Dr. William Phillips Garred 1928 - 2014
GARRED, PHILLIPS, MENTER
Posted By: Connie J Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 11/28/2014 at 17:44:49
Onawa Democrat
26 November 2014Dr. William P. Garred, 86, of Onawa, Iowa died Wednesday, November 19, 2014 at Burgess Health Center in Onawa, Iowa after a battle with cancer.
Funeral services will be 10:30 A.M. Wednesday, November 26, 2014 at the Onawa United Methodist Church, Onawa, Iowa with Pastor Dennis Burns, officiating. Private family burial will be in Ingemann Cemetery, rural Moorhead, Iowa. Visitation will be 9:30 A.M. until service time Wednesday, November 26, 2014 at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Rush Family Care Service, Onawa, Iowa.
Dr. William Phillips Garred, son of Dr. U. V. Garred and Florence Kathryn Phillips was born October 26, 1928 in Charleston, W. VA. He graduated from High School in Feb. 1945. After that he went to the University of Louisville, Louisville, KY. and transferred to Marshall College, Huntington, W. VA. where he graduated in 1946. This same year he entered Northwestern University in Chicago, ILL. and graduated from this University in June, 1950 with a medical degree. He started an internship in Anker Hospital in St. Paul, MN. and finished in 1951. Finishing his internship he went to Dow City, IA., and started a medical practice, which was interrupted by a call into the service in August, 1953. In the meantime he learned to fly and received a pilot's license.
He was sent to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, for Officer's Training in the Army and was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant. Upon completing his training there; he was one of three doctors that were chosen to be transferred to the Navy. They had received their orders to report to New York to be sent to Europe, but these were changed so he was sent to San Francisco and was assigned to the transport ship "Daniel I. Sultan". This ship transferred military service men and families and government employees from San Francisco to the Orient. He served his 2 years aboard this ship. He made one rescue at sea, going in a lifeboat at night to assist in the rescue of 4 persons from an airplane that had run out of fuel and had to ditch. He was discharged in 1955 and then moved to Onawa, IA. to restart his medical practice.
He is a member of the following organizations: American Medical Association; American Academy of General Practice; Sons of the American Revolution (Charter member of Ashland, KY); Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association; Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Kiwanis Club and a lifetime member of the Methodist Church.
Dr. Bill married Marilyn Menter June 26, 1960 at Grace Methodist Church in Sioux City, Iowa. They made their home in Onawa, Iowa, where he continued his medical practice. The couple also lived in Arizona and Wyoming from 1989 until 2004. Then they returned to Onawa where Dr. Bill renewed his medical practice.
It was in 1963 that Dr. Bill was instrumental in helping to get financing for the Burgess Hospital. The old hospital had to be closed due to its wooden structure, so a new building project was started. Despite never having raised a dime in his life, Dr. Bill found a way. The very next day he found his first supporter, Clara Kelley of the Onawa Sentinel. Together, they built a strategy team with Darold Moon, the 5 & Dime Store owner, and Robert Underhill, a local attorney. With the help of a fundraising organization, Dr. Bill's team drew up the paperwork and pulled together community presentations. Dr. Bill recalled the initial investment in marketing materials was only $7.33 – but it worked. They received a gift of $100,000 from local attorney, Albert W. Burgess. With this gift, they were able to build the original Burgess Facility. Since then the facility and organization have gone through 3 major building projects.
He is survived by his brother, John L. Garred, Sr., M.D. with his wife, Fern; a nephew John L. Garred, Jr, M.D. and his wife, Kate and their two sons, Matthew John and John Taylor Garred.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; and niece, Ann Garred D.D.S.
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