Gearhart, Paul 1917-1990

GEARHART, MUNGER, BATTEN, BAKER, POWERS

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 12/31/2010 at 09:45:19

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register; Feb. 5, 1990

PAUL GEARHART

Paul Gearhart, 72, a former member of the Grinnell City Council, died Thursday, Feb. 1, at St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital, Centerville.

Funeral services were held Monday, Feb. 5, at the United Methodist Church with the Rev. Raymond C. Lott officiating. Organist was Kathleen Heffner. Pallbearers were members of the Iowa State Highway Patrol, James Hoven, Robert Kinseth, Thomas Law, Stan Nelson, Larry Petersen and Richard Peterson. Representing the Iowa State Highway Patrol Honor Guard were Gerald Anderson, Robert Coffman, Thomas Estrada, Robert Thomas, Thomas Toner and Kent Stevens. Burial was in Palo Alto cemetery in Jasper County.

The son of Fred A. and Gertie Munger Gearhart, he was born June 11, 1917, in Brooklyn. He received his education in th Adel School District graduating in 1935. He was married Sept. 5, 1937, in Adel to Ruth Batten.

He served in the United States Army during World War II. A member of the Iowa Highway Patrol for 30 years before retiring in 1976, Mr. Gearhart and his family resided in Adel, Carlisle, Dallas Center and Marengo before moving to Grinnell in 1951. He served two terms on the Grinnell City Council from 1978 through 1985 where he acted as mayor pro tem during his second term.

He was a member of the Grinnell United Methodist Church and Delta Masonic Lodge #356 AF and AM, Dallas Center.

He is survived by two sons W. Kenneth Gearhart, Dubuque, and William P. Gearhart II, Conrad; one daughter, Elizabeth Baker, Centerville; seven grandchildren; two great grandchildren, and two sisters Dorothy Gearhart and Della Powers, both of Des Moines.