Individual Details
Gilbert Isaac Garretson
(30 Jul 1899 - 3 Jul 1941)
Gilbert Isaac Garretson, the youngest son of Owen and Emily (Dilts) Garretson, was born 30 July 1899 in Henry County, Iowa, and died on 3 July 1941. On 18 January 1933 he married Ethel Elizabeth Van Hon of Mount Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa. Ethel was born 6 January 1910 and died 29 February 1980 in Salem, Iowa. Both are buried in the Friends Cemetery, Salem, Iowa.
Gilbert was Dean of the School of Journalism at Oklahoma City University and a professor at the University of Mexico, Mexico City. He was active in politics. He headed the Chamber of Commerce in Laredo, Webb County, Texas, and was a promoter of trade with Latin America. During the administration of Franklin Roosevelt he was a Deputy Secretary of Commerce.
There were three (3) children born of the marriage.
The Laredo Times, Laredo, Texas, Friday, July 4, 1941, Front Page, Col. 6: Garretson's Death Saddens Laredo. Telegrams of condolence poured out of Laredo Thursday afternoon to Mrs. Gilbert I. Garretson, who left Temple with the body of her husband, Gilbert I. Garretson, who died in a Temple hospital Thursday morning at 2:30 o'clock. The body was taken on the 2:30 p.m. train Thursday from Temple to Salem, Iowa. Two brothers of deceased, Dr. Howard Garretson and Sumner Garretson of Mount Pleasant, Iowa will meet the train and join Mrs. Garretson at Fort Madison, Iowa. The body will be taken to the old home in Salem, Iowa, from where funeral services will be held either Saturday or Sunday, depending on the arrival there of two other brothers. Alvin and Herman Garretson, now en-route to Salem, Iowa from Los Angeles. Interment will be in the old cemetery at Salem. hundreds of floral tributes from friends of Gilbert Garretson in Laredo, including the Laredo Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Lions Club, Optimists Club and other organizations and personal friends of the departed, as well as numerous floral tributes from San Antonio and other places were pouring into Salem, Iowa, Friday in advance of the arrival of the body there.
The Laredo Times, Laredo, Texas, Monday, July 7, 1941, Front Page. Garretson Death Carried by Press in Oklahoma. The following account of the death of Gilbert I. Garretson was carried in the Daily Oklahoman of Oklahoma City, Friday. Word has been received here of the death Wednesday night at the Scott White clinic, Temple, Texas of Gilbert I. Garretson, 41-year-old former professor of journalism at Oklahoma City University and executive secretary of the Laredo, Texas, Chamber of Commerce. Garretson had been ill of heart and kidney ailments since December 1939. Garretson, who was six feet, one inch tall and weighed 271 pounds while here, was born on a farm near Mount Pleasant, Iowa. He travelled over Europe and came home to work his way through Iowa Wesleyan college and Northwestern university as a newspaper correspondent. He reported for the Des Moines Register and edited a Dundee, Ill., weekly. Garretson became associated with the university here in 1925 when he founded a journalism department . In 1930 he was granted leave of absence, and returned to the journalism school in 1933 and also served as director of public relations until he left in 1935 to direct tours to Mexico. Survivors include his wife and children. Services have been announced.
Gilbert was Dean of the School of Journalism at Oklahoma City University and a professor at the University of Mexico, Mexico City. He was active in politics. He headed the Chamber of Commerce in Laredo, Webb County, Texas, and was a promoter of trade with Latin America. During the administration of Franklin Roosevelt he was a Deputy Secretary of Commerce.
There were three (3) children born of the marriage.
The Laredo Times, Laredo, Texas, Friday, July 4, 1941, Front Page, Col. 6: Garretson's Death Saddens Laredo. Telegrams of condolence poured out of Laredo Thursday afternoon to Mrs. Gilbert I. Garretson, who left Temple with the body of her husband, Gilbert I. Garretson, who died in a Temple hospital Thursday morning at 2:30 o'clock. The body was taken on the 2:30 p.m. train Thursday from Temple to Salem, Iowa. Two brothers of deceased, Dr. Howard Garretson and Sumner Garretson of Mount Pleasant, Iowa will meet the train and join Mrs. Garretson at Fort Madison, Iowa. The body will be taken to the old home in Salem, Iowa, from where funeral services will be held either Saturday or Sunday, depending on the arrival there of two other brothers. Alvin and Herman Garretson, now en-route to Salem, Iowa from Los Angeles. Interment will be in the old cemetery at Salem. hundreds of floral tributes from friends of Gilbert Garretson in Laredo, including the Laredo Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Lions Club, Optimists Club and other organizations and personal friends of the departed, as well as numerous floral tributes from San Antonio and other places were pouring into Salem, Iowa, Friday in advance of the arrival of the body there.
The Laredo Times, Laredo, Texas, Monday, July 7, 1941, Front Page. Garretson Death Carried by Press in Oklahoma. The following account of the death of Gilbert I. Garretson was carried in the Daily Oklahoman of Oklahoma City, Friday. Word has been received here of the death Wednesday night at the Scott White clinic, Temple, Texas of Gilbert I. Garretson, 41-year-old former professor of journalism at Oklahoma City University and executive secretary of the Laredo, Texas, Chamber of Commerce. Garretson had been ill of heart and kidney ailments since December 1939. Garretson, who was six feet, one inch tall and weighed 271 pounds while here, was born on a farm near Mount Pleasant, Iowa. He travelled over Europe and came home to work his way through Iowa Wesleyan college and Northwestern university as a newspaper correspondent. He reported for the Des Moines Register and edited a Dundee, Ill., weekly. Garretson became associated with the university here in 1925 when he founded a journalism department . In 1930 he was granted leave of absence, and returned to the journalism school in 1933 and also served as director of public relations until he left in 1935 to direct tours to Mexico. Survivors include his wife and children. Services have been announced.
Events
| Birth | 30 Jul 1899 | Salem, Henry Co., Iowa |  | ||
| Marriage | 18 Jan 1933 | Henry Co., Iowa - Ethel Elizabeth Van Hon | |||
| Death | 3 Jul 1941 | Temple, Bell Co., Texas | | ||
| Burial | Salem South Cemetery, Salem, Henry Co., Iowa | | |||
| Residence | Laredo, Webb Co., Texas | | |||
| Race | White | |
Families
| Spouse | Ethel Elizabeth Van Hon (1910 - 1980) |
| Child | Frederick Van Hon Garretson (1934 - 1981) |
| Child | William Wendell Garretson (1935 - ) |
| Child | Gilbert Isaac Garretson Jr. (1938 - 1986) |
| Father | Owen Albright Garretson (1852 - 1933) |
| Mother | Emma Josephine Dilts (1861 - 1932) |
| Sibling | Sumner Dilts Garretson (1882 - 1943) |
| Sibling | Wendell Thomas Garretson (1886 - 1928) |
| Sibling | Owen Alvin Garretson (1888 - 1947) |
| Sibling | Joel Howard Garretson (1890 - 1953) |
| Sibling | Herman John "Gary" Garretson (1890 - 1972) |
Endnotes
5. Find A Grave.