Martin Graber
{{Short description|American politician (1952–2025)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Martin Graber.jpg
| office = Member of the Iowa House of Representatives
| party = Republican
| successor = Blaine Watkins
| constituency = {{ubl|83rd district (2021–2023)|100th district (2023–2025)}}
| predecessor = Jeff Kurtz
| term_end = January 31, 2025
| term_start = January 10, 2021
| birth_date = {{birth date|1952|6|3}}
| birth_place = Donnellson, Iowa, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2025|1|31|1952|6|3}}
| death_place = Fort Madison, Iowa, U.S.
| spouse = Coni
| children = 2
| alma_mater = {{plainlist|
- University of Iowa (BBA)
- St. Ambrose University (MBA)
- United States Army War College (MSS)}}
| allegiance = United States
| branch = Iowa National Guard
| rank = Brigadier General
}}
Martin L. Graber (June 3, 1952 – January 31, 2025) was an American politician who was a Republican member of the Iowa House of Representatives from 2021 until his death. Formerly serving district 83, he was servinglegis.iowa.gov District 100 at the time of his death.
Education and early career
Graber was born on June 3, 1952, in Donnellson, Iowa.{{cite web|url=https://www.kinglynk.com/obituaries/Martin-L-Graber?obId=35191152|title=Martin L. Graber|work=King-Lynk Funeral Home|date=February 2, 2025}} He was raised there and attended Central Lee High School. He earned a degree in business administration at the University of Iowa, and completed a master's degree in business at St. Ambrose University in 1987, followed by a master's degree in strategic studies at the United States Army War College in 2002. Graber served 32 years in the National Guard, retiring with the rank of brigadier general within the Iowa National Guard. During Operation Desert Storm, Graber was deployed to Germany. At other times during his military career, he served with the 224th Engineer Battalion and at Camp Dodge.{{cite news |last1=Vandenberg |first1=Chuck |title=Graber, Kurtz ramp up campaigns as absentee voting nears |url=https://www.pencitycurrent.com/2020/09/29/graber-kurtz-ramp-up-campaigns-as-absentee-voting-nears/ |access-date=June 24, 2021 |work=Pen City Current |date=September 29, 2020}} From 1980 to 1991, Graber was a manager within the human resources department of the Dial Corporation. From 1991, he worked for Ameriprise Financial Service in Fort Madison, Iowa, as a financial adviser.
Political career
At the time of his first state legislative campaign in 2020, Graber was still working for Amerprise, and was serving his second term as chair of the Lee County Republican Party.{{cite news |last1=Delany |first1=Robin |title=Graber says it's time to put a conservative in the House seat |url=http://www.mississippivalleypublishing.com/daily_gate/graber-says-its-time-to-put-a-conservative-in-the-house-seat/article_28295328-eb88-5949-8d2a-348f79fe252e.html |access-date=June 24, 2021 |work=Daily Gate City |date=October 14, 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Delany |first1=Robin |title=Martin Graber seeks election to Iowa House |url=http://www.mississippivalleypublishing.com/daily_gate/martin-graber-seeks-election-to-iowa-house/article_5d5f545f-cc8f-5013-af34-4db674f235e9.html |access-date=June 24, 2021 |date=March 12, 2020}} Graber filed for the Republican nomination for District 83 of the Iowa House of Representatives in March 2020, and defeated incumbent legislator Jeff Kurtz in the November 2020 general elections.{{cite news |last1=Sammann |first1=Blake |title=Graber and Kurtz square off in 83rd district race |url=https://wgem.com/2020/10/27/graber-and-kurtz-square-off-in-83rd-district-race/ |access-date=June 24, 2021 |publisher=WGEM |date=October 27, 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Roberts |first1=Jim |title=Graber unseats Kurtz from Iowa's 83rd district |url=https://wgem.com/2020/11/04/graber-unseats-kurtz-from-iowas-83rd-district/ |access-date=June 24, 2021 |publisher=WGEM |date=November 4, 2020}}
Personal life and death
Graber and his wife, Coni, had two children.{{cite news|url = https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/31/martin-graber-dies-unexpectedly-at-72-iowa-state-rep/78098990007/|title = Republican Iowa state Rep. Martin Graber dies unexpectedly at 72|last = Gruber-Miller|first = Stephen|date = January 31, 2025|access-date = January 31, 2025|newspaper = Des Moines Register}} He died in Fort Madison, Iowa, on January 31, 2025, at the age of 72.
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Graber, Martin}}
Category:21st-century members of the Iowa General Assembly
Category:Iowa National Guard personnel
Category:People from Fort Madison, Iowa
Category:Republican Party members of the Iowa House of Representatives
Category:St. Ambrose University alumni