Wayne Andrew Gruber

The Honorable Wayne A. Gruber lived a life marked by service, faith, laughter, friendship, adventure, and, above all, love for his family. 

Though Wayne was born and raised in New Jersey, Arkansas became his adopted-and-beloved-home. He embraced Arkansas wholeheartedly, building a life and a career here and becoming deeply woven into the community he was proud to call his own. He never lost his Jersey roots, but over the years, there was no question that Arkansas had captured his heart. As one piece of proof, he loved the Razorbacks with the loyalty that only an Arkansan can. A lousy record was never enough to diminish his enthusiasm. 

Wayne dedicated much of his life to the law and public service. After earning his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Arkansas and his Juris Doctorate from the Bowen School of Law, he practiced law for 20 years before being elected Pulaski County District Judge and taking the bench in 2001. He served in that capacity for more than two decades, retiring in 2024. 

His career was distinguished, but Wayne never defined himself solely by his profession. He was a person who genuinely liked people and people genuinely liked him. He was friendly, warm, and outgoing, with an extraordinary ability to make nearly everyone he met feel like an old friend. To Wayne, a stranger was simply a friend he had not yet gotten to know. He could strike up a conversation anywhere, and before long, that person would feel as though they had known him forever. 

His sense of humor was equally unmistakable. Wayne was, at heart, a kid who happened to grow older. He loved a silly joke, a good laugh, and the kind of harmless mischief that kept life fun. He might turn a quiet moment into a game of basketball in the house in his socks or deliver a joke so corny that everyone had no choice but to laugh. His playfulness was not something he ever outgrew, and it was one of the qualities that made being around him so fun. 

Wayne was also an avid runner. Running was more than exercise for him; it was a challenge, a discipline, and an adventure. He ran numerous marathons over the years, demonstrating the same determination and persistence that characterized so much of his life. 

In later years, some of his favorite exercise was much closer to home. Wayne and Rita lived on a lake, and they made a daily ritual of walking around it together. Those walks became part of the rhythm of their lives—a chance to get outside, talk, see their neighbors, and enjoy the place they called home. They knew everyone around the lake, and everyone seemed to know them. Wayne’s friendliness, and his habit of stopping to talk to friends and strangers alike, made him well known enough that one neighbor gave him the nickname of the “Mayor of Lake #3.” 

Wayne’s faith was an important part of his life. His faith was genuine and deeply meaningful to him, and he especially valued sharing it with Rita. They attended Lakewood United Methodist Church and Community Bible Study together, which provided them with an opportunity to not only study Scripture, but to grow in faith and fellowship alongside others. Wayne treasured his faith community and the time he and Rita spent there together. 

Wayne loved to read, too—even if he was not always particularly interested in reaching the final chapter. Wayne could happily start a new book before finishing the one already sitting on his nightstand. He loved the idea of a good book almost as much as the book itself. 

And then there was the martini. Wayne enjoyed a good Stoli vodka martini and was, to put it mildly, particular about how it was prepared and served—with a whisper of vermouth, shaken not stirred, with the shaker and ice on the side. If the restaurant could get it right, it won his adoration and he would nurse that one cocktail all night. 

Travel brought him tremendous happiness. He loved seeing new places, but he also loved returning to the places that had become special to him and his family. Seagrove Beach was among his favorites. These were places where he could relax, enjoy the beauty around him, spend time with people he loved, and simply savor life. 

But of all the roles Wayne held in his life, husband, father and grandfather, were the ones he cherished most. 

Wayne and his wife, Judge Rita W. Gruber, were married for more than 50 years. Their partnership was one of the great constants of his life. As he liked to tell the story, they met on a rainy day in which his glasses were so foggy that he couldn’t see that she was way out of his league. Regardless of the truth of the story, they quickly determined that they were meant to be together and got married. They attended law school together while working full-time and built their careers side-by-side and ultimately became respected members of Arkansas’s legal community together. Theirs was a marriage grounded in deep love, admiration, friendship, and companionship. Wayne was enormously proud of Rita, admired her strength and accomplishments, and loved her deeply. She was his partner in every sense of the word. 

He was a wonderful father to his children, Regan and Will, and an even more enthusiastic grandfather to Grant, Paige, Thatcher, and Allie Drew. As a father, he was loving, supportive, and proud. As a grandfather, he was not only loving, supportive, and proud, but also found a whole new reason to be playful. His grandchildren knew that they had a grandfather who would laugh with them, tease them, encourage them, and make time for them. He delighted in watching them grow, and they brought him a kind of joy that was impossible to hide. 

Wayne’s professional accomplishments were many. He served as president of the Pulaski County Bar Association and president of the Arkansas District Judges Council. 

He was recognized as District Judge of the Year in 2001, 2009, and 2014, and several years thereafter, and received the Pulaski County Bar Association's Lawyer-Citizen Award in 2018. He was instrumental in establishing the Pulaski County District Court DWI/Sobriety Court Program, reflecting his belief that justice could – and should –include both accountability and an opportunity for people to change their lives. 

His commitment to service also extended to his country. A veteran of the United States Air Force and the Arkansas National Guard, Wayne served on active duty at Little Rock Air Force Base before joining the 189th Airlift Wing. He later served as a Judge Advocate General, continuing a lifetime of service to others. 

In 2024, Wayne and Rita were named Distinguished Alumni of the Year by Bowen School of Law, its highest alumni honor. Together, they also established the Judges Rita and Wayne Gruber Endowed Scholarship to support law students pursuing internships in public service, helping future generations follow the path that they have traveled. 

Awards, titles and accomplishments tell only part of Wayne’s story. The people who loved him will remember his faith, his laugh, the stories, the jokes, the running shoes, the books left unfinished, the carefully ordered martinis, and the adventures. They will remember the walks around the lake and the trips to the beach. They will remember his inexplicable ability to remain optimistic, even when there was little to reason to be. 

Wayne understood that life was meant to be lived fully – and in the end, he would often remark that the life he led had exceeded his wildest expectations.

His Memorial Service will be held on Friday, September 11, 2026 at 11 AM with a Visitation & Reception to follow at Lakewood United Methodist Church, 1922 Topf Rd. North Little Rock, AR 72116.

Any memorial gift should be directed to either LUMC or Friendly Chapel, 116 Pine St, North Little Rock, AR 72114.

Arrangements by Smith North Little Rock Funeral Home, 1921 Main St., North Little Rock, AR 72114, (501) 758-1170.