Gillmore, Ralph Eldon

Ralph Eldon Gillmore, 91, of Springville, died Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha. Funeral services: 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Center in Marion, with the Rev. Del Bear officiating.  Family will greet friends from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Burial: Springville Cemetery, Springville.

Survivors include his significant other, Darlene Kerr of Coggon; four sons, Eldon (Shirley) Gillmore of Martelle, Gerry (Nancy) Gillmore of Springville, Joe (Tami) Gillmore of Springville and Randy Gillmore of Phoenix, Ariz.; a sister, Marjory Sailor of Cedar Rapids; a brother, Bob (Betty) Gillmore of Phoenix, Ariz.; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren: Lucas (Carissa) Gillmore of Woodward, Iowa, and their son, Keegan; Josette Gillmore of Martelle; Bobbi Jo Gillmore of Marion; Cindy (Willis) Heitshusen of Center Point, and their children, Hadley, Kendall and Harlyn; Russ (Dee) Wagaman of Springville, and their children, Megan, Madi, and Rhenden; and Tyler and Carter Gillmore of Springville; and a sister-in-law, Darlene Carpenter of Earlville. Also surviving are many loving family members.

He was preceded in death by his wife, two brothers and a sister.

Ralph was born Aug. 28, 1920, in Linn County, the son of David E. and Hazel (Hampton) Gillmore. On June 3, 1938, Ralph was united in marriage to Genevieve Carpenter in Cedar Rapids. She died May 21, 1993. Ralph was a lifelong dairy farmer in the Springville area.

A memorial fund has been established in Ralph's honor.

Please sign the online guest book for Ralph at    under obituaries.

Published Sept. 10, 2011, in The Gazette