Representative Josephine K. Gruhn View All Years

JOSEPHINE GRUHN

Josephine Gruhn was born April 14, 1927 in Britt, Iowa. She attended several schools in Iowa, Texas and New Jersey and graduated from Ruthven High School in 1945. She went on to attend Morningside College in Sioux City, graduating in 1951 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. On June 16, 1952, she married Donald Paul Gruhn in Arnolds Park and their union created three children.

She was an educator in the Spirit Lake School system for 28 years. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. Upon her husband’s passing in 1980, she ran for the Iowa House of Representatives serving from 1982 to 1992. During her time as a legislator she negotiated with the Iowa Fair Board to change their traditional September dates to August dates which remain today. She worked to get school start dates to be after the fair for more student participation in the fairs.

She was the treasurer for the Dickinson County Democrats, member of Iowa Women’s Political Caucus, American Association of University Women Business and Professional Women, American Legion Auxiliary, Association Mental Illness and Iowa Head Injury Association.

After her time as a legislator she assisted her son in their floral and nursery business. She earned 8,000 plus hours volunteering in many different organizations to keep herself active in her community.

Josephine was a Democrat from Dickinson County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in the fall of 1981, serving five terms including two extra sessions. During her time she served on the following committees: Agriculture, Natural Resources, State Government, Transportation and several interim study committees.

Representative Gruhn passed away on April 4, 2015 at the age of 87.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE EIGHTY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IOWA, That in the passing of the Honorable Josephine Gruhn, the State has lost an honored citizen and a faithful and useful public servant, and the House by this Resolution would express its appreciation of her service.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be spread upon the Journal of the House, and that the Chief Clerk be directed to forward an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.

JOHN WILLS

HELEN MILLER

MEGAN JONES

Committee