Garritt Roelofs

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Garritt E. Roelofs (June 6, 1900 – November 21, 1976) was an American educator, newspaper founder, and politician.

Early life
- Born in Prinsburg, Minnesota, to Dutch-descended parents Evert Jans Roelofs and Jessie de Vries.
- Grew up in Prinsburg, then moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan for schooling.
- Attended Calvin Preparatory School and Calvin College, graduating in 1918 and 1921, respectively.
- Studied at the University of Minnesota in 1919 and the University of Michigan in 1922.

Career in education and media
- Principal at a Christian grammar school in Edgerton, Minnesota.
- Taught English at a Christian school in Holland, Michigan.
- Spent eight years at Western Academy in Hull, Iowa, four of them as principal.
- Founded the Sioux Center News in 1930 and served as editor and publisher.

Public service career
- Served in the Iowa Senate for District 49 from January 9, 1933, to January 10, 1937, as a Republican.
- Became the first director of the Iowa State Unemployment Compensation Commission (later the State Employment Security Service).
- Worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture as North Central Regional Information Officer starting in 1938.
- Advised on agricultural rationing and pricing policies for the Office of Price Administration in 1943.
- Worked as a civilian consultant on natural resources for Douglas MacArthur during the occupation of Japan for four years.
- Returned to Japan in 1952 as a public affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo.
- After public service, visited India with the Rockefeller Foundation and Burma with Robert R. Nathan Associates.
- Joined the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in 1960 and was sent on a two-year tour of Colombia; later spent time in the Netherlands and over three years in Uganda.

Later life and legacy
- Retired in 1968, living in Washington, D.C., for two years before returning to Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1970.
- Died of a heart ailment in Grand Rapids on November 21, 1976, at age 76.
- Calvin University holds a collection of his papers.