Remembering Grant Woods: Mayor of Mesa, John Giles, shares memories of Mesa-native

And we conclude our remembrance of Grant Woods with Mesa Mayor John Giles, who joined us to share “his” memories of fellow Mesa-native Grant Woods.

“My first memory of Grant Woods was when I was a first year law student at ASU law school and I was…struggling to find a job for the summer and I interviewed with Grant Woods and not because I was that outstanding but I think because I was an alumni of Westwood high school as was he,” Giles said.

He continued that, “he hired me for that summer and I split my time working for Congressman John McCain and the law office of Grant Woods. So, that would’ve been 1984.”

“Grant Woods was a real states-man, a real one-of-a-kind. Someone who I think loved public service, loved the greater good of the community and was un-selfish enough to subject himself to all the baggage that comes with serving in the community,” Giles said.

Giles explained that Woods was neither a strong Republican nor strong Democrat he, “was not a partisan fellow. He kind of called it like he saw it. He’s not one of those politicians that would during a Primary run to the right or to the left and then try to reclaim the middle… he was always true to who he was.”

Giles shared more about the relationship between Woods and McCain, “I think they both very much mutually benefited from each other.”

He continued that McCain was new to the state and hitching his name alongside Woods was very beneficial and vice versa.

Woods was involved in many different things, “he was a renaissance man…if you go to a Phoenix Suns game or a Diamondbacks game, you’re like to see Grant Woods, “Giles said.