REFERENCE TITLE: death resolution; Grant Woods

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-fifth Legislature

Second Regular Session

2022

HCR 2030

Introduced by

Representatives Quiñonez: Abraham, Bolding, Bowers, Chávez, Cook, Dalessandro, DeGrazia, Fernandez B, Fillmore, Hernandez A, Hernandez D, Hernandez M, Jermaine, Liguori, Longdon, Mathis, Meza, Pawlik, Shah, Sierra

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

On the death of grant woods.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

J. Grant Woods, former Arizona Attorney General and long-time public servant, died on October 23, 2021 at the age of sixty-seven.

Born in Elk City, Oklahoma on May 19, 1954, Grant Woods graduated from Mesa's Westwood High School and Los Angeles's Occidental College before going on to attend the Arizona State University College of Law. After graduating in 1979, he began his lengthy public service as the first chief of staff for then-Congressman John McCain. He went on to become a partner at a Mesa law firm before embarking on his own political career in 1990 when he ran for, and won, the race for state attorney general.

Campaigning on civil rights issues, including supporting a state Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday and opposing an English-only ballot measure, Grant Woods distinguished himself as a dedicated public servant and advocate for the everyday person. During his two terms in office, he was a leading attorney in negotiating a national, multibillion-dollar settlement with the tobacco industry over cigarette-related health dangers. His peers named him the top attorney general in the country in 1995.

During his time in office, Grant Woods hosted a weekly talk radio show and, even after he stepped down due to term limits, he remained on the airwaves and active in state politics even as he worked in his private law practice. He was appointed special prosecutor in several high-profile cases and served as campaign manager for Governor Jan Brewer. Outspoken and intelligent, Grant Woods prioritized state and country over politics, and he frequently crossed party lines to support candidates and causes that aligned with his values. His love for Arizona, commitment to bettering the world around him and hard work throughout decades of public service earned him the respect and admiration of his peers on both sides of the political aisle.

Despite the demands of his career, Grant Woods gave freely of his time and efforts to community organizations and to the music, arts and sports that he loved so much. He was a founder of the Mesa Boys & Girls Club, the Mesa Education Foundation and the Mesa Arts Academy. Creative and expressive, he was active in the arts himself over the years and wrote screenplays, songs, a children's book and a novel.

Grant Woods was a dedicated and loving husband to Marlene for over thirty years and a proud and active father to his five children, Austin, Lauren, Cole, Dylan and Ava. He will be greatly missed by his family, his many friends and his colleagues and peers throughout the State of Arizona.

Therefore

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring:

That the Members of the Legislature express regret at the passing of Grant Woods and extend their deepest condolences to his surviving family members.