Greta, Gordon D. – 1946–2011

BABINEAUX, BALDRIDGE, GRETA, KOZAL, MUNCH, NICHOLS, SMITH, TOSCH

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 5/16/2011 at 16:11:37

Gordon D. Greta, age 64, died at Kavanagh House in Des Moines on May 2, 2011 from complications of post–polio syndrome and myasthenia gravis . His body has been donated to the Deeded Body Program of the University of Iowa.
A memorial service will be held at Plymouth Congregational Church, Des Moines, May 16, 2011 at 11 a.m. Dunn’s Funeral Home in Des Moines is handling arrangements.
Born in St. Paul, Minn., Gordon graduated from Riverside High School in Sioux City, and then received his baccalaureate degree from the University of Iowa. Gordon then entered the Army, successfully completing Officer Candidate School. He served a tour of active duty in Vietnam in 1970-71, enrolling in the University of Iowa College of Law upon his return. He graduated with his J.D. in 1974. Gordon initially practiced law in Eldora, then was hired as the first fulltime city attorney for the City of Newton. After later serving as in-house legal counsel for first the Des Moines Area Community College and then the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities, Gordon was hired by the Ahlers & Cooney Law Firm, where he worked up to his brief stay at Kavanagh House.
Gordon is survived by his wife, Carol, and their adult children, Meredith, of Taiwan, and Lucas, of Iowa City. He is also survived by a sister, Glendene (Roger) Nichols of Sioux City; a brother, Glendon (Penny) of LaPorte, IN; brother-inlaw Frank (Diane) Munch of Ankeny; sisters-in-law Ruth (Jim) Kozal of Scottsbluff, NE, and Sue Greta of Dallas, TX; nieces Margaret (John) Baldridge (and sons) of Missoula, MT, and Amy (Terry) Babineaux-Smith (and children) of Dallas, TX; nephews Charles (Lee) Nichols (and son) of Missoula, MT, Andrew (Emily) Greta (and daughter) of Champaign, IL, and Joe Kozal of Lincoln, NE; and step-nieces Lauryn, Lindsey, and Lesley Tosch of Ankeny. He was preceded in death by his parents, Elton and Margaret Greta.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be designated to the Stephen Ministry at Plymouth Congregational Church (4126 Ingersoll, Des Moines, IA 50312) or the Glacier National Park Fund (P.O. Box 2749, Columbia Falls, MT 59912).
Source: Newton Daily News; Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Additional information from Dunn’s Funeral Home website:
He was born May 14, 1946 in St. Paul, Minnesota. At the age of 6 weeks he moved with his family to San Diego, California and 4 years later moved to Stevens (North Sioux City), South Dakota. In 1952, at the age of 6, he contracted Bulbar Polio and spent 6 weeks in an Iron Lung.
He attended Riverview Elementary School, West Junior, and graduated from Riverside High School in 1964 where he excelled in Debate. He was a violinist in the Sioux City Youth Symphony. He graduated from the University of Iowa in 1968 with a degree in Political Science. Gordon then entered the Army, successfully completing Officer Candidate School. He served as a 2nd Lieutenant in Vietnam in 1970-71 as an advisor to the Vietnamese army, living part of the time in the jungle.
He fulfilled a life long dream to publish a book "The 600 pound Gorilla in the Sanctuary (A Parsimoniest's Ruminations on the Nature of God)".