Naden, Gardner M. (1915-1988)

NADEN, GARDNER, VAN ENGEN, COPPOLA, PURVIS, LARSON, STURTZ, STEVENS

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 9/16/2023 at 11:17:25

Daily Freeman Journal
Webster City, Iowa
Monday, June 6, 1988

Gardner M. Naden, 73, prominent Webster City businessman, died May 30 in Moscow, U.S.S.R. He and his wife were on a People to People tour of Russia and China, sponsored by the Iowa State University engineering department.

Private committal services will be held at Graceland Cemetery at 1:15 p.m. Tuesday, June 7 and memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Asbury United Methodist Church. Rev. Vernon Sorensen and Rev. S. Willard Cunningham will officiate.

Friends may call at the Foster Funeral Home after 4 p.m. Monday.

Gardner M. Naden was born April 6, 1915 to Ruth Gardner and Will I. Naden in Osage. His family moved to Webster City in 1923. He graduated in 1933, attended junior college and received his degree from Stout-University of Wisconsin. He received his M.A. from the University of Iowa.

He taught in Muskegon Heights, Mich., for the Naval Ordinance School in Norman, Okla., and the Maritime Radio School, Gallups Island, Boston, Mass. In 1946, he returned to Webster City and joined his father and brother in the family business. For several years, he was president of Naden Industries. Two years ago, he sold his interest to his brother and nephew, but continued in research and development of electric scoreboards.

He married Lela Van Engen on July 25, 1944 in Boston.

Survivors are his wife; a brother, Robert of Webster City, a sister, Doris Coppola of Des Moines; four daughters, Dorothy Ann (Mrs. Tom) Purvis of Denton, Texas, Nancy (Mrs. Alan) Larson of Reston, Va., Mary (Mrs. Pat) Sturtz of Pocahontas and Beth (Mrs. Don) Stevens of Charlotte, N.C.; nine grandchildren; 19 nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Charles.

Mr. Naden was a past president of the Chamber of Commerce and Kiwanis. He was a member of the Order of the Knoll of Iowa State University, The University of Iowa Foundation and Alumni Association, Epsilon Pi Tau honorary for industrial arts, the Hamilton County Historical Society and Asbury United Methodist Church. He enjoyed traveling and had been in 50 states and many foreign countries.

The family suggests memorials be made to Meals On Wheels.