George H. Robb 1881-1951

ROBB, HIGGINS, MILLER, EGBERT, KENDALL, BROWN, CRIM, INGLIS, MATHRE, POST, JACOBSON, LINDQUIST

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 12/3/2010 at 23:13:20

George H. Robb Dies of Heart Attack Today
Prominent Resident of County
Member of State Tax Commission

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out of this area as a livestock buyer and operator of the Robb Livestock sales barn.

Mr. Robb was born in Grundy county, Ill., and moved to Emmet county in 1892. After completing his preliminary education in Estherville schools, he attended a Kankakee, Ill., commercial college. He farmed for 25 years and during that time also operated his sales barn.

Surviving are his widow, one son, J. M. Robb of Estherville; one daughter, Mr. Evan Higgins of Estherville; five grandchildren; two brothers, Walter of Billings, Mont., and Emmet of Oakland, Calif., and three sisters, Mrs. Ollie Miller, Oakland, Calif, Mrs. Carl (Pearl) Egbert, Iowa Falls, and Mrs. Hi Kendall of Lincoln, Neb. One sister, Mrs. Art (Ida) Brown, preceded him in death.

Funeral services are expected to be held Tuesday in the Methodist church here although at noon members of the family had not made definite arrangements. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, October 27, 1951)

George Robb Suffers Fatal Heart Attack
Des Moines – George H. Robb, 70, a member of the Iowa Tax Commission, former state legislator and former mayor of Estherville, died today at his home here of a heart attack.

He had not been ill and appeared to be in a good health Friday.

Gov. William S. Beardsley said, “I am shocked to learn of the passing of George Robb. He was an exemplary citizen, an outstanding public servant, a man of high principles. His passing will be regretted by all who knew him.

Robb became a member of the tax commission in July of 1950 on appointment of Gove. Beardsley and immediately was named chairman. He was succeeded as chairman last July by Ray Johnson. (Cedar Rapids Gazette, Cedar Rapids, IA, October 27, 1951)

George Robb Funeral Will Be Tomorrow

Funeral services for George H. Robb, former mayor of Estherville and a member of the state tax commission, will be held at 2 p.m. tomorrow at the Estherville Methodist church. The Rev. J. E. DeLong will officiate.

Friends may call at the Sandin funeral home until 10 a.m. tomorrow when the body will be taken to the church to lie in state.

Pall bearers will be William Sidles, Mayor Dan Howard, William Clark, N. E. Demoney, Robert Kier, member of the state highway commission, and Harry Watson, state senator from Sanborn. Burial will be at Oakhill cemetery.

Mr. Robb died at 8 a.m. Saturday [October 27, 1951] of a heart attack at the age of 70.

The courthouse and city hall offices will close from 1:30 to 3 p.m. tomorrow for Mr. Robb’s funeral. The state tax commission offices in Des Moines will be closed all day in respect to Mr. Robb so employees may attend services here. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, October 29, 1951)

Many State Officials Attend Robb Funeral
Friends and associates from the state government, civic groups, church and school paid final tribute yesterday to George H. Robb, one of Estherville’s most prominent and highly-respected townsmen.

In governmental positions for the past 10 years, Mr. Robb served four terms as a state representative, a year as mayor of Estherville and more than a year as a member of the state tax commission. As a member of the house of representatives, Mr. Robb was secretary of the governor’s “Little Hoover” commission to study governmental reform.

Previous to this he served 12 years on the Estherville board of education, two years on the city council and was active in Chamber of Commerce affairs and the Emmet county Agricultural show.

He was an active member of the Methodist church where funeral services were held for him yesterday.

At the funeral yesterday, George Cosson, Jr., special counsel for the state tax commission, paid a tribute to Mr. Robb in brief remarks fro the Methodist church pulpit, commending his “eminent sense of fair play and conscientious work.”

He said that tax commission associates upon coming to Estherville discovered the deep sense of loyalty which Mr. Robb held for his home community, where he had led an active life.

“He was a true friend, a man of Christian spirit and character. We have lost a true friend.”

The Rev. John DeLong in conducting the service summed up his estimate with “he was a good man to know.”

“He was a man of ideals, discrimination and high principles,” he added. “He was big enough to admit his mistakes.” He praised his interest, support and attendance of church.

The Rev. Fred W. Ortmeyer, of Algona, long a friend of the Robbs, read scripture and said a prayer alluding to the good and the service which Mr. Rob had done for his community.

Friends throughout the stat which Mr. Robb had made in the legislature, in the tax commission and among other public officials filled much of the space in the church.

The church was bedecked with scores of fragrant bouquets and floral pieces.

A family service was held Monday evening at the home. A dinner for friends and relatives was served at noon yesterday and coffee and lunch after the funeral at the Methodist church.

State officials who attended the funeral were Cosson; Henry W. Wormley, attorney for the state tax commission; A. G. Redman, former member of the Iowa house of representatives from Glidden; Blanche Stafford, secretary to Mr. Robb; Annie E. McCann, employee of the tax commission; State Sen. Harry E. Watson from Sanborn; Robert Kier, highway commissioner from Spencer; J. F. Hamilton, a member of the tax commission; Sen. Jans T. Dykehouse of Rock Rapids; Gus Kuester, speaker of the house of representatives from Griswold; Louis Cook, tax research director; State Sen. Burl Ridout, Max Soeth, state representative from Emmet county; C. H. Beardsley, field accountant from Algona; Harry Schmidt, of the state auditor’s department.

Relatives from out of town were Mr. and Mrs. Walter Robb of Billings; Pearl Egbert of Iowa Falls; Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Kendall of Lincoln; Mr. and Mrs. John Inglis of Fort Dodge; Mr. and Mrs. Clem Luikart of Minneapolis; Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Luikart of Minneapolis; Seivert Mathre of Mason City; Fannie S. Post of Doris City; Mrs. Fred Brown and Jane Brown of Fort Dodge; Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Crim; Mr. and Mrs. Victor Jacobson, Beldon Crim and Lola Crim of Boone; Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Lindquist of Fort Dodge.

Friends from out of town included: Mrs. A. G. Redman of Glidden, Mr. and Mrs. Clinton L. Fletcher of Ocheyeden, Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Gordinier of Minneapolis; the Rev. and Mrs. F. W. Ortmeyer of Algona, Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Hinrichs of Mankato, Leo Kimball of Des Moines, Frank T. Carrol of Algona. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, October 31, 1951)