Written by Jane Schorer Meisner
When Des Moines residents reflect on community leaders who have died since 2003, there’s reason for pause—but not for despair. Many of them “had the foresight to open up the table and let younger people come to meetings and participate,” says Steve Chapman, president and CEO of Ruan Transportation Management Systems Inc. “They taught people in my generation early on what it really meant to give back.”
The following is a tribute to some of Greater Des Moines’ most exemplary civic benefactors who’ve died in the past decade. Their contributions have shaped, and will continue to influence, the community in areas such as arts and culture, downtown development, social services, education, government and philanthropy.
Monroe Colston
Died August 2011 at age 78
Monroe Colston retired as president of the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines (CFGDM). Known as a nonconfrontational civil rights leader, he was the first African-American to join the Wakonda Club, serve on the Bankers Trust Co. board and buy a house in Urbandale. He was a member of the Iowa African-American Hall of Fame.
“A person of modest means, Monroe Colston did not leave his imprint on buildings or monuments,” says Johnny Danos, a close friend of Colston’s and a former CFGDM president. “Rather, he imprinted through example, civility and respect in the consciousness of our community.”
Colston’s “presence was calming,” says former Polk County Supervisor E.J. Giovannetti, adding that Colston had a way of making people feel he truly was concerned about them: “Every time we talked, I left with the feeling that he gave a damn. He cared.”
Mo Dana
Died November 2006 at age 52
Mo Dana trained horses for prominent East Coast families before she became executive director of the Des Moines Arts Festival in 1998. She moved the event into the national spotlight; under her guidance, attendance jumped from about 20,000 to nearly 200,000. Over the years, the festival’s attendance, number of artists, and activities and events have continued to grow.
“Mo had passion for life and for whatever she dedicated herself to,” says her friend Beth Cross, president and CEO of Sigler Cos. in Ames. “She also was witty, honest and direct and challenged those around her to think differently and think big. Mo did not settle for mediocrity. Mo was tenacious and worked hard to achieve her goals.”
To Dana, the Des Moines Arts Festival was the catalyst for changing perceptions about Des Moines, Cross adds. “The fact that it continues to be a premier event … is a tribute to her.”
John Fitzgibbon
Died March 2008 at age 85
John Fitzgibbon, a longtime CEO of Iowa-Des Moines National Bank (now Wells Fargo Bank), is often called the driving force behind much of the renovation of downtown Des Moines. He helped raise millions of dollars to build the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines and Nollen Plaza and spearheaded construction of the J.C. Penney building. He also served on the Iowa Board of Regents, the Capitol Planning Commission and the Des Moines Airport Commission.
H. Lynn Horak, retired chairman and CEO of Wells Fargo Bank in Iowa, calls Fitzgibbon one of the best leaders he has ever known. “When things needed to get done, everyone turned to John because he had the connections and the ability to not only organize people to come to a consensus about what needed to be done, but he also had the capability to get people to step up and make significant commitments,” Horak says.
James W. Hubbell Jr.
Died April 2009 at age 86
James W. Hubbell Jr. was a great-grandson of the founder of Equitable Life Insurance Company of Iowa, where Hubbell worked for 47 years and retired as chairman. As president of the Greater Des Moines Committee, he oversaw numerous significant civic ventures; and as a leader of the Hubbell family, he oversaw the donation of its mansion, Terrace Hill, to the state of Iowa to serve as the governor’s residence. Over the years, he was involved in many of the city’s major developments.
“Jim was extremely passionate about the city of Des Moines” says Rick Tollakson, president and CEO of Hubbell Realty Co. “He was involved in some of the major transformations of downtown. The biggest thing is that he didn’t just talk about change. He had a vision for where he wanted things to go, and he really helped make it happen.”
David Kruidenier
Died January 2006 at age 84
Elizabeth Kruidenier
Died October 2011 at age 85
David Kruidenier was former chairman and CEO of the Des Moines Register and Tribune Co. and Cowles Media Co. He was instrumental in the development and expansion of the Des Moines Art Center and in the construction of the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines, Nollen Plaza and the Simon Estes Amphitheater. He also was a key figure in the construction of the Central Library and Forest Avenue
Library and in the renovation of Gray’s Lake Park.
Elizabeth Kruidenier earned her law degree from Drake University at age 47 and became a senior partner in a law firm. An early feminist, she was a founding member of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission and worked with the League of Women Voters, Planned Parenthood and the National Organization for Women.
Despite their social and civic prominence, the Kruideniers were “earthy and warm-hearted,” says freelance reporter and author Beverly A. Rivera Davis, who worked with the couple on their memoirs. “It is not their enormous contributions or personal accomplishments that stir my memories of David and Liz, but rather, their enormous capacity to embrace life in all its complexities and contradictions.”
Their charitable contributions were a team effort. “While David publicly spearheaded most of their philanthropic projects, they talked about every project in detail,” Davis says. “He rarely made a major decision without consulting Liz first. They only wanted the people of Des Moines and the generations to come to make good use of the many gifts they left behind.”
Maddie Levitt
Died November 2007 at age 82
Madelyn Levitt, granddaughter of the founder of the loan company that became Dial Finance Co. and later Wells Fargo Financial Inc., was a philanthropist, volunteer and fundraiser extraordinaire. In 1961, she started Planned Parenthood of Iowa’s book sale, and in the mid-1980s, she was the first woman to head the annual campaign for United Way of Central Iowa. She also served on many local boards and donated millions of dollars to a number of causes, particularly Drake University.
“Maddie was my mentor in giving,” says Mary Stier, book author and CEO of The Brilliance Group. “She taught me three lessons. When it comes to philanthropy, find something you are passionate about, provide the leadership that only you can give and write the biggest check you can. I loved that about Maddie. She was passionate, unique and, above all, generous.”
Sister Stella Neill
Died December 2010 at age 68
Known as “Sister Stella,” Estella Marie Neill in 1987 founded the nonprofit Anawim Housing to serve low-income Des Moines families. Since then, the organization has invested more than $22 million to develop housing and by the end of 2013 will own or manage more than 550 units.
“Sister Stella was completely dedicated in her desire to assist mainly single mothers in finding housing,” says Mary Nelson, vice president of Kemin Industries Inc. and an Anawim board member.
“She was smart and driven,” adds longtime Anawim board member Loree Miles. “She was very warm with a great sense of humor, but when it came to her mission, she was all business. She did not ‘wear’ her religious calling; rather she ‘worked’ it. She truly believed that one of the best ways to improve the lives of the poor was to provide them decent and affordable housing. She worked that from every angle.”
Marvin Pomerantz
Died August 2008 at age 78
Marvin Pomerantz, a prominent Des Moines businessman and Republican Party insider, played an influential role in Iowa education. He served as president of the Iowa Board of Regents, helped influence passage of the statewide local option sales tax, lobbied for higher teacher salaries and donated millions of dollars to the University of Iowa.
“Marvin Pomerantz truly cared about education,” says journalist and Iowa Cubs owner Michael Gartner. “He was a back-room politician—and not always a gentle one—but a front-room leader in education, fighting for kids from preschoolers to collegians. In the area of education, he used his political clout well.”
Pomerantz had extraordinary instincts, adds attorney Steven Zumbach. “He was one of the best strategic thinkers I have ever met. He was generous with his time and generous with his money. And he helped thousands of people in his lifetime.”
John Ruan
Died February 2010 at age 96
John Ruan built his trucking business into one of the largest family-owned transportation companies in the nation. Along the way, he transformed the streetscape—and the skyline—of downtown Des Moines, building the landmark Ruan Center and Two Ruan Center and supporting development of the Des Moines Marriott Downtown, Locust Mall, the skywalk system and Nollen Plaza. He also spearheaded formation of the World Food Prize Foundation.
“John Ruan was the most tenacious person I’ve ever met,” says journalist and Iowa Cubs owner Michael Gartner. “He never let go of an idea or a project—be it for his company, his community or the world. He started with a dump truck and worked tirelessly to build a great and successful enterprise, but that is not his legacy. His legacies are a family, children and grandchildren, who are helping to guide this community, and the World Food Prize, which is helping to feed the world.”
Elaine Szymoniak
Died May 2009 at age 88
Elaine Szymoniak—a mother of five—spent more than 30 years assisting people with disabilities through the state Vocational Rehabilitation Agency. She served 11 years on the Des Moines City Council; when she was elected, she was the only woman on the council. She then served 12 years in the Iowa Senate, where she became respected for her leadership in the areas of health, education and human services. Szymoniak also served on the board of directors for the Chrysalis Foundation and was inducted into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame in 1999.
“She was an outstanding person,” says Betty Grandquist, former director of the Iowa Department of Elder Affairs, who worked with Szymoniak during her Senate career. “If the women’s movement would have started 10 years earlier, I think Elaine would have been Iowa’s first woman governor – and she would have been great.”
