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00 Circulation! ★ SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1942 FINAL TRIBUTES TO GRANT WOOD His Dreams, Genius Are Praised. (The Register's Iowa News Service.) CEDAR RAPIDS, IA. — Grant Wood the artist, Grant Wood the friend and Grant Wood the man was eulogized in a brief funeral service in Cedar Rapids, his former home, Saturday afternoon. A light steady snow fell outside the Turner chapel as about 200 relatives, associates and other friends gathered in final tribute. Burial was in Riverside cemetery at Anamosa, Ia., Wood's boyhood home. Lampe Speaks. The noted painter who painted art in Iowa died Thursday night of cancer of the liver at University hospital in Iowa City, Ia. He would have been 50 years old the next day. "Grant Wood is greater than any painting he ever put on canvas." Thus spoke Dr. M Willard Lampe of the State University of Iowa school of religion. "He dreamed greater than he was ever able to portray. He was planning work which he hoped would be better work, but which he was never able to finish. His reach exceeded his grasp." During the service the closed, flag-draped coffin stood before a bank of flowers. On the mortuary walls were several of Wood's own paintings. Gratitude. "Our feeling is one of gratitude for his seeing beauty and using his creative genius to put it on canvas for the enlightenment of all," Dr. Lampe continued. "If by immortality is meant the immortality of creative deeds, of inspiring influence, we are surrounding the bier of an immortal today. He needs no bard to sing his praises. The treasures of his art will attend to that." A few paces from the room was the barn attic studio in which Wood did much of his work. There he lived when he carried out on canvas his conviction that a regional art for the midwest was needed in the world. Dr. Lampe said that the world, contemplating the death of Grant Wood at 50 years of age, must say with Francis Bacon: "It is given to but few to die at the top." ★ ★ ★ Meanwhile, tributes to Grant Wood came from almost every part of the country. Christopher Morley, noted American writer, messaged: "The country greatly feels the loss of one of its best gifts. What Grant Wood accomplished turned many tides." Walter Wanger, motion pictures producer, and his wife, Actress Joan Bennett, wired from Hollywood: "A great loss." "The passing of Grant Wood is a grievous loss to the University of Iowa, and to the nation," Eugene A. Gilmore, former president of the State University of Iowa, now dean of the law school at the University of Pittsburgh, said. Gilmore called Wood a "creative and original artist of unusual talent who in his all too short life made a superb contribution of permanent value." Death's Budget A year ago in the week starting today, 13 persons died in Iowa accidents in which motor vehicles were involved. Last week's toll 4 So far this year.....46 Same date 1941......58 Same date 1940......50 List of motor vehicle accident deaths in Iowa last week in daily record.
