Representative Donald Gries View All Years

DONALD LEROY GRIES

DONALD “DON” LEROY GRIES was born on May 15, 1929 in Ute, Iowa.

Gries attended Ute Elementary School, Central Grade School in Omaha, NE, and graduated from Ute High School in 1947. After High School, Don served in the U.S. Army. He was assigned duty with the Army of Occupation in Japan. After an honorable discharge he was recalled to active duty during the Korean conflict. In 1951 he was relieved from active duty and honorably discharged from the Reserve in 1952.

September 9, 1950 he married Dorothy in Onawa. In their nearly 60 years together they had four children. He enjoyed watching his children and grandchildren grow up and perform in a variety of events throughout the years.

In 1954 he graduated from Buena Vista College with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Don received a Master of Science degree from Omaha University in 1965 and then went on to earn a specialist in education degree from Omaha University in 1967. During his career in education he began as a teacher at Holly Springers-Hornick School system before they merged with Ute in 1957. For the next ten years he served as a teacher, coach and principal in the Charter Oak-Ute Community School District, in 1967 he became the superintendent until he retired in 1992.

He was an active member of St. John’s Lutheran Church. He was active in the American Legion Post 442 for over 50 years and a member of the Charter Oak Community Club.

Donald Gries was a Republican from Crawford County. During his time in the Iowa House he was the chairman of Education, and was a member of the following committees: Ways and Means, Environmental Protection, Small Business, Health and Human Rights Appropriations Subcommittee and Ethics. He was elected to the Iowa House in November of 1992 and served in the 75th, 76th, 77th General Assemblies.

Donald Gries passed away on July 8, 2010 at the age of 81.

Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved By The House Of Representatives Of The Eighty-Fourth General Assembly Of Iowa, That in the passing of the Honorable Donald Gries, 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 his 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.

JASON SCHULTZ

DAN MUHLBAUER

Committee