Dempster, Keith Greer 1903-1996

DEMPSTER, GREER, SEAGER

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 7/24/2010 at 17:14:46

The Herald-Register (Grinnell, Iowa) Feb. 5, 1996

KEITH DEMPSTER

Keith Greer Dempster, 92, of Des Moines, formerly of Grinnell, died Wednesday, Jan. 31, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.

Funeral services were conducted at 1 p.m. Monday at the Smith Funeral Home, with the Rev. Bob Molsberry, pastor of the United Church of Christ-Congregational, officiating. Organist was Margaret Wheeler, and pallbearers were Worthin Grattan, Diana Kruse, John Logan, Jeff Olsen, Paul Olsen, Robert Renaud and Lavern Weaver.

Burial was in Chester Cemetery.

The son of John James and Nellie Elizabeth Greer Dempster, he was born Nov. 5, 1903, in Chester Township. He was a 1921 graduate of Grinnell High School and a 1926 graduate of Iowa State University, where he competed in track and was a gold medal winner in the 2-mile relay at the Drake Relays.

He was married to Fran Seager Aug. 13, 1930, in Gilman. The couple lived in the Grinnell area for several years and Mr. Dempster also farmed his mother's farm in Jasper County. He operated a chicken hatchery for several years and was the first Iowa importer of New Hampshire Red chickens.

He was a district representative for Fun Hybrids and was employed by the Maytag Company in Newton for 18 years. He sold his farm in 1989 and moved to Des Moines to retire.

Surviving are his children, Keith of Iowa City and Rita Dempster of Des Moines; one brother, J. Gaylord of Sun City, Ariz.; and a granddaughter. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife.

Memorial contributions in his name may be made to the Iowa State University track and field program, in care of the ISU Athletic Department.