Idaho says farewell to her former governor
BOSIE, Idaho (KIFI) The funeral for former Governor Phil Batt took place Friday at the Cathedral of the Rockies in Boise.
Gov. Batt passed away Saturday on his 96 birthday.
Philip Eugene Batt was born on a farm near Wilder on March 4, 1927. Those who knew him remember him both as a statesman and a humble onion farmer.
"His family appreciated his innate work ethic, along with his sunny personality," the Governor's former scheduler Eva Gay Yost said. "He played the violin and the clarinet, liked to sing and relished life on the farm and in town with his siblings and friends."
After graduating high school, he followed his brother's example and served in the army during World War II. Yost says that experience helped shape the statesman he would become.
"He had completed his basic training in Mississippi and in later years vividly recalled encountering appalling racial segregation during that time," Yost said. "An experience that inspired his career long support for civil and human rights issues. His desire to dignify marginalized people solidified and expanded as he recognized that changes were needed closer at home, bettering the conditions of the Idaho farm workers. He believed in the dignity of all, and he believed in the democratic process."
Gov. Batt entered politics in 1965 when he was elected to the Idaho statehouse. He went on to serve in the house of representatives and senate for 18 years.
Batt served as Idaho's governor from 1995 to 1999. While he was known for his quick witt and sharp tongue,those who worked with him remember him as a fiscal conservative and a champion of human rights.
Governor Brad Little says, "Governor Phil Batt was the epitome of a public servant. His legacy is distinguished by his unrelenting human rights leadership, determined fiscal conservatism, and enduring love of Idaho," wrote Little.
One of his notable achievements, was a deal with the federal government to remove nuclear waste from the Idaho national laboratory. The deal is still in place.
The Idaho Human Rights Commission issued a statement saying, "his commitment to equality and individual rights throughout the Gem State is unparalleled."
The statement continues:
Governor Batt believed that fairness and equity are unalienable human rights. He demonstrated that human rights are not partisan issues; human rights are for everyone, regardless of race, religion, gender, age, or ability. Governor Batt led a commendable life of public service, and his commitment to equality and individual rights throughout the Gem State is unparalleled. The Human Rights Commission acknowledges Governor Batt’s legacy and commitment to advancing civil rights in Idaho, and his bipartisan approach to equality under the law.
