Urfer, Samuel J. 1904-1977

URFER, SANDERS, LUNDQUIST, BEAN, HAMMERLUND

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 4/16/2012 at 10:11:43

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register; Sept. 19, 1977

SAMUEL URFER SERVICES TODAY

Samuel J. Urfer, 73, of 1811 Fifth Ave. died Monday afternoon at Grinnell General Hospital.

Mr. Urfer, a prominent Grinnell businessman, had been in failing health for the past year. He had been hospitalized since June.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m today at St. John's Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Marcus E. Reitz, pastor of the church, officiating. Organist will be Margaret Amo, and vocalists will be Ruth Ann Dayton and Wilma Schmitz. Pallbearers will be Leonard Chase, Russell Freeborn, Clarence Hamor, Lester Osborn, Dan Slagle, and E. Dean Trease. Honorary pallbearers will be Floyd Clark, Wayne Dayton, Harvey Marcum, Robert McMeekin, Arlo "Budd" Worth, and Blake Worth.

Burial will be at Hazelwood Cemetery. Should friends desire, memorials in Mr. Urfer's name may be made to St. John's Lutheran Church.

Friends may call the James-Schalinske Funeral Home for additional information.

OBITUARY

The son of Charles William and Celia Sanders Urfer, he was born March 21, 1904, near Guernsey. Soon after his birth, his family moved to a farm near Des Moines. He was graduated from East High School in Des Moines in 1922. He attended Drake University and later was employed by International Harvester Co. in Des Moines.

On Aug.20, 1927, he was married to Mildred C. Lundquist in Des Moines. The couple came to Grinnell in November 1940, where Mr. Urfer managed the International Harvester store. He purchased the business in 1943 and, following a fire in April 1948, built the present store. A second store was established in Montezuma in 1959.

Mr. Urfer had been president of the Grinnell Implement Store and remained active in management until his health failed.

He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith and was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church here. He had also been president of the church council and was a member of the building committee during the planning of the present church. He was also active in the St. John's Brotherhood.

An active member of the Grinnell Rotary Club, he served as the club's president in 1955 and 1956. He was honored recently as a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International for his work with foreign exchange students. He was also a member of the Grinnell Elks Lodge No. 1266.

Mr. Urfer is survived by his wife, Mildred; his sons, James W. and Theodore M. Urfer, both of Grinnell; five grandchildren; two brothers, Charles W. Urfer Jr. of Oakland, Calif., and Raymond M. Urfer of Grimes; and two sisters, Mrs. Kenneth (Dorothea) Bean of Pella and Mrs. Allen (Thelma) Hammerlund of Minneapolis, Minn. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Howard Urfer.