Sawyers, Thomas F. 1914-2003

SAWYERS, FRANKS, VAN NIEWAAL, COMERFORD, STARR

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 10/29/2009 at 06:15:39

Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register; Sept. 1, 2003

THOMAS F. SAWYERS

Thomas F. Sawyers, 89, of Cedar Rapids - a former vice president of Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company - died Friday, Aug. 29, at his home.

Services for Thomas Sawyers will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2, at the First Congregational Church in Cedar Rapids, with the Rev. David Hohmann, officiating. Members of the family planned to greet friends following the services.

Graveside services were held at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell. Funeral arrangements were made by Murdoch Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Marion.

He was born on Jan. 31, 1914, the son of Horace and Mary Jane Franks Sawyers in Donnellson, Iowa. He married Gertrude Van Niewaal in Pella on June 24, 1939.

He attended AIB business school in Des Moines and served with the U.S. Army during World War II.

He was vice president of Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company in Grinnell for 37 years and later managed West Side Mutual Insurance in Palo before retiring in 1980.

He is survived by his wife; his daughter, Mary Comerford of Miami, Fla., and her family; and his son, John Sawyers of Cedar Rapids, and his family.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Elsie Starr.

In lieu of flowers, the family requested that memorials be made to the First Congregational Church at 361 17th St. SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52403, or to Mercy Medical Center Foundation, 701 10th St., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 52403.

Friends may sign an online guest book at murdochfuneralhome under "obituaries."