Arthur L. Gratias (May 1, 1920 – March 6, 2015) was an American politician in the state of

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

. Gratias was born in

Nora Springs, Iowa Nora Springs is a city that is partially in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, Cerro Gordo and Floyd County, Iowa, Floyd counties in the U.S. state of Iowa, along the Shell Rock River. The population was 1,369 at the time of the 2020 United States census ...

. He attended

Wartburg College Wartburg College is a Private college, private Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Lutheran Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Waverly, Iowa. History Wartburg College was founded in 1852 in Saginaw, Michig ...

and the

University of Northern Iowa The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) is a public university in Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States. UNI offers more than 90 majors across five colleges. The fall 2024 total enrollment was 9,283 students. The university was initially founded in 1 ...

. He served in the United States Army during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, for which he received the

Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

in 2013. Gratias farmed for 23 years. His career in education included five years of teaching experience and four years as an elementary school principal. Gratias then served 22 years on the school board. He was a member of the

Iowa Senate The Iowa Senate is the upper house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 50 seats in the Iowa Senate, representing 50 single-member districts across the Iowa, state of Iowa with populations of approximately 60,927 per constituency, . Each Senat ...

from 1979 to 1987, serving the

7th Seventh is the ordinal form of the number seven. Seventh may refer to: * Seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution * A fraction (mathematics), , equal to one of seven equal parts Film and television *"The Seventh", a second-season ep ...

and 15th districts as a Republican.

References

1920 births 2015 deaths People from Nora Springs, Iowa Military personnel from Iowa Wartburg College alumni University of Northern Iowa alumni Iowa Republicans Farmers from Iowa Educators from Iowa United States Army personnel of World War II American recipients of the Legion of Honour Schoolteachers from Iowa American school principals 20th-century American educators School board members in Iowa 20th-century members of the Iowa General Assembly {{Iowa-politician-stub