Representative John Grotberg

John E. Grotberg (March 21, 1925 – November 15, 1986) was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois, serving from January 3, 1985, until his death in 1986. A resident of St. Charles, Illinois, and a member of the Republican Party, he served one term in Congress and contributed to the legislative process during a significant period in American history, representing the interests of his constituents in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Grotberg was born in Winnebago, Minnesota, the fourth of eight children of Bernard and Sophie (née Weir) Grotberg, and he grew up in Valley City, North Dakota. His early life in the Upper Midwest shaped his appreciation for community and public service, and he developed an early interest in music that would influence both his first career and his later civic activities. During World War II he served in the United States military, an experience later reflected in the full military honors accorded at his burial, though his wartime service did not immediately lead him into politics.

Before entering public office, Grotberg pursued a career in music and business. He began as a singer with The Muny (the Municipal Opera Association) in St. Louis and also performed in Chicago, establishing himself as a capable vocalist and stage performer. He later managed the Men’s Shop at the YMCA Hotel in Chicago, where his responsibilities expanded into public relations for the hotel. His success in these roles led to his appointment as corporate Director of Financial Development for the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago. While working full time, he completed his college education at George Williams College, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 1961. Afterward, he worked for the newly opened Pheasant Run Lodge and Resort in St. Charles and performed in its lounge with his wife, Jean. He went on to become owner and president of John E. Grotberg and Associates, Financial Development Consultants, and served as general manager of the Hotel Baker, then operated as a retirement home by Lutheran Social Services of Illinois.

From 1955 onward, Grotberg made his home in St. Charles, Illinois, where he became deeply involved in civic, charitable, and cultural affairs. An enthusiastic supporter of the fine arts, he remained active in musical and theatrical enterprises and used his talents and organizational skills to benefit the community. Among his notable civic accomplishments were the founding of the Tri-City Youth Project for Geneva, Batavia, and St. Charles—now known as TriCity Family Services—which provided companionship and constructive activities for area youth, and the establishment of the Fox Valley Volunteer Hospice, reflecting his concern for the needs and dignity of the ill and infirm. His community leadership and visibility in local organizations helped lay the groundwork for his later political career.

Grotberg left his private-sector work to enter politics in 1973. That year he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives, where he served two terms from 1973 to 1977. In 1976 he won election to the Illinois Senate, defeating Democrat James M. Thomas, the mayor of Ottawa, in the general election. He served in the Illinois Senate from 1977 to 1985, rising in influence within the Republican caucus and serving as Assistant Republican Leader during his last four years in the chamber. As a ranking Republican in the Illinois legislature, he developed a reputation for diligence and party leadership, positioning himself for federal office when an open congressional seat became available.

In November 1984, Grotberg was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from a heavily Republican district in Illinois, taking office on January 3, 1985. During his tenure in the 99th Congress, he served on the Committee on Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs and the Committee on Small Business. His legislative work included an amendment to the Department of Defense authorization bill urging the armed forces to “use domestic equipment when entertaining in federal buildings,” a measure prompted by his observation of a Yamaha piano being used by the Navy Choir at the U.S. Capitol. He also played a central role in the enactment of Public Law 99-202, designating “Save for the USA Year,” which led to the largest volume of U.S. savings bond sales in several decades. In advancing this legislation, he worked across party lines; Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur of Ohio later recounted how, as a sophomore member of the House, she and freshman Representative Grotberg walked unannounced into Senator Strom Thurmond’s office to seek his help in moving the savings bond bill through the Senate. Senator Thurmond agreed, Senator Robert Dole scheduled the bill for floor consideration the next day, and on December 16, 1985, just four days after House passage, the Senate approved it and President Ronald Reagan signed it into law.

Throughout much of his political career, Grotberg battled cancer, undergoing experimental treatments at the National Institutes of Health that later became standard therapies in the United States and abroad. As a pioneer patient in these protocols, he contributed to advances in medical treatment even as he continued his public service. In January 1986 he became incapacitated by the effects of his experimental treatment and was unable to function in his official capacities. He remained on the ballot through the March 1986 primary so that Republican county chairmen in the district could subsequently select a new nominee. This arrangement prompted a protest candidacy by 26-year-old WLKB (DeKalb, Illinois) radio program director Mark Powell, who, after learning of the plan from State Representative John Countryman, ran as a Republican write-in candidate for Congress against the incapacitated incumbent. Powell’s campaign, publicized through radio advertising across the district, protested the decision to deny rank-and-file voters a direct role in choosing the Republican nominee. Following the primary, Grotberg stepped down as the Republican candidate because of his deteriorating health, and Republican leaders in Illinois’s 14th congressional district selected State Representative Dennis Hastert to replace him on the ticket. Hastert went on to defeat Democratic candidate Mary Lou Kearns, the Kane County coroner, by an unusually narrow margin for the typically Republican district.

John E. Grotberg died at his home in St. Charles, Illinois, on November 15, 1986, from bronchial pneumonia and colon cancer, while still serving in Congress. He was survived by his wife and five children. Following a funeral service at Baker Memorial Methodist Church in St. Charles, where he had long been a member and regular soloist, he was buried in Union Cemetery with full military honors. The inscription on his monument reads, “Husband, Father, Statesman, Friend – He was here!” His death came just four months after that of fellow Illinois Republican Congressman George M. O’Brien, who also succumbed to cancer, and he is listed among the members of the United States Congress who died in office between 1950 and 1999.

In his personal life, Grotberg was married twice. He married Edith Henderson in 1947; the marriage ended in 1962. In 1963 he married Elizabeth Jean Shierling, known as Jean, with whom he remained until his death in 1986. He was the father of five children and maintained close ties to his family alongside his public commitments. His legacy in the Fox Valley region is reflected in several honors bearing his name. The Fox Valley Volunteer Hospice established the John Grotberg Legacy Society to recognize his dedication to compassionate care for the ill and infirm. On August 18, 1987, the United States Post Office Building in St. Charles, Illinois, was designated the John E. Grotberg Post Office Building. In addition, the Fox Valley chapter of VietNow named its center in Batavia the John E. Grotberg Community Veterans Center, commemorating his service to veterans and the broader community.