Mary Whalen Kelleher (1867 - 1929)

KELLEHER, WHALEN, MOOTZ, MANNING, BYRNE, COOPER

Posted By: M. J. Fitzgerald (email)
Date: 10/11/2009 at 18:54:39

Mary Whalen Kelleher died July 24, 1929. Obituary published in the July 31, 1929 Allamakee Journal and Lansing Mirror reads:

Life’s Fitful Fever O’er for Mrs. Frank Kelleher

By the demise Wednesday, July 24th, about 6:30 p.m., at her home in Lafayette township of the above named lady, a good woman has gone to her reward. Mrs. Kelleher had been ailing since last April with Bright’s disease and complications and spent several weeks in St. Francis hospital, LaCrosse. Evidently realizing her condition, she insisted on being brought home from there a month or six weeks ago, and Dr. J. W. Thornton, her nephew, did everything that medical science could suggest for her but to no avail, and in the closing days of her illness Mrs., M. F. Dunlevy, the nurse, made her as comfortable as possible.

Mary Elizabeth Whalen was born in the township in which she died and lived her entire life October 11, 1869. She was therefore 59 years, 9 months and 13 days of age. She was the third oldest daughter of a family of eleven, six sons and five daughters, of the late Kern and Caroline Whalen. One son, Matthew and one daughter, Celia, are dead, the 4 living brothers and sisters being: William, of Milwaukee; Kern, of Oklee, Minn., Thos., of Lafayette; George, of Lansing; Joseph, of Marquette; Mrs. Gus Mootz, Merrill, Wis.; Mrs. Kate Manning, Lafayette; Mrs. John Byrne, Lansing, and Mrs. Herbert Cooper, Dubuque.

On September 24th, 1889, at Immaculate Conception church in this city, she was married to Frank Kelleher, who, with four of their five sons, Joseph, of Chicago; Ray of Atchison, Kan., and Ben and Kern at home, survive to mourn the loss of a good wife and mother. One son, Edward, died in 1916.

Deceased was essentially a home body, her entire life being given over to the care of husband and sons. Although of a kindly and charitable nature, she rarely if ever left the home fireside for entertainment or social doings except to visit the sick. She was a devout member of the Catholic church and died fortified of its last rites. Mrs. Kelleher was a member of two fraternal societies, the W.C.O.F. and Yeoman, the former attending her funeral in a body. She also belonged to the Rosary Society and the prayers of its members will speed her on her way to everlasting peace and light.

Burial took place from the Catholic church in this city, where she had worshipped all her life and before the altar of which her troth had been plighted. Friday morning at 9 o’clock, Msgr. Haxmeier read the Mass of Requiem, gave the absolution and the last blessing at the grave in Gethsemane. Her casket bearers were: Thomas and John Howard, Allie Hurm, Joe Manning, Thomas Kelleher and Matt Guider. The large attendance of relatives and friends gave silent but eloquent testimony to the worth of the woman and was proverbial of the community in which she was born and lived all her life.

Out of town relatives attending the funeral were: Mrs. P. J. Miles, Oelwein; Wm. Whalen, Milwaukee; Joe Whalen, Marquette; Mr. and Mrs. Gus Mootz, Mr. and Mrs. Kern Whalen, Merrill, Wis.