Gift Will Extend Family’s Grinnell Legacy

A longtime Grinnell connection will have a lasting impact on the College through an estate gift from William Gruenwald ’42 and his wife, Joan. Their gift, expected to total  $11 million, will support Grinnell’s endowment, providing resources that can benefit the College and its students for generations to come.

“The Gruenwald gift is one of the largest gifts in the history of the College. In its generosity and lasting positive impact, it will support academic excellence and access to the nationally recognized educational experience of Grinnell College for generations of Grinnellians. It is truly humbling when generous people like William and Joan remember Grinnell College in their estate plans with a gift of this magnitude,” says President Anne F. Harris. 

A Grinnell family 

William, who was born in Davenport, graduated from Grinnell in 1942 with a degree in political science and a minor in economics. His connection to the College was part of a broader family tradition: His brother, James Gruenwald ’40, sister, Ruth Gruenwald Ridling ’45, and sister-in-law, Miriam Gruenwald ’43, also attended Grinnell.

During his time on campus, William participated in men’s government and student council, contributed to the humor magazine Zephyr, played golf, and lived in Smith Hall. He also employed as a work-study student, sweeping the loggia, making beds in the residence halls, and working in the dining hall.

After Grinnell, William pursued graduate work in government administration at the University of Denver and the University of California. He began his career as a survey analyst for the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Denver before spending 30 years as a supervisory accountant at the U.S. Army Armament and Ammunition Command at Rock Arsenal, Illinois. He served in the Army’s 128th Combat Engineers in the European Theater during World War II from 1942 to 1946.

William and Joan, who was also from Davenport, married in 1965 and spent much of their lives in the Quad Cities. Joan worked for 35 years in shareholder relations at Iowa-Illinois Gas and Electric Company, retiring in 1986. She died in 2025 at age 94. William died in 1993 at age 73.

“The Gruenwald family has a remarkable legacy at Grinnell,” says Buddy Boulton, director of planned giving in Grinnell’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations. “By making this extremely meaningful gift to the College, William and Joan have added another wonderful chapter to the Gruenwald family’s Grinnell story.”

A gift with enduring adaptation

This planned gift represents a landmark investment in the College and will provide lasting support through the endowment. Because unrestricted endowment funds are not tied to a particular program or purpose, the College can direct this support to areas of greatest priority and emerging innovation. In this way, the endowment helps balance the needs of today’s students with those of future generations, creating a strong and exciting stable, long-term source of support for Grinnell.

“William and Joan were both born in Iowa. They both lived and worked in Iowa. The way they are supporting higher education in Iowa is something we are extremely grateful for. We will honor their philanthropy for many years to come,” Harris says. “Theirs is a legacy of alums who valued their education so highly that they were inspired to ensure that others would have the same opportunity for generations to come.”