Dr. Arthur Mcgilvra

Dr. Arthur McGilvra, 94, of Pella, IA, formerly of Sioux Center, died Thursday, June 19, 2008 at the Comfort House in Pella.

A memorial service will be held Monday at 11:00AM at Central Reformed Church of Sioux Center, with Rev. R. Van Rathbun officiating. Interment will be held prior to the memorial service in Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center.

A prayer service will be held at 10:00am at Central Reformed Church.

Visitation will be held Sunday from 2-8pm, with the family present from 2-4pm at the Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center.





Arthur Lawrence McGilvra was born August 17, 1913 in Sioux City, IA to Arthur G. McGilvra and Hattie (Hulsebus) McGilvra.

He attended Whittier Grade School in Sioux City, followed by East Jr. High School. He graduated from East High School in Sioux City in 1931. While attending high school he was active in football, basketball, track and music. He graduated from Hope College in Holland, MI in 1937 with a BA in PreMed. He attended the University of Iowa Medical School in Iowa City and graduated with an MD degree in 1941. He interned at Saginaw General Hospital in Saginaw, MI from 1941-43.

Arthur married Marian Roggen in Maurice, IA on June 12, 1942. He returned to Saginaw General Hospital until July 29, 1943 when he went into active duty as a Medical Officer. He served at Briggs Field, El Paso, Texas after serving Basic Training at Carlisle Barracks, Penn. He attended the School of Aviation Medicine at Randolph Field. Arthur served as a Flight Surgeon with the 306th Bomb Group from 1945 to 1946 in England, Germany, France and North Africa.

Arthur returned to the U.S. in July, 1946 and settled in Sioux Center, Iowa to establish practice with Wm. Maris, MD. Sioux Center had no available housing so they lived in space behind Dr. Bern Mouws dental office in a remodeled post office and used a kerosene space heater and the old post office vault for closet space. No restaurants were open on Sunday but the owners of Central Caf (the Muilenbergs) allowed them to come there for Sunday meals. Gilbert DeStigter was in the process of building housing on 2nd Ave. and they moved into that house when it became available.

There was no hospital in Sioux Center when they arrived but Dr. Maris had a maternity home which was available for maternity use. Hospitalized patients had to go to Hull, Orange City or Le Mars as they preferred. After Sioux Center Hospital was built most patients went there but a few still preferred one of the other hospitals.

Dr. McGilvra retired at Sioux Center in 1988 at the age of 75 delivering nearly 2900 babies during that time. The following year they moved to North Meadow Drive from South Meadow Drive. He and Marian moved in March 2000 to 812 E Liberty in Pella into a duplex to be near their children and grandchildren.

Dr. McGilvra was a member of Central Reformed Church in Sioux Center, Iowa where he served as an elder.

He was a member of the American Medical Association for 50 years, lifetime member of the American Association of Family Practice, the Sioux County Medical Association and the Iowa State Care Review Committee.

His survivors include his wife of 66 years, Marian (Roggen) of Pella, IA, his son and daughter-in-law, Terry and Debbie McGilvra of Des Moines, IA, two daughters and sons-in-law: Sally and Tim Baar of Pella, Sue and Kevin Drey of Pella; 11 grandchildren; 16 great grandchildren; and two sister-in-law: Elnora McGilvra of Orange City and Wilma McGilvra, of South Carolina.

He is preceded in death by his parents; two sisters; Annetta Ainslee, and Edith Vander Hart and brothers, Ralph and Raymond and their spouses and Harold.