Omen R. Gardner 1872-1958

GARDNER, NOBLE, HARDING, GREBE, VASEY

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 3/12/2011 at 00:15:23

O. R. Gardner Dies At Estherville, Rites to Be Held Saturday
O. R. Gardner, 85, of Estherville, former resident of Graettinger for a number of years, died at Holy Family hospital at Estherville at 5:30 a.m. Wednesday. He had been suffering from a heart condition and entered the hospital at 1:30 a.m.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the First Methodist church at Estherville, the Rev. William R. Noland officiating. The body will lie in state at Sternborg Funeral Home from Friday noon until Saturday noon when it will be taken to the church to lie in state until time of services The casket will not be opened after the services. Burial will be at Oak Hill cemetery.

Mr. Gardner was born Aug. 24, 1872 at LaFountain, Ind., and was the oldest of four children. His parents were W. S. and Sarah Gardner. He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother and two sisters.

He moved, with his parents, to Toledo, Iowa, at the age of 15. On April 3, 1900 he was married to the former Ruby E. Noble. They made their home at Toledo for three years.

In 1903 they moved to Salem, S. D. and in 1906 moved to Belvidere, S.D., where they homesteaded a quarter section of land. The couple moved to Graettinger in 1917 and lived in this area until 1936 when they went to Estherville. Mr. Gardner sold livestock feed while still farming and after retiring from farming continued to sell feed until recent years.

He was a member of the First Methodist church at Estherville.

Survivors include his wife, four daughters, three sons, 13 grandchildren and six great grandchildren. The sons are Ira of Crystal Lake, Ill., Lloyd of Estherville and Stanley of Van Nuys, Calif. The daughters are Mrs. Kenneth (Vesta) Harding and Mrs. Marvin (Byrtha) Grebe, both of Estherville, Mrs. Frank (Edith) Vasey of Puyallup, Wash., and Mildred Gardner of St. Petersburg, Fla. (Graettinger Times, Graettinger, IA, August 14, 1958)