Dempster, John "Gaylord" 1902-1996

DEMPSTER, GREER, PEASE, HALES, TROUTMAN

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 7/24/2010 at 16:45:27

The Herald-Register (Grinnell, Iowa) Nov. 25 & 28, 1996

'GAYLORD' DEMPSTER

John "Gaylord" Dempster, 94, of Peoria, Ariz., formerly of Grinnell, died of pneumonia Nov. 21 at Shepherd Retirement Center in Peoria.

Funeral services were conducted Monday at the Smith Funeral Home, with the Rev. Keith Briggs, pastor of the Grinnell First Friends Church, officiating. Organist was Jolyn Renaud, and soloist was Esther Lloyd. Burial was in Chester Cemetery north of Grinnell.

The son of John James and Eleanor Estelle Greer Dempster, he was born Sept. 25, 1902, on his father's farm in Chester Township. He attended rural school and graduated from Grinnell High School. He earned a degree in agronomy from Iowa State College in 1926. While at Iowa State, he lettered in track and was a member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity.

He was married to Florence Pease June 27, 1927, in Nashua. She died in 1970.

On March 6, 1971, he was married to Gladys Brassfield Hales at Donnellson.

Mr. Dempster spent his life farming and raising livestock in Chester Township and, later, Washington Township. He retired in 1989 and moved to Sun City, Ariz. He was a member of the Friends Church and served for 19 years on the Official Board of William Penn College, Oskaloosa.

Surviving are his wife; one son, John of Loomis, Calif.; one daughter, Janice Hales of Sun City; one stepson, Charles "Eugene" Hales of Sun City; one stepdaughter, Margaret Troutman of Fort Madison; nine grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; four step-great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife and one brother, Keith.

Memorials may be made to Good Shepherd Care Center, 10323 W. Olive Ave., Peoria, Ariz. 85345