Pat and Ira Gruber and Family Visit University Libraries

(L-R) Anna Koester, Jack Koester,
Dean of University Libraries Rosann Bazijrian,
Will Koester, Pat Gruber, Ira Gruber, Caroline Koester

Pat Sanderford Gruber (’51) and husband Ira live in Texas, so they don’t visit UNCG’s University Libraries every day.  As a student at Woman’s College who majored in English, however, Pat spent a lot of time in Jackson Library, and her love for the libraries at her alma mater remains.   She reminisced about the libraries during a recent visit, and enjoyed remembering that Jackson Library had just opened when she went to school here. 

With her husband, daughter Anna and her husband Jack Koester, and grandchildren Will and Caroline, Mrs. Gruber also enjoyed seeing the dormitories where she had lived, and the transformation of what had been her library study carrel into the present-day Reference Services area.  Mrs. Gruber’s mother, Mildred Butler Sanderford, was a member of the class of 1927, and her sisters graduated in 1952 and 1955.

After completing her studies here, Mrs. Gruber earned a master’s degree at Duke, where she met her husband, who was earning his Ph.D. in History.  They eventually settled in Texas, where Ira taught history for 45 years are Rice University., and wrote several books while specializing in the American Revolutionary War period.  He is now Professor Emeritus of History at Rice.

Together the Grubers have made a planned gift of a Discretionary Endowment to benefit the University Libraries at UNCG.  Purposes for which funds might be used include but are not limited to acquiring new books for the general or Special Collections and University Archives, subscriptions, facility upgrades, software upgrades, and speaker and program activities.