- Date Of Birth: October 30, 1932
- Date Of Death: July 31, 2008
- State: Iowa
Donald Cloyd Karns, 75, a longtime Anita resident, businessman, community and civic leader, died Thursday, July 31, 2008.
Don was born October 30, 1932, in Adair, Iowa. Don was the younger of two children of Cloyd and Irene (Gipple) Karns. The family moved to Missouri in 1935; Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1937; and returned to Adair County in August 1943, where they farmed in the Berea vicinity. Don attended Berea country school and then Anita High School, graduating in 1951. His father died suddenly in the summer of 1951, and Don returned to his parents’ farming operation in Adair County.
Don married Marjorie Roots in Anita on February 1, 1953. They farmed in the Berea vicinity. In November 1957, they moved to Anita where Don was employed at Anita State Bank. He was associated with the bank for nine years. In April 1967, he joined the Town & Country Insurance Agency as a partner with Paul Clemmensen and E.D. Brocker. The firm later became known as Brocker, Karns & Karns. He retired from the insurance firm in 1998. In recent years, he worked part-time at Rolling Hills Bank.
Don was an active leader of countless business, community, and civic organizations. He was Cass County Republican Chairman during the mid-1960s and served as county election chairman for Governor Robert D. Ray. He was elected mayor of Anita in November 1971 and served nine years.
