Mark Byrnes 1916-1999

ZOLL, BYRNES, OMALLEY, ELLINGSON, OPHEIM, WIEDNER, WEDO, KARAM, MURPHY, HALER, STEINHART, QUILLIN

Posted By: IA GenWeb Volunteer
Date: 7/30/2010 at 11:18:47

Decorah Public Opinion, Tuesday, April 20, 1999

Mark Byrnes

Mark Byrnes, 82, of Waukon, died Thursday, April 15, 1999, at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon following a lengthy illness.

Funeral services were held Monday, April 19, at 11 a.m., at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Waukon, with the Rev. Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg officiating.

Casket bearers were Dennis Byrnes, Chuck Murphy, Don Haler, Jim Byrnes, Bill Byrnes and Dale Dougherty.

Burial with graveside rites was at the St. Mary's Hanover Cemetery, rural Waukon. The Martin Funeral Home handled arrangements.

Mark Byrnes was born July 31, 1916, in Hanover Township of Allamakee County, rural Waukon, the son of Larry and Nora (Zoll) Byrnes. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary's Hanover Catholic Church and attended rural Hanover area school.

Mark helped on his father's farm for a time after school, before moving to northern California in 1936, where he worked in the lumber mills. In 1941 he entered the United States Army and served until 1943, seeing some of his duty in Alaska.

Following the service, he returned to Allamakee County where on Aug. 22, 1944, he married Helen O'Malley at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Waukon. Mark and Helen farmed together in French Creek Township until his retirement. Helen later died.

On Jan. 7, 1984, Mark married Bernice Ellingson Opheim Wedo at St. Mary's Hanover Catholic Church.

Mark was a member of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Phoenix, Ariz., where he had spent winters since the late 1970s. He also was a member of the American Legion and V.F.W., and was active in Allamakee County Farm Bureau.

He enjoyed golf, hunting, playing cards, traveling and visiting with friends. He also was good at fixing things around the house for himself and his neighbors.

Survivors include his wife, Bernice; one son, John and Sandra Byrnes of Waukon; one daughter, Mary and Richard Wiedner of Litchfield, Minn.; three step-sons, Lyle and Cindy Opheim of Postville, James Wedo of Winona, Minn., and Mark and Cathy Wedo of Colorado Springs, Colo.; one step-daughter, Jo Ann Karam of Reno, Nev.; one step-daughter-in-law, Samantha Opheim of Ontario, Calif.; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; 10 step-grandchildren; two sisters, Anita and Charles Murphy of Waukon and Phyllis Haler of Waukon; and a brother, Vic Byrnes of Dorchester.

Mark Byrnes was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Helen; his step-son, John Opheim; four sisters, Mary Steinhart, Gladys Quillin, and infants Donna and Gertrude; and five brothers, Clement, Francis, Garland, Lawrence and Patrick Byrnes.

Transcribed by an IA GenWeb Volunteer from obituaries found in the Howard-Winneshiek Genealogy Society Library, Cresco, Iowa.
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Photo added by Connie Ellis 8/1/2011

Allamakee Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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