Dorothy Clark Gauger

An honor student and valedictorian of her high school class, Dorothy continued her superior academic achievements at the University of Missouri where she was first among all freshmen students in her college. Later she continued this academic excellence as an honor student in Experimental Foods at then Iowa State College. She was the first president of Elm Hall and a member of numerous honor societies, including Phi Kappa Phi. She graduated in 1939. Dorothy worked briefly with the National Dairy Council in Kansas City prior to her marriage in 1940. Later when her husband was in the service during WWII, she worked as an Army hospital dietitian and as a social worker both with the Social Service Department and the American Red Cross. Her real contribution, however, has been as a wife and mother of four children, three of whom attended and graduated from Iowa State University two with Ph.Ds. More recently she's become the grandmother to five children. (Her grandchildren-and children-say she makes the best cherry pie.) Yet she has found time to contribute meaningfully to a variety of health-oriented and other community service activities, which she found significant and challenging. She has been and is a tremendously positive influence and source of strength stability and quality of life for her family her church community as well as frequently on a statewide basis. by Carlyle J. Gauger ---------------------- I am honoring Dorothy Clark Gauger.

There are many ways to be a heroine. She lives a life as a quiet heroine having an impact on others all along the way. In an era when it was not a cultural norm, she served an example of an intelligent individual who was interested not only in her family's welfare but also in national and international issues. She describes herself as "just a housewife" and yet out of her curiosity follows state and national legislative debates and reads major publications on business and global politics. She quietly demonstrates that women can be curious about economics, politics and global issues. My interest in economics is due to her early example that these issues are interesting and important both to women and men. She continues to show that women can simultaneously have talents directed internally to her family and externally to the world around her. Today such role models for young people may be abundant. As a young mother in the late 1950s and early 1960s, she was ahead of her time. Throughout her life she has given her energies to make a difference for people in her community and state. Although she does not like the spotlight of attention, she will step past her discomfort and give her abilities to address community and state issues. People have said to me, "When Dorothy Gauger says something in a meeting people listen to her," and I believe it. Many have benefited from her resourcefulness, intelligence and spirit of service to the community. When life threw her a challenge, she stood up to meet the challenge with strength, dignity and courage. She stood as an example to others and provided service to others in similar circumstances. When called for, this woman of grace and dignity has also demonstrated an ability to challenge institutionalized ways of doing things. With resourcefulness (and some spunk), she has given her time and energy to question the bureaucracy, find a creative solution and work persistently to make it reality. I am honoring Dorothy Clark Gauger for the life she lives every day.

In ways she does not recognize she has made a difference to so many people along the way. She is an important example to others and a true quiet heroine. by Jean Gauger She passed away on July 24, 2006 (a day after her 90th b-day).

4/2/08