Karl Taylor Gruben
1951-2016
On November 22, 2016, Karl Taylor Gruben, passed away after a 14 month battle with metastic lung cancer in San Diego, California. 
Born November 17, 1951, Karl and his older brother, David, were raised by their parents, Henry and Ramona Gruben in Pampa, Texas. Perhaps because his mother was a public school librarian, Karl knew at the age of nine years that he wanted to be a librarian. He graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in history in the early 1970's, going on to get his LLS from the University of Texas in 1973, starting out his official law librarian career in the Texas State Law Library afterward. 
In 1977, he became the director of Vinson & Elkins, L.L.P.'s law libraries, staying with the firm until 2001. While at Vinson and Elkins he met the love of his life, Linda McCloud, in the firm's law library. They married in 1991, while both were still working at Vinson & Elkins (Linda as an attorney). In 2004, Karl switched from private law libraries to academic law libraries. In 2004, St. Thomas Law School in Miami Gardens, Florida, took a chance on Karl and offered him a tenure track position and the directorship of the law school's law library. In 2010, Karl moved to the University of San Diego, School of Law, where he was the Associate Dean of Technology, Director of the Learning Resource Center, and Professor of Law. 
Karl loved being a law librarian all his life – loved everything about it. He will be remembered with love and respect by all who knew him, worked with him or for him. He was a tireless innovator; could see and plan decades into the future; was a gentle, kind and brilliant manager of the amazing talent of all those who worked on his staff; a team player par excellence wherever he found himself. For Karl, it was all about service and excellence – and fun. Karl had a sly, wicked sense of humor. 
The idyllic San Diego life was tragically cut short by the sudden appearance of metastic lung cancer, diagnosed in October 2015. He fought this disease with his usual selfless regard for others by being always upbeat and optimistic, surrounding himself with family, friends, colleagues. 
He is survived by his brother, David Gruben, of Texas; by his niece Erin Gross, and her husband Chris Gross, and their three children of Colorado; by his Aunt Ruth and her two daughters and their families of New Mexico. He also survived by his loving and much-loved wife, Linda McCloud, and his three adored step- children and their families: Preston, Julie, Kyle and Alex Hutson – all in Houston, Texas; Bryan, Linde, Luke and Cooper Hutson in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan; and Emily Morrison and Amy March, in Austin, Texas. 
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, all who wish to make a charitable donation in Karl's memory should make one to his or her favorite charity or to Planned Parenthood. All sympathy cards can be sent to Linda McCloud, 6389 Caminito del Pastel, San Diego, CA 92111. In lieu of a funeral and burial services, the family plans a memorial in Houston, Texas at a time to be determined (Karl chose cremation).

Published in Houston Chronicle on Dec. 2, 2016

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