A dedicated health professional in Story County is hanging it up after nearly 50 years of service.

Dr. John Kluge was recognized at a Story County Board of Health meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 6, retiring after serving the board for 49 years.

Kluge piloted the Iowa State University Pathology Department in the College of Veterinary Medicine from 1986 to 2001 and was one of the first local employees of the National Animal Disease Center.

He joined the local health commission in 1974, one year after moving to Story County. Serving his community as a health leader was important to Kluge, even if he never expected to stay as long as he did.

“I wanted to join the board for the opportunity to see different things and help people,” Kluge said. “You need to pay back to your community.”

Current and past board members took a moment to thank Kluge for his many years of service to Story County on Dec. 5.

Former board chair and Story County Supervisor Jane Halliburton was one of several individuals proud to have served alongside Kluge. Halliburton said he saw major changes throughout his time on the board and was a key player in the guidance process.

“John Kluge has been the lynchpin for the board of health for many, many years,” Halliburton said. “He has been that common thread that has helped us through.”

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Medicine studies lead to great opportunities

Kluge was raised in Missouri and attended the University of Missouri Columbia for his degree in veterinary medicine. Kluge always had an affinity for being a veterinarian, dating back to his junior high days when he worked at a local vet clinic.

He worked his way through vet school in a microbiology department, and from there Kluge’s interests expanded.

“That was the time infectious diseases where very important,” Kluge said. “I worked on research projects, and then I got interested in pathology.”

Kluge arrived in Story County in 1973 when the National Animal Disease Center opened. He got his master’s degree at the University of Iowa. Kluge was allowed to study at George Washington University in Washington D.C. while working for the USDA, where he earned his Ph.D. in pathology.

The opportunity to study at two of the best pathology programs in the country was an opportunity Kluge was happy to jump on, and he has found memories of his time at medical school.

Kluge returned to the NADC in Story County before teaching at ISU. He was the Chair of the Pathology Department for 15 years and found himself doing a lot of international work for both entities.

“That experience and that learning has been shared and passed on whenever appropriate,” Halliburton said. “We are indeed fortunate to have access to that kind of leadership.”

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Witnessing Story County’s evolution in care

Kluge remembers how underwhelming county health regulations were when he first joined the board.

“We had no regulations in the county when I started except for the ones for wells and septic tanks,” Kluge said. “Pool inspection, tattoo parlors, tanning, salons, checking vaccinations in schools, we had none of that. I think we’re a lot better off now.”

Story County Public Health initially had one public health nurse working and managing all the operations when Kluge arrived. He has seen the organization evolve through several name changes and additional services.

The evolution continued with the recent renovation of the Story County Medical Center in 2017 and additional plans to expand and relocate Story County Medical Senior Care services.

Kluge has been an instrumental part of Story County’s health board for almost five decades, from planting the seeds of Story County’s current services to providing education and facilitating growth. Though he looks forward to enjoying his retirement, Kluge said he will miss keeping track of things from his board chair.

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Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Story County health leader recognized for 49 years of service