Gossen, William M. 1904-1971

GOSSEN, MCCABE, SMITH, CARPENTER, DEFAZIO

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 5/17/2011 at 09:54:59

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register; April 1971

WILLIAM GOSSEN SERVICES TODAY

William M. Gossen, 66, of 523 Eleventh Ave., died Thursday evening (April 1) at Grinnell General Hospital, following complications of an apparent heart condition suffered two weeks ago.

The son of Michael and Helen Leona McCabe Gossen, he was born on April 6, 1904, at Rock Rapids, Iowa. Following is graduation from Rock Rapids High School, he attended Grinnell College, graduating with the class of 1931 with a BA degree in English. While attending college he worked for the former Grinnell Herald. Later, in partnership with Louis Wisecarver, he published the Grinnell Shopper. In recent years he owned and operated the Gossen Printing Co.

On May 4, 1935, he was married to Minnie Smith in Grinnell. He was a member of the Grinnell United Church of Christ Congregational and had served as deacon and in the church choir. A past exalted ruler of BPO Elks Lodge 1256, he was also a member of the Grinnell Chapter of Sigma Delta Chi journalism fraternity. He was a charter member and past president of the Grinnell Rotary Club. Since the club was founded in 1938, he had a perfect attendance record. While in college he was a member of the college glee club.

He is survived by his wife Minnie; his son, Seaman Lynn Gossen, USN, attached to the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise; one sister, Mrs. Paul H. (Ethel) Carpenter of Cherokee; and two brothers, Orville Gossen of Chandler, Ariz., and Michael Gossen of Brookings, S.D. He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Delphin Gossen; and a sister, Mrs. John (Kathryn) DeFazio.

Funeral services for William M. Gossen were held at 11 a.m. today (Monday) at the United Church of Christ-Congregational, with the Rev. Newell E. Davis officiating. Organist was Elbert Smith.

Pallbearers included Jim Bruce, L.G. Keeney, Christian Nielsen, Charles Vogel, Keith Vosburg and Robert Weiser. Honorary pallbearers were W.C. Cunningham, Howard Edwards, Fred Johnson, Kyle Jones, Howard Tinnes and L.B. Watt.

Burial was in Hazelwood Cemetery.