Flags to be lowered to half-staff to honor late former Tempe Mayor Harry Mitchell

Arizona will honor the late Harry Mitchell, who was Tempe Mayor for 16 years before serving as a Democratic state lawmaker and U.S. congressman, by lowering state flags to half-staff on Saturday, Aug. 15.

Mitchell died at age 86, his son Mark announced on July 29.

Gov. Katie Hobbs ordered the lowering of the flags from sunrise until sunset, which will coincide with Mitchell’s memorial service.

“Harry Mitchell devoted his life to serving the people of Arizona as a teacher, a mayor of Tempe, state senator and congressman. Arizona is grieving a genuine public servant. My condolences are with his family and loved ones,” Hobbs said in a statement.

Current Tempe Mayor Corey Woods praised Mitchell as being responsible for the creation of Tempe Town Lake, as well as helping to select downtown Tempe as the location for its city hall.

“There is no part of Tempe that has not been influenced by the legacy of the honorable Harry Mitchell,” Woods said in a statement. “Our city is truly grateful for the lifetime of leadership that he has left us. … Mitchell is a bona fide legend and was a true statesman in every way. He will be dearly missed by each and every one of us.”

Following his tenure as mayor (1978-94), Mitchell spent two terms in the Arizona Senate (1999-2006), was Chair of the Arizona Democratic Party (2006-07) and served in the U.S. House of Representatives (2007-11).

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