State, Floyd A. 1897-1970

STATE, JOHANNSEN, RITTER, BEASON, MURPHY, NELSON, GILLIAM, WILKENS

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 2/27/2010 at 18:18:07

Grinnell Herald-Register (Grinnell, Iowa) March 2, 1970

FLOYD A. STATE SERVICES FRIDAY

Floyd A. State, 73, of 1024 Chatterton St., Grinnell, died Tuesday morning, March 24, at Grinnell General Hospital, following an illness of the past three months.

The son of George and Sophia Johannsen State, he was born Jan. 18, 1897, a Galt, Iowa, receiving his education in the public schools there. He enlisted in the U.S. Army during World war I and was discharged July 3, 1919.

On Nov. 29, 1919, he was married to Vena Ritter at Clarion, Iowa. Following their marriage, they lived in Wright County, and in 1935 they moved to Grinnell where Mr. State managed an elevator company. He was also employed by the DeKalb Seed Corn Co. for many years. From 1951 until his retirement, he was employed by Grinnell College.

Mr. State was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church, the American Legion, World War I Barracks and the Elks Club, and was a charter member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

He is survived by his wife; his sons, Wendall of Vista, Calif., George of Davenport, and Douglas of Kearney, Neb.; two daughters, Mrs. Donald (Carolyn) Beason of Duncan, Okla., and Mrs. William (Dorothy) Murphy of Jefferson City, Mo.; three sisters, Mrs. Harold Nelson of Clarion, Mrs. Frank Gilliam of Chicago, and Mrs. Walter Wilkens of St. Paul, Minn.; two half brothers, Eugene State of Manchester, Iowa, and Henry State of St. Louis; 16 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a son, Russell E., who died in 1946 while serving with the Marine Corps in China during World War II.

Funeral services for Mr. State will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the James-Schalinske Funeral Home, with the Rev. Marcus E. Reitz, pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church, officiating. Organist will be Kathleen Heffner, and the vocalist will be Ruth Dayton. Serving on the flower commitee are Erma Herrold and Ann Rohr.

Pallbearers will include Wendall F. State, George A. State, Douglas R. State, Donald E. Beason, William C. Murphy and Russell E. Beason. Military graveside services will be conducted by the Grinnell American Legion post, W.K. Richardson, commander, and Jack Day, chaplain.