Dr. Charles William Sechrist, M.D.

Legislative Resolution

View Legislative Resolution File for Dr. Charles William Sechrist, M.D.

Biographical Information

Dr. Carroll Clark Creighton died on election day, November 6, 1962.  He would have represented Coconino District 1.  He was replaced by Dr. Charles W. Sechrist who took the oath of office January 14, 1963 (Journal of the House of Representatives, 26th Legislature, 1st Regular Session, 1963, pp. 9-10)

Dr. Charles W. Sechrist died July 5, 1965 and he was replaced by Harold L. Huffer who was appointed July 16, 1965 as Representative of Coconino District 1 (Journal of the House of Representatives, 27th Legislature, 4th Special Session, 1965, pp. 4-5, 101) The following is from the Legislative death resolution:

The Honorable Dr. Charles W. Sechrist who was respected and loved by his associates and colleagues, passed away on July 5, 1965 in Flagstaff, at the age of sixty-nine.

Dr. Sechrist was born February 2, 1896, in Meriden, Kansas.  He was a teacher in Kansas, served with the United States Navy during World War I, and thereafter he enrolled in the Kansas Medical School.

The Honorable Dr. Charles W. Sechrist settled in Flagstaff, Arizona, in July, 1928 and began a distinguished career in medicine, civic activities and politics.

Dr. Sechrist was a founder of the Flagstaff Hospital in 1934 and through his energy and dedication it had developed into a sixty-bed facility.. Dr. Sechrist, with great pride, received a certificate in 1954, stating that the Flagstaff Hospital had been approved by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals in the United States and Canada.  This unusual recognition has only been granted to four hospitals in the entire State of Arizona. Dr. and Mrs. Sechrist gave the Flagstaff Hospital to the community approximately twenty years after it was founded.

Dr. Sechrist was a prime mover in the organization of the Arizona State Hospital Association in 1940 and served as its President for three years.

The Honorable Dr, Charles W. Sechrist was intensely interested in the education and development of the youth of his community and contributed much of his time and energy in this direction.  For a period of eighteen years, Dr. Sechrist was a member of the Flagstaff School Board and was President of the School Board for fifteen years.  He also assisted in organizing the Arizona School Board Association and was its first President.

Dr. Sechrist served as President of the Arizona State College Foundation in 1960 and in 1962, Arizona State College honored him by awarding him an Honorary Doctor of Education degree.  Moreover, as a tribute to his service in the field of education, an elementary school has been named in honor of Dr. Sechrist.

The Honorable Dr. Charles W. Sechrist was appointed to the Twenty-sixth Legislature to fill a vacancy caused by the death of the elected Representative.  During the years of 1963 and 1964, while in the Legislature, Dr. Sechrist served ably and competently on Standing Committees of Appropriations, Education, Public Health, and the Advisory Committee on Indian Affairs.

Dr. Sechrist was elected by the citizens of his legislative district to serve in the Twenty-seventh Legislature.  The Speaker of the House of Representatives named Dr. Sechrist as Speaker pro tem.  He also served on Standing Committees of Appropriations, Education, Suffrage and Elections, Tourist and Industry Development, and he served as Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Public Health and Welfare.

Charles W. Sechrist Elementary School at 2230 Fort Valley Rd., Flagstaff, AZ 86001 was named in his honor.

Military Experience

U.S. Navy, World War I veteran

Employment

Arizona Legislative Service

Sources

Birth: AZ Leg Bio sheet; Death: Tucson Daily Citizen 07/06/1965, Legislative death resolution; Military Service: 1930 AZ census, Legislative death resolution; Occupation(s): AZ Leg Bio sheet, Legislative death resolution