Monica O'Neill Whalen (1888 - 1940)

WHALEN, ONEILL, BARRY, POWERS

Posted By: M. J. Fitzgerald (email)
Date: 10/11/2009 at 19:37:19

Monica O’Neill Whalen died in 1940. Obituary in the May 29, 1940, edition of the Allamakee Journal, Lansing, IA, reads:

Former Paint Rock Girl Dies

The death of Mrs. Kern W. Whalen took place Monday evening at Grandview hospital, La Crosse, of heart trouble, from which she had suffered for nearly 20 years. She had been visiting her sister in Dubuque some days previously and had gone to La Crosse to see Dr. Henke, with whom she had treated many times at his Chicago office, not knowing of his death, and she passed away there before her husband could reach her bedside.

As Monica Zita O’Neill she was born in Paint Rock Parish April 11, 1888, being a daughter of the late John H. and Bridget Barry O’Neill, pioneer residents there. Following her early education at home, she graduated from McGregor High School and later was for years employed as clerk in the Harpers Ferry post office under T. A. Oestern. Here she formed a wide acquaintanceship and made many friends who will read of her death with sincere sorrow.

On January 29, 1917, she was married to Mr. Kern W., Whalen, now a field man for the Allis-Chalmers Co., and after leaving Allamakee county they lived at Dubuque, Iowa; Milwaukee, Wis., and lately at Toledo, Ohio. They had no children; and she is surveyed by two brothers – P. Henry, of Wexford, and Leo J. of Dubuque; and one sister, Mrs. Edward Powers, also of that city; besides a host of other relatives and friends. All her life she was a devout Catholic, belonging to St. Catherine’s parish in Toledo, and died fortified by all the last rites of Mother Church.

Her funeral will be held Friday morning at St. Joseph’s church, Paint Rock, with interment in the family lot there beside her parents, with the pastor, Rev. John Costelloe, singing Requiem Mass and officiating at the graveside service.

May she rest in peace.

The next edition of the Allamakee Journal has the following article:

FUNERAL, MRS. KERN WHALEN

The pall bearers were Leo Brazell, Peter Flood, Tim Collins, Tom Corcoran, Henry Wagner and Lester Garin.

Among those in attendance at the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. Ed. Elgin, Clarksville, Mo.; Mr. and Mrs. James Henry. Mrs. And Mrs. Bertram Kelly, Louisiana, Mo.; Leo O’Neill, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Nelson, Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Ball, Mr. and Mrs. Harley Lawrence, Mrs. Ed. Posers, Misses Ethel and Catherine Powers, Mrs. Joe Gavin, Miss Mary Jordan, James Barnfield, Dubuque; Mrs. L. L. Boardman, Avon, S. D.; Mrs. W. G. Whalen, Peter Flood, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Whalen, and daughter, Rita, Milwaukee, Wi.,; Mrs. Ed. Fitzgerald, New Albin; Mr. and Mrs. James Manning, Mr. and Mrs., Patrick Laffan, James Baxter and daughter, Waukon.