Garret G. Weiland
March 8, 1928 - August 31, 2024
Garret Gordon Weiland, 96, of Fort Dodge, died August 31, 2024, at Simpson Health Center, Friendship Haven.
Memorial visitation will be held from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Sunday, September 29, 2024, at Gunderson Funeral Home and Cremation Services. Services honoring Garret’s life will be held 10:30 Monday, September 30 at First Presbyterian Church, Fort Dodge.
Garret Gordan Weiland was born to Lorenz and Fern (Willis) Weiland on March 8, 1928, in Allison, Iowa. He graduated from Dumont High School in 1946 after leaving for the Navy 3 months earlier. Garret served in the U.S. Navy during WWII from 1946 – 1948. He was serving in different capacities in the Pacific but mostly as a boatsman mate on the U.S. Tappahannock. After serving in the military, he worked as a hired man near Dumont, Iowa. On May 19, 1950, Garret married Leola Uhlenhopp in Aplington, Iowa. They spent the early years of marriage farming. The couple moved to Fort Dodge in 1957 when he joined the Iowa Highway Patrol. He served District 7 as a trooper and later as a safety education officer. Trooper Weiland loved the patrol and all the relationships he developed in his career, as well as the gratification that accompanies helping people. He retired after 28 years of service. He then drove a tour bus part time.
Garret took an active interest in his community. He worked on a campaign when Fort Dodge adopted a new form of government, helped with promotion of tax levy for Butler School, ran for mayor in 1985.
Garret had a variety of interests that kept him busy; rebuilding cars in his garage, building motorcycle trailers and even an airplane, flying, taking adventures in their motor home, motorcycling through every state in the continental United States, doing woodworking, stained glass and making jeweled Christmas trees.
He was a member of First Presbyterian Church and served 6 years on their Foundation.
Survivors include his wife of 74 years Leola, his daughter Cynthia (Tony) Salvatore of Fort Dodge, daughter-in-law Karen Weiland, his grandchildren Matthew (Katie) Salvatore and their son Lane, and Jessica (Cooper) Parker and their children Jovie and Raleigh, his sister Lorraine (Donald) Uben.
He was preceded in death by two infant daughters, son Scott, his mother Fern Denman, father Lorenz Weiland, and his sister Clellan Ufford.
Garret has been imprinted into the lives of many including those who met him on the highway, many nieces and nephews, and of course his immediate family.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the First Presbyterian Church.
