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Zack Gramlich: Faith in Office

State representative weaves faith into public service

Published: August 31, 2023   

By Arkansas Catholic Staff

Courtesy Rep. Zack Gramlich

District 50 Rep. Zack Gramlich, pictured with wife Bonnie and daughter Tiffany, takes the oath of office at Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock Jan. 9.

Courtesy Rep. Zack Gramlich

District 50 Rep. Zack Gramlich, pictured with wife Bonnie and daughter Tiffany, takes the oath of office at Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock Jan. 9.

How do you de-stress?

“I like to be outdoors fishing, hunting or hiking. I take a 15-minute break and say the rosary. I began my first term as a state representative when my daughter was only 17 days old, and I missed my wife and baby so much. I didn’t realize how much of a sacrifice the job would be, or how hard it would be coming home to an empty room at night. Prayer and knowing I was making a difference for Arkansas families helped.”

FORT SMITH

Zack Gramlich, 30, is a middle school science teacher, first-term District 50 state representative, husband to Bonnie and father to eight-month-old Tiffany. 

He is a lifelong St. Boniface parishioner, and both he and his daughter were baptized in the same baptismal font as his grandfather in the 1940s. 

“My grandfather taught me a lot about God, life and relationships,” he said. “I still drive his truck, a 2008 Dodge Ram, and carry his Bible with me.”  

Gramlich has a master’s degree in educational leadership and is a graduate of Leadership Fort Smith. He has volunteered as a Eucharistic minister and sacristan at St. Boniface and hopes to step up more as his daughter gets a little older.

“When I was first approached about running for the state legislature, I had to discuss this move with my wife,” he said. “We are both serious about being pro-family, and we want to raise our children in a pro-life, pro-family state. When I began my campaign, we did not know that we would be parents ourselves by Christmas. My wife and my faith helped me to balance my own family’s needs with my legislative responsibilities and give my best to both.”

More stories will appear in our 15 Young Adults Who Inspire Us 2023 Section as they are posted online. Subscribe to Arkansas Catholic’s digital and print publications to read more content like this.

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