Former Guthrie mayor dies after contracting West Nile virus

Gumerson was 76.

Forty people gave blood Sunday at a blood drive hosted by First Christian Church and the Oklahoma Blood Institute, organizer Jessica Eaves said. Many more signed up and tried to donate.

Oklahoma and the rest of the nation have seen a record-breaking number of West Nile virus cases this year.

Gumerson had been struggling with complications from West Nile virus, Eaves said. He did not require blood transfusions, but the event correlated with his deeply held Christian beliefs and penchant for helping people, Eaves said.

“We believe Jesus died on the cross, he gave his blood for us,” said Eaves, a Christian outreach team leader at the church. “Jon shared the gospel with everyone he knew. And he shared information about our church with everyone he knew. If there's anything we could do to honor him, it would be a blood drive.”

The former Guthrie mayor taught Sunday school at the church for 50 years, Eaves said. He was also an avid Sooner fan and local businessman.

Gumerson was the vice mayor of Guthrie from 1969 to 1971, and served as mayor from 1971 to 1973. A retired insurance salesman who had lived in the city since he was two years old, Gumerson ran again in 2001 and was mayor of the city until 2007.