'Valuable citizen' loved to help her community
Family, friends and political supporters of former Wheeling Township supervisor and Arlington Heights Elementary Dist. 25 board President Ruth Grundberg are mourning her passing in Florida at the age of 72.
According to her son, Jim Grundberg, Mrs. Grundberg began showing symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease in the late '90s, following her retirement in 1997 after 12 years as Wheeling Township supervisor.
"As Wheeling Township supervisor, she dispensed so many social services," Jim Grundberg said of his mother. "You wouldn't think this would be an area greatly in need of social services, but my mother realized there were people falling through the cracks."
Before that, she'd served eight years on the Dist. 25 school board, including a period as president.
She was both a friend and campaign manager of former state Rep. and state Sen. Virginia MacDonald, of Arlington Heights.
"She was such a great lady and a valuable citizen in Arlington Heights," MacDonald said of Grundberg. "She was just a remarkable woman and invaluable to my campaign."
Grundberg served as MacDonald's campaign manager for the senate from 1976 to 1980 and was herself elected a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1988.
Before seeking elected office, Grundberg had been involved in community service as president of the PTA, a member of the League of Women Voters and the Junior Women's Club and was nominated for Outstanding Woman of 1969.
MacDonald said Grundberg was drawn to political office by the opportunity to support education and serve her community.
"She just did a remarkable job in that capacity," MacDonald said of Grundberg's township service.
Grundberg was born in 1934 in Stuttgart, Germany, but raised in Howell, Mich. She received a bachelor's degree in business administration at the University of Michigan in 1956. She began working at Northern Trust Bank in Chicago after graduation and married her husband Art in 1959.
Grundberg is survived by her husband, with whom she moved to Florida, as well as their children Jim (Donna), Scott (Jane), Susan and Julie and seven grandchildren.
A local memorial service is planned for 3:30 p.m. Sept. 4 at the First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights, 302 N. Dunton Ave. Visitors are welcome from 2:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, contributions are welcomed to Journey from PADS to Hope, 1140 E. Northwest Hwy. in Palatine, or The Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation.
Call (847) 963-9163 for information on Journey from PADS to Hope and (800) ALZINFO for The Fisher Center.
For more information about the memorial service, call Glueckert Funeral Home at (847) 253-0168.