Dr. John Garfield

Dr. John C. Garfield, 78, of Des Moines, IA, passed away December 6th at the Kavanagh House hospice center in Des Moines after a long and courageous fight with cancer.
John Clement Garfield was born August 13, 1930 in Ames, IA to Theodore Greenlief Garfield and Carolyn Crosby Garfield. He attended Ames High School and graduated from Iowa State University in 1951. He served his country faithfully in the Air Force during the Korean War. He attended Harvard Law School and he received his master’s degree and doctorate degree in psychology from the University of Iowa.
John served as a professor of psychology at The University of Iowa and The University of Oklahoma. He also worked in private practice in Des Moines for more than thirty years, retiring in early 2008. Dr. Garfield was active throughout his career in the American Orthopsychiatric Association, an organization promoting mental health and social justice. He was instrumental in the formation of the first Head Start early childhood program in eastern Iowa. He served on the board of directors of numerous organizations including the Youth Law Center and Westminster Halfway House. He was also active in Democratic Party politics, and served as the Iowa campaign manager for Senator Eugene McCarthy’s campaign for President in 1968. He was past president of the Des Moines Cyclone Club, and participated for years in promoting Cyclone athletics. He did not miss a single Cyclone home football game for 35 years.
John Garfield is survived by his wife of 29 years, Betteanne, their son, Brian, and by his children from a previous marriage, John-David and Holly Melissa. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Justin David (Rosa), Jessica Nelle, and Sullivan J, and his great-grandchildren, Makayla Marie and Anthony William. He is survived by his brother, David Garfield (Louise), and his sister, Carol Carson, and by numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his brother, Theodore.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, December 12th, at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway, in West Des Moines. Visitation will begin at Hamilton’s at 12:30 p.m. and last until the service begins.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Catholic Worker House, 1310 7th Street, (515) 243-0765, or to Central Iowa Shelter and Services, 205 15th Street, (515) 284-5719.
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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