Gildersleeve, Ola H. 1897-1981

GILDERSLEEVE, MULBROOK, HILL, BIRKENHOLTZ, SMITH, FRENCH, CAMPBELL, CASPER, THOMASSON

Posted By: Sue Soden
Date: 7/5/2007 at 13:49:36

unknown newspaper
December 28, 1981

Gildersleeve rites today

Ola H. Gildersleeve, 84, of 1808 Fifth Ave., Grinnell, died Christmas Day at Grinnell General Hospital.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2:30 p.m. today at the Smith Funeral Home, with the Revs. Allyson and Peter Sawtell, co-pasters of the Chester Congregational Church officiating. Organist will be Jolene Jones, and vocalist will be Gordon Van Donselaar.

Pallbearers will be Francis Birkenholtz, Virgil Birkenholtz, Harold Gildersleeve, Norman Hackney, Richard Mulbrook and Bill Thomasson. Honorary bearers will be Harvey Harris, Merle Harris, Max Hayes, Lester Hendrickson and Fred Weaver Sr. Flower bearers will be Harlan and Violet Dare and Louis and Edna Fuller.

Burial will be in Our Silent City, Kellogg. Memorials may be left at the funeral home.

The son of Clinton and Annie Hill Gildersleeve, he was born July 19, 1897, at Monarck, Ill. He attended school in Illinois and later moved with his family to Story County, Iowa. He was married to Margaret Mulbrook on Aug. 18, 1922, at Newton. the couple farmed in Jasper and Poweshiek counties before retiring in 1962. They moved to Grinnell, and Mr. Gildersleeve worked in plumbing, painting and carpentry.

He was a member of the Chester Congregational Church, a 54-year member of the Sonora Grange, and a member of the Rock Creek Grange Camp Association. In 1979, he received the Outstanding Community Citizen Award from the Iowa State Grange.

Survivors include his wife, Margaret; three children, Bayonne Birkenholtz of Newton, Delmar Gildersleeve of Fennimore, Wis., and Phyllis Smith of Grinnell; 12 grandchildren; 10 great grandchildren; four sisters, Mable Birkenholtz of Prairie City, Gladys Birkenholtz of Newton, Jessie French of Newell and Hyla Campbell of Des Moines; one stepbrother, Russell Gildersleeve of Kellogg; and three stepsisters, Crystal Thomasson of Des Moines, Georgia Casper of Newton and Viola Gildersleeve of Milwaukee, Wis.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one daughter, one granddaughter and three brothers.