Crusty Renaissance Man

I've had this snippet of an article on my bulletin board for a few years. This is scanned off a photocopy of it, since the original was in a scrapbook I used to keep quite a few years ago, in the '80s.

I looked Millard Gilbertson up on the internet since I didn't have the article dated. He died in 1986.

Also, I didn't keep the rest of the article, just this little piece, so it's hard to see everything in context. But I guess I just wanted this little piece for the cautionary tale it told. Which is, Beware how you live, because when you die, maybe everything they say about you won't be good.

Hanson, whoever Hanson was, didn't do Millard Gilbertson's memory any good, that's for sure! Hanson never saw Gilbertson any other way but grouchy. Right there you know this has to be good!

Then, quoting Hanson, "If he liked you, Millard would do anything for you. If he didn't like someone, he wouldn't talk to them. There were many of those. It didn't take much of anything to make him mad. If someone crossed him, they never would get back on his good side."

Thanks a lot, Hanson!

The snippet, by the way, is from the Des Moines Register. And I don't have access to the rest of the article.

But, like I said, looking online, I found Millard passed away in 1986, so it's probably not too early to post this on the website. After all, his reputation has already been blared publicly in the Des Moines Register way back when.

As to part of Millard Gilbertson's actual obituary, taken from The Elgin Echo, Elgin, Iowa, April 2, 1986, p. 2:

Millard Arthur Gilbertson was born August 29, 1909, at rural Elgin, to Halvor and Berthina (Ruroden) Gilbertson. He lived and farmed all of his life in the Elgin area. He graduated from Elgin High School, and was baptized and confirmed at East Clermont Lutheran Church.

Millard enjoyed outside activities. He was very active on the Fayette County Conservation Board, and was an honorary member of the Elgin Historical Society.

Millard died Tuesday, March 25, 1986 at his home at the age of 76 years.

That's all great, but I like the unvarnished truth the way Hanson remembered it.