Dempster, Oral Gertrude 1882-1962

DEMPSTER, REITER, NEELY, PETERS, MCBLAIN

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 11/6/2012 at 18:59:35

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register; Oct. 4, 1962

ORAL NEELY DEMPSTER

Oral Gertrude Neely was an only child of Arthur J. and Ella Reiter Neely. She was born in Grinnell on Oct. 30, 1882, and passed away Sept. 25, 1962, in the Singing Springs Convalescent Home in Garden Grove, Calif.

Funeral services were held in Westminster, Calif., at the Peek Family Colonial Funeral Home, Wednesday morning, Sept. 26, with Rev. Kenneth E. Boyd conducting. Hours of visitation for her friends and relatives in Grinnell were held on Sunday at the James-Schalinske Funeral Home and graveside services on Monday morning, Oct. 1, at Hazelwood cemetery.

Pallbearers were George German, Fred Schrader, Judson Blakely, Glenn Anderson, Frank Mitchell and Alex Comerford.

Oral Dempster was raised and lived in and around Grinnell practically all her life. She graduated from Grinnell high school, attended Grinnell College, and graduated from Iowa Wesleyan at Mt. Pleasant in 1903. Later she attended the Detroit School of Music.

On Dec. 12, 1906, she was married to Alden H. Dempster and they lived in the Chester community for many years. To this union four children were born: Gertrude (Mrs. Ernest Peters) of Westminster, Calif.; Mildred (Mrs. Vernon McBlain) of Santa Barbara, Calif.; Roscoe N. of Montrose, Calif.; and Arthur A. of Utica, N.Y. She also leaves to mourn her death, six grandchildren and six great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, who passed away July 30, 1938.

Mrs. Dempster was a member of the Methodist church for most of her life and a member of the Eastern Star until she went to California four years ago. She was a devoted wife and mother. Her family was always first in her thoughts, and her greatest concern was her fear of being a burden to them. She made friends wherever she went and she will be greatly missed.