mayor, LaMetta Wynn, after she passed away last week.

“I want to send my thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Mayor Lametta Wynn,” Mayor Scott Maddasion said in a Facebook post on Friday. “Her legacy will continue to live on in our community as she touched so many lives not only as our Mayor but as a mother, grandmother, friend, and neighbor.”

Earlier this month, TV6′s Randy Biery shared the story of LaMetta being honored as the Hometown Hero in the city of Clinton.

“LaMetta is just a hometown hero for sure,” Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce Jenny Holm said. “She’s a community woman, she took care of all of us in her capacity of mayor. A very well respected, wonderful woman in our town.”

Iowa Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks also released a statement honoring LaMetta, calling her a trailblazer. You can read her full statement below.

“Mdm. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of an Iowa trailblazer from my district.

LaMetta Wynn, Iowa’s first African American female mayor, passed away last week at the age of 87 in Lincoln, Nebraska.

LaMetta was an incredible woman who spent her life in service to her community of Clinton, Iowa. For 30 years, she worked night shifts as a registered nurse and days as a laborer at the Rock Island Arsenal.

Her service as an elected official began when she ran for Clinton School Board in 1983. For 12 years, she served on the school board, eventually becoming board president, all while raising 10 children.

In 1995, LaMetta was elected Mayor of Clinton, a position she held for 12 years before retiring in 2007. In 1996, Newsweek picked LaMetta as one of the 25 most dynamic mayors in the country.

Thank you, LaMetta for your service to the State of Iowa and I will keep your loved ones in my prayers.

Thank you, I yield back my time.”