McIlrath, Harley 1913-1999

MCILRATH, HOUSMAN, ISKE, KAISAND, WILLIAMS, LARSEN, BROWN, THARP, MAURER, JACK, CLAYBROOK, ANTHONY, ARENSDORF, APPEL, ROORDA, BECK, MCMARTIN

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 5/11/2010 at 16:33:24

Grinnell Herald-Register (Grinnell, Iowa) May 10, 1999

HARLEY MCILRATH

Harley McIlrath, 85, of rural Newburg died of congestive heart failure Saturday, May 8, at Grinnell Regional Medical Center.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Grinnell Christian Church, with the Revs. John Epperson and Rich Milliken officiating. Organist will be Sue Martindale.

Casket bearers will be his grandsons, Harley III, Jeremy and Justin McIlrath; Patrick Brown; James and John Williams; and Jeffrey and Joel Larsen. Honorary bearers will be his granddaughters, Kimberly Arensdorf, Michelle Appel, Sara Roorda, Jennifer Beck, Jill McMartin and Julie McIlrath.

Burial will be in Prairie View Cemetery, Gilman, with the Smith Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Friends may call at the funeral home beginning Monday, and the family will be present from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

He was born near Newburg Oct. 29, 1913, to James Paul and Elizabeth Housman McIlrath. He was raised on the family farm and attended rural school and Newburg High School.

On Jan. 1, 1936, he was married to Geneive Iske of Marshalltown. They lived in the Newburg area where he farmed and worked as a carpenter.

Mr. McIlrath was a member of the Grinnell Christian Church, the Farm Bureau and the Elks Lodge.

He is survived by his wife; two sons, James H. II and Stanley, both of Grinnell; four daughters, Sharon Kaisand, Nancy Williams and Marlene Larsen, all of Grinnell, and Kathleen Brown of Grundy Center; 14 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and one sister, Mabel Tharp of Grinnell.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, James in infancy and John; and five sisters, Sara Maurer, Elizabeth Jack, Emma Claybrook, Ruby McIlrath and Lucille Anthony.

Memorials may be directed to the American Diabetic Association or to his church.