Myral Swan Gilson

August 17, 1951 - May 14, 2016

Myral A. S. Gilson, 64, died on January 19, 2016, at Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, Arizona. Myral was born on August 17, 1951, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, the daughter of Leland Dean Swan and Beth Marvelle (Clancy) Swan. She was joined by brothers Mychael and Marshall. She was a 1970 graduate of Boone Valley High School in Renwick, IA. On January 20, 1973, she was married to Martin “Marty” Russell Gilson at the Hardy United Methodist Church, Hardy, IA. They had no children but were surrogate aunt and uncle to many dear children. Their favorite gift to the kids was an overnight stay with games and reading and sometimes “field trips.” Myral and Marty met at the University of Northern Iowa, where she received her BA in Education in 1974 and her MA in Library Science in 1977. She taught in a several schools in Iowa and Arizona for 41 years. She began as a high school math teacher, was a K – 6 librarian, and later substituted at every grade level in both public and private schools. Myral was active in various churches with roles as Sunday School teacher, Women’s Fellowship president, and positions on church committees. She was the family genealogist, starting in 1986 with the Hefty-Hefti clan, and eventually tracking 23 separate family lines. She visited the ancestral homes in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, and in Glarus Canton, Switzerland. One of her great thrills was staying in the 400-year-old cottage from which her Swiss ancestor immigrated. She is survived by her husband Marty; brothers Mychael of Heron Lake, MN, Marshall (Pamela) of Hardy, IA; sister-in-law Beth Martin Swan of Farmington, MN; mother-in-law Dorothy Gilson and brother- and sister-in-law Larry and Carol Gilson, Winthrop, IA; brother-in-law Charles Reese, Colorado Springs, CO; and three generations of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and sister-in-law Debra Reese. Myral’s memorial service is 11:00 AM, Saturday, June 4, 2016, at the Congregational United Church of Christ, 111 North Taft Street, Humboldt, Iowa, with a luncheon following in the church fellowship hall. Inurnment and a committal service will be held that afternoon at the Vernon Township Cemetery, Hardy, Iowa. In lieu of flowers, you many donate to a charity of your choice in memory of Myral or to Hillcrest Family Services, 2005 Asbury Rd, Dubuque, IA 52001; McCurdy Ministries, 362A South McCurdy Rd, Espanola, NM 87532; or the Martin and Myral Swan Gilson Education Scholarship, UNI Foundation, University of Northern Iowa, 205 Commons, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0282. Mason-Lindhart Funeral Home, 612 2nd Avenue S, Humboldt, is handling arrangements. For more information, you may call 515-332-1321.