{{Short description|American politician (1952–2025)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | image = Martin Graber.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2023 | 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 Graber | 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 serving<ref>legis.iowa.gov</ref> District 100 at the time of his death.
==Education and early career== Graber was born on June 3, 1952, in Donnellson, Iowa.<ref name=obit>{{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}}</ref> He was raised there and attended Central Lee High School.<ref name="dgcmar2020"/> 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.<ref name="dgcmar2020"/> Graber served 32 years in the National Guard,<ref name="dgcoct2020"/> retiring with the rank of brigadier general within the Iowa National Guard.<ref name="dgcmar2020"/> During Operation Desert Storm, Graber was deployed to Germany.<ref name="pcc"/> At other times during his military career, he served with the 224th Engineer Battalion and at Camp Dodge.<ref name="pcc">{{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}}</ref> From 1980 to 1991, Graber was a manager within the human resources department of the Dial Corporation.<ref name="dgcoct2020"/><ref name="dgcmar2020"/> From 1991, he worked for Ameriprise Financial Service in Fort Madison, Iowa, as a financial adviser.<ref name="dgcoct2020"/><ref name="dgcmar2020"/>
==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.<ref name="dgcoct2020">{{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}}</ref><ref name="dgcmar2020">{{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}}</ref> Graber filed for the Republican nomination for District 83 of the Iowa House of Representatives in March 2020,<ref name="dgcmar2020"/> and defeated incumbent legislator Jeff Kurtz in the November 2020 general elections.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref>
==Personal life and death== Graber and his wife, Coni, had two children.<ref name = DMR>{{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}}</ref> He died in Fort Madison, Iowa, on January 31, 2025, at the age of 72.<ref name = DMR/><ref name=obit/>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Graber, Martin}} Category:1952 births Category:2025 deaths 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 Category:United States Army War College alumni Category:University of Iowa alumni