States findings of the Legislature and honors the lifetime achievements of Linden Bateman, the author, sponsor, and successful advocate for the law designating “Idaho Day.”

LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO
Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 31
BY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION	1
STATING FINDINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE AND RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDING THE LIFE-	2
TIME ACHIEVEMENTS OF LINDEN B. BATEMAN, FOUNDER OF IDAHO DAY, WHO SERVED	3
IN THE IDAHO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WITH HONOR AND DISTINCTION.	4
Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:	5
WHEREAS, Linden B. Bateman was born on July 11, 1940, in Salt Lake City,	6
Utah and spent his life in Idaho Falls, Idaho. He graduated from Idaho Falls	7
High School in the Class of 1958; and	8
WHEREAS, Linden obtained a degree in political science from Brigham	9
Young University in 1962 and then served a mission for the Church of Jesus	10
Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) in Northern Germany from 1962-1965; and	11
WHEREAS, Linden's mission inspired a lifelong love for Germany, the	12
German people, culture, and language. Linden spoke and read German and re-	13
turned to Germany several times to visit friends he made while living there;	14
and	15
WHEREAS, while at Brigham Young University, Linden met Deann Willes of	16
Maywood, California. They were married on January 19, 1965 in the Switzer-	17
land LDS Temple. Linden and Deann celebrated their 61st anniversary on Jan-	18
uary 19, 2026; and	19
WHEREAS, while living near Iona, Linden raised Clydesdale horses and	20
showed horses at fairs throughout the region, treasuring the memories of	21
horse-drawn carriage rides at Christmastime; and	22
WHEREAS, Linden was a member of the first faculty at Skyline High School	23
when it opened in 1966 and later taught government and history at Bonneville	24
High School for 34 years; and	25
WHEREAS, Linden's passion for American government and history and his	26
love of Idaho were enthusiastically shared with his students during his long	27
teaching career, leaving a lasting positive impact on thousands of lives;	28
and	29
WHEREAS, after retiring from teaching, Linden worked for seven years as	30
a supervisor of student teachers at BYU-Idaho and Idaho State University;	31
and	32
WHEREAS, Linden volunteered hundreds of hours of service in the emer-	33
gency room at the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center; and	34
WHEREAS, Linden loved Idaho and local history. He was a charter member	35
of the Bonneville County Historical Society, which evolved into the "Museum	36
of Idaho," one of the state's premier history museums; and	37
WHEREAS, Linden was elected to the Idaho House of Representatives for	38
six terms from 1976 to 1986 and three terms from 2010 to 2016. He was elected	39
for two terms in House leadership as House Majority Caucus Chairman; and	40
WHEREAS, Linden had beautiful handwriting and wrote hundreds of richly	41
illustrated letters using vintage-style pens, stationery, and old postage	42

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stamps. In 2014, he sponsored legislation to restore the teaching of cursive	1
handwriting in public schools; and	2
WHEREAS, Linden published numerous articles on topics of local and	3
Idaho history. He was an enthusiastic collector of historical memorabilia	4
and was known throughout Idaho as "Mr. History;" and	5
WHEREAS, Linden drew humorous political cartoons and caricatures of his	6
legislative colleagues, some of which were featured in Idaho newspapers; and	7
WHEREAS, Linden received many commendations for his teaching and public	8
service, including an award from the 7th District Bar Association, recogniz-	9
ing his creative excellence in the teaching of American Government; and	10
WHEREAS, Linden was the author, sponsor, and successful advocate for	11
the law designating March 4th as "Idaho Day," remembering Abraham Lincoln's	12
creation of Idaho Territory on that day in 1863; and	13
WHEREAS, Linden was a guest speaker in the House and Senate Idaho Day	14
celebrations every year; and	15
WHEREAS, Linden Bateman passed away in Idaho Falls on January 22, 2026.	16
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second Regular Ses-	17
sion of the Sixty-eighth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and	18
the Senate concurring therein, that the lifetime achievements of Linden B.	19
Bateman, founder of "Idaho Day," be recognized and commended.	20

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