Gilson, Frank R. – 1938-1985

BLOOD, GILSON, HICKMAN, KISSLING, MCCARGER, MCGUIRE, WILSON

Posted By: Diana Wagner
Date: 11/25/2021 at 11:28:00

Frank R. Gilson, 47, of 301 S. 14th Ave. W., head football coach and teacher at Newton Community High School for 12 years, died Friday evening, Sept. 27, at Mercy Hospital Medical Center in Des Moines following a heart attack suffered in Urbandale.
Mr. Gilson was enroute home following the Newton-Urbandale football game when he was stricken.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the First United Methodist Church.
Dr. Richard Bentzinger, pastor of the church, will conduct services. Burial will be in the Vandalia Cemetery.
Services will be broadcast live over radio station KCOB.
Visitation with the family will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. today at the Wallace-Pence Funeral Home.
A memorial in Mr. Gilson’s name may be left at the funeral home.
Survivors are his wife, Mary Lou; a son, Shawn at home; two daughters, Mrs. Jeff (Stacy) Wilson of Mingo, and Shannon Gilson of Ames; a granddaughter; a brother, Bill Gilson of Des Moines; and two sisters, Mrs. Stan (Kathryn) McCarger of Independence Mo., and Marie Kissling of Joplin, Mo.
Also surviving is Mrs. Irene Hickman of Elkader, with whom he made his home while he attended high school.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, and two sisters.
Mr. Gilson was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Simpson College Hall of Fame at Indianola and Iowa Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
He was nominated for national High School Coach of the year in 1983, was presented the Central District Coach of the Year award in 1973, and the KCOB-KLVN Coach of the Year award in 1977 and 1980.
Mr. Gilson, who was named a national Coach of the Year in “Who’s Who in National High School Football” in 1983, coached Newton to the class AAAA state playoff championship in 1980, his 1977 team to the runner-up honors, and his 1981 and 1982 teams state to qualifying berths in the playoffs.
Mr. Gilson, who had coached at both Southeast Polk and Runnells before coming to Newton, had served as head coach for the South squad in the 1979 Iowa Shrine Bowl game and was an assistant coach at the Shrine game in 1977.
The son of Peter Fred and Roselle Marie McGuire Gilson, he was born June 17, 1938 in Burlington, was graduated from Elkader High School and Simpson College in Indianola and received his master’s degree from Drake University in Des Moines.
He was married to Mary Lou Blood Aug. 14, 1962 in Runnells.
Source: The Newton (IA) Daily News, September 30, 1985