LINDER, Ross Owen

LINDER, MOSLEY, GOBBLE, ADKISSON, LAING, WHITELY

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 12/10/2013 at 09:41:11

Fairfield Ledger
Fairfield, Iowa
Monday, August 05, 1996

Obituary - Ross Owen Linder
June 23, 1898 ~ August 03, 1996

Ross Owen Linder, 98, of Dover, Pa., former Fairfield resident, died at 5:40 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, 1996 at Fox Ridge Manor in Dover.

A graveside service tentatively is planned for Wednesday afternoon in Evergreen Cemetery in Fairfield. A memorial has been established to the Fairfield Public Library. Raymond Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Linder was born June 23, 1898, on a farm near Pekin in Jefferson County, the son of William Vance and Annie Mosely Gobble Linder. He graduated from Fairfield High School and in 1921 from Iowa State University in Ames with a bachelor of science degree in dairy industry. While at ISU, he served as president of the dairy club, and was a member of the dairy products judging team that won the silver cup in butter judging in competition with 14 college teams.

He married Feryle Adkisson, who preceded him in death. He entered the U. S. Army in 1918.

In 1921, he organized and managed the Linder-Iverson Co. in Fairfield, with branches in Ottumwa, Farmington, and Washington, Iowa. This operation continued until the company merged with Beatrice Creamery Company in 1930. He served as president of the Iowa Ice Cream Manufacturers Association and as a director of the International Ice Cream Association. In 1937 he organized and became president of the Iowa Dairy Products Association as a buying association for a group of independent dairy products manufacturers operating in Iowa. While president, he appointed a committee within the group to develop an advertising program, which developed into a national organization, Quality Chekd.

The Iowa Dairy Products Association developed into a national organization, United Dairy, Inc. At this time Linder was elected as general manager. When he retired in 1964, the name was changed again to Allied Purchasing, with a membership of 700 and doing business in 48 states. The first United States History of the dairy industry, published in 1976,listed and described both of the above organizations.

He was a member of First United Methodist Church and the Senior Chamber of Commerce in Mason City. He had been an active member in the Boy Scouts of Des Moines, Boone, and Perry. When he lived in Boone, he served as president of the Chamber of Commerce. He served as secretary of the Rotary Club while living in Perry. He was a member of the American Legion.

Surviving are a son, Richard of York, Pa.; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, Ward; two brothers, Ed and Clarence, and two sisters, Lela Laing and Nellie Whitely.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, December of 2013