Oklahoma Senate
Bob R. Shatwell is a former state senator, business man, recording artist, minister, Tulsa County Administrator, author and church deacon. However, his supreme accomplishment in life is being a good husband, father and grandfather. Senator Shatwell represented Tulsa, Osage and Washington counties at the State Capitol in the 1970s during the 35th and 36th legislatures, each consisting several years. He authored or co-authored over 200 laws, which were voted and signed into the Oklahoma statutes. The most discussed were Senate bills 176 and 197, which provided strong penalties against pornography, required inmates who were incarcerated to perform labor on public works projects and Oklahoma's current capital punishment, statute death by lethal injection. Another bill imposed stronger and harsher sentences for one convicted of child abuse. Building a hospital in northern Tulsa county, a Vo-Tech center and constructions of highways 75 and 169 were paramount accomplishments of Shatwell's tenure in the Senate which was several years.
Public Service
Prior to the Senate, he served his community and state of Oklahoma as President of "Tulsans for a Better Community", which often had over one thousand people in attendance. He was an administrator for Tulsa County and its judges, as well as serving for numerous committees and being an honorary director of the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce.
Historical Note
A long-play LP Gospel record album, "The Senator Sings" has been inducted into the Tulsa Historical Society, he is known as Oklahoma's only 20th century "Singing Senator"/guitar player. The kidnapping of the former Senator was one of Oklahoma's most publicized cases with a couple being sent to the penitentiary for their crime against society. Shatwell said he had forgiven them and would just as soon set them free, except society demanded that they pay.
Biographical References
Shatwell is listed in the books titled: “Who’s Who in American Politics”, “Who’s Who in America”, “The Directory of Distinguished Americans”, “Personalities of the South”, “Two Thousand Notable Americans”, “Community Leaders and Noteworthy Americans” and "Tulsa County Courthouse Guide and Directory". Shatwell is also listed in several international ecclesiastical and news magazines including: "Life", "Pentecost Evangel" and "Charisma", where he was authored by invitation numerous published articles.
Other Information
Bob Shatwell and his family decided in 1978 to return to return to private life. The last 35 years have been happy, successful and fulfilling. A government/Senate phenomenon that has come into recent existence is an actual current state senator, who serves in former Senator Shatwell’s District 34, was a page for Senator Shatwell in the 1970s. While claiming no credit for the current senator’s election, Bob Shatwell is extremely proud of the fact that this former page as well as many others can now serve in high positions like government as well as business and public service. The former senator says: "He is not the least bit jealous that a former page now has his old job". One such instance is a former page occupying the position of a county commissioner in Oklahoma’s most popular county. In 2011, Shatwell's grandson served as an official "Page" at the state capitol. Upon his arrival to the Senate gallery and chambers, the former senator was greeted with a "standing ovation", a set of permanent Senate membership cuff links and the assurance that his portrait will always be on display at the state capitol. The former senator’s greatest pride in life is a celebrated 42-year marriage to his teenage sweetheart, Carol “Thomas” Shatwell of Dewar, Oklahoma. The strongest test of Bob’s personal faith in god was in the heavenly home going of his darling Carol in 2003, with Parkinson’s disease and a malignant brain tumor. The greatest smile that comes to his face is their daughter Rita, son Nathan and their three grandchildren. All of Carol and Bob's children and grandchildren and son in law, Gerald, are highly sophisticated, successful, college/business are success stories within themselves. All children and grandchildren are kind, happy and active fun-loving Christians who love Jesus.
Addendum to Biography
Chairman of the most powerful committee in state government, the "Elections and Privileges". The committee possessed the ultimate power and final decisions on any state elected official in Oklahoma from the governor to local mayors, commissioners, counselors and county commissioners. Dubbed Oklahoma's only "Singing Senator" in Oklahoma's history, Shatwell recorded and produced in Nashville an LP gospel record which at its peak was being played on radio and television stations across a six state area.
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