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Leo Frommelt
Telegraph Herald reporter once described Leo F. Frommelt, recipient of the newspaper's eighth annual First
Citizen Award, as "tough-minded, kind-hearted and German as beer."
At the time of his selection in 1977, Frommelt (1905-1995) was concluding 22 years as Dubuque's city clerk. In
1960, when Dubuque was between city managers, he took on those additional duties for several months.
TELEGRAPH HERALD
Outside of City Hall, Frommelt
dedicated decades ofvolunteer service
in the community, much of it to and
church -affiliated organizations.
One of his favorite sayings was that
success comes to people who "live
like an angel and work like the devil.'
He not only expected that of his staff
and colleagues, he practiced it day
(and night) in and out. "He taught
us meticulousness," recalled Karen
Chesterman, whose own tenure in
the city clerk's office overlapped with
Frommelt's. "He taught us we were here
to serve the people$ she said at the time
Frommelt was honored.
Of the people, Frommelt said, "I've
made a lot of friends over the years. I try
to treat all people the same. I like people.
1 don't always agree with them, but I like
them."
Plenty of people liked him back.
A Dubuque native who graduated
from St. Mary's Catholic High School,
Frommelt never strayed far from home.
He married the former Gertrude J. Ott
in Dubuque in 1938. They raised .five
daughters and two sons. Despite the
demands on his time on the homefront,
he gave generously of his time and
talents to such organizations as Sacred
Heart Catholic Church, its choir and
Holy Name Society; St. Vincent de Paul
Society; Knights of Columbus; Catholic
Order of Foresters; and International
Society of City Clerks.
He was remembered at the Knights
of Columbus Hall as the long-time
financial secretary who, while the
organization struggled financially in
On Jan. 1, 2020, the Telegraph Herald
will unveil the recipient of the 50th First
Citizen Award. To celebrate this mile-
stone in the making, we'll count down
all 50 award recipients from 1970 on,
culminating with the 2019 winner to be
announced on New Year's Day.
the later years of the Great Depression,
helped restore the Knights to a healthy
standing.
Frommelt came to municipal
government relativelylate in his working
career, at age 50. Before that, he was
auditor at Meuser Lumber Co., a deputy
in the county recorder's office, business
office staffer at Rhomberg Realty and
accountant and dispatcher at Ready -
Mix Concrete Co.
.The job of city clerk, especially the
way he carried out his duties, wasn't
easy. "It's lung hours and hard work;' he
said at the time of his award selection.
"But 1 can go home to a great family and
that's what makes it all possible. I have
a wonderful life. My wife, our children
and our in-laws, there's nobody like
them. It's good, sturdy stock."
When Leo Frommelt died in 1995,
just two weeks short of his 90th birthday,
he was survived by Gertude and their
seven children.
His former employee Chesterman
remembered him as "one of those rare
gentlemen who never hurt anyone in
his life."
Community Foundation
of Greater Dubuque
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