10 things about New Hartford, Iowa native Chuck Grassley

Charles Ernest “Chuck” Grassley was born in New Hartford, Butler County, Iowa, United States to Louis Arthur Grassley and Ruth Genevieve Corwin Grassley. Louis was born in Michigan City, Indiana, USA to Gottholt Grassley and Bertha Waak Grassley while Ruth was born in Grundy County, Iowa to George Washington Corwn and Italene G. Moffitt Corwin.

Chuck has two brothers namely Louis Arthur “Bud” Grassley Jr. and Kenneth Eugene “Gene” Grassley and two sisters namely Lois Elaine Grassley and Bertha Genevieve “Bunny” Grassley. Bud was a U.S. Marine Corps corporal who served during World War II.

BIOGRAPHY

Chuck is an American politician who is a member of the Republican Party. Here are 10 more things about him:

1. In 1951, he graduated from New Hartford Community High School in New Hartford.
2. In 1954, he married Barbara Speicher Grassley.
3. He graduated from Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, Iowa with a bachelor’s degree in 1955 and a master’s degree in political science in 1956.
4. From 1959 to 1975, he represented parts of Butler County in the Iowa House of Representatives.
5. From 1967 to 1968, he taught at Charles City College in Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa.
6. From January 3, 1975 to January 3, 1981, he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa’s third district.
7. He was elected as a U.S. senator from Iowa in 1980 and reelected in 1986, 1992, 1998, 2004, 2010, 2016 and 2022.
8. From January 3, 2019 to January 20, 2021, he was president pro tempore of the U.S. Senate.
9. From January 20, 2021 to January 3, 2025, he was president pro tempore emeritus of the U.S. Senate.
10. On September 17, 2024, he turned 91.

TIMELINE

Raised on a farm, Chuck farmed and worked in factories in Iowa in the 1950s as a sheet metal shearer and an assembly line worker. He and Barbara have five children together.

1940s

• On December 14, 1941, his sister Bunny married Edward D. Wiegmann in Cedar Falls.

1950s

• In August 1952, Barbara gave birth to their son Lee Grassley.
• His brother Bud turned 28 on November 28, 1954 and died on August 6, 1955.
• On August 16, 1955, his sister Lois married Don West in Cedar Falls.
• In March 1956, Barbara gave birth to their daughter Wendy Grassley.

1960s

• His father turned 67 on October 9, 1959 and died in New Hartford on February 15, 1960.
• In October 1960, Barbara gave birth to their daughter Robin Lynn Grassley.
• In September 1964, Barbara gave birth to their daughter Michele Grassley.
• In February 1967, Barbara gave birth to their son Jay Grassley.

1970s

• His mother turned 76 on November 17, 1973 and died in Cedar Falls on May 25, 1974.

1980s

• In October 1983, he voted against establishing a legal holiday to commemorate the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.

1990s

• In January 1991, he and Oregon, USA’s Mark Hatfield were the only two Republican senators who voted against joining the international coalition to force Iraq out of Kuwait.

2000s

• His brother Gene turned 61 on December 11, 2001 and died in Iowa City, Iowa on December 23, 2001.
• His sister Lois turned 69 on May 10, 2006 and died in Rochester, Minnesota, USA on September 30, 2006.

2010s

• His sister Bunny turned 91 on January 9, 2014 and died in the city on February 3, 2014.

2020s

• On January 3, 2025, he became president pro tempore of the U.S. Senate again.