William A. Kneeland 1895-1989

KNEELAND, WATERS, HORAN, MCSWEENEY, MILLER, WARD, GOULD, GUZMAN

Posted By: Bill Waters (email)
Date: 8/18/2003 at 11:26:58

William A. Kneeland Funeral services for William A. Kneeland were held Tuesday, April 4, 10 a.m. at St. Bridget Catholic Church, Postville. Rev. Paul Offing officiated. Interment was in Postville Cemetery. Schutte Funeral Service was in charge of arrangements. William A. Kneeland, son of John and Elizabeth (Horan) Kneeland, was born December 13, 1895 in Clermont. He died Saturday, April l , 1989 in Community Memorial Hospital, Postville, IA. He received his education in the Riverside School in Clermont Township and was graduated from the Clermont High School in 1914. He also studied law by correspondence for 2 years. On June 19, 1923 he married Helen Waters at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Clermont. They had 3 children. They lived in Clermont until 1934 when they moved to Postville. He was a teacher in the Clermont Township Rural School No. 5 from 1914 to 1915. From 1915 to 1934 he was the bookkeeper and assistant cashier at the Farmers Savings Bank in Clermont with time out for military service in the U.S. Army during WW 1. He became Cashier at the Postville State Bank in May, 1934. In 1936 he became a member of the Board of Directors, in January, 1958 he was elected President of the bank and Chairman of the Board in 1978: He retired in 1985. He has been Honorary Chairman of the Postville State Bank since his retirement. He was active in the following organizations: President of the County Bankers Association in both Fayette and Allamakee Counties; served on various committees in the Iowa Bankers Association; Secretary of IBA Group 4 from 1948 - 1950; Chairman of IBA Group 4 from 1950 - 1952; Vice-President and Treasurer of IBA 1960-1961; member of the Iowa State Banking Board 1961-1965; County Chairman of the War Savings Bond Committee 1941-1952; Regional Chairman of the War Bond Committee 1942-1969 (7 counties later reduced to 4 counties, Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Winneshiek); offices in the American Legion and County Commander in Fayette and Allamakee counties; President of Postville Kiwanis Club and Postville Commercial Club; Treasurer of Postville Community Schools for 41 years (1936-I977); Honorary member of the Postville FFA Chapter; organized the Young Republican Club in the 1920’s in Fayette county; Chairman and Secretary of County Conventions; Precinct Chairman of Post Township for 2 years; and delegate to State Presidential Convention in 1952, where he served on the Resolutions Committee. He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen, who died Sept. 29, 1984; a son, Lt. Robert W. Kneeland, who was killed Dec. 2, 1944 while serving in the Southwest Pacific during WW II; 2 brothers, Clem and Leo, and 3 sisters, Grace McSweeney, Margaret Kneeland and Irene Miller. Surviving are a son, Francis P. Kneeland and his wife, Joyce, Brookfield, WI. and a daughter, Nancy A. and her husband, William Ward, Evanston, IL; 5 grandchildren, Janice Kneeland, Katherine Guzman, Thomas P. Gould, Robert J. Gould and his wife Lisa, and Patrick J. Gould; one great-grandson, Quinn Guzman and a sister, Agnes Kneeland, Ossian, IA. Casket Bearers: Thomas Gould, Robert Gould, Ralph Kneeland, Ron Taylor, Patrick Gould, Stanley Straate. Honorary Casket Bearers: Dr. M. F. Kiesau, Millard Nelson, Jr., John Schultz, E. W. Kozelka, Dr. R. F. Schneider, Lyle Zieman.

@Postville Herald-Leader 4/5/1989