Berry, Anna (Brophy) 1875-1940

BERRY, BROPHY, PARRELL, KUEHN, SWEENEY, HEROLD, TOOLE, LOFTUS, WALSH, SKIBA

Posted By: Ann Krumme - volunteer
Date: 5/17/2008 at 17:57:27

Death of Mrs. Jas. Berry
Acquaintances at Harpers Ferry read with sorrow of the death at Viroqua, Wis., on Oct. 29th, of Mrs. Anna Berry, aged 65, who passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Dr. Alvin Kuehn.

She was born in McGregor July 5, 1875 and her early youth was spent in Harpers. Her maiden name was Anna Brophy and for over 39 years she had been a resident of Marquette.

Her husband, James Berry, preceded her in death last March, and she is survived by 3 children, two having passed away some years ago. She was well known in both Allamakee and Clayton counties with several friends from Waukon, Harpers and New Albin attending the funeral services at McGregor.

~Allamakee Journal and Lansing Mirror
Wednesday November 13, 1940

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Added by S. Ferrall 4/12/2021:

Anna Brophy Berry, widow of the late James M. Berry and a resident of Marquette for thirty-nine years, was born in McGregor, Iowa, on July 5, 1875, and died in Viroqua, Wisconsin, on October 29, 1940.

Mrs. Berry was the daughter of Thomas Brophy, of an old Kentucky family, and Mary Sweeney Brophy, a native of County Roscommon, Ireland, both of whom preceded her in death many years. Her only brother, John Brophy, died in service in the Spanish-American War, and the death of her only sister, Mrs. Joseph Herold, of Saint Louis, Missouri, occurred some years ago.

Anna Brophy Berry was reared in Harpers Ferry, Iowa, by a grand-aunt, Mrs. Thomas Parrell under the guardianship of her uncle, Captain John Sweeney, one of the last of the old Mississippi River packet captains. She was educated at the historic old school for girls, Saint Mary's Institute, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, from which she graduated with highest honors in 1893.

From her graduation until her marriage she lived in Harpers Ferry and in Chicago, where she had close relatives, one of whom, Miss Sellie Toole, survives her.

She was married to James M. Berry of Marquette, then North McGregor, on October 15, 1901, in Chicago. Five children were born to the couple, three of whom survive their parents, J. Stanton Berry, Sabula, Iowa; Sister Mary St. Virginia, B.V.M., New York City; and Mrs. A.E. Kuehn, Viroqua. The eldest son, Don J. Berry, a member of the United States diplomatic service and a foreign news correspondent, died in 1931 in Valparaiso, Chile while the youngest son died in infancy. The death of the late well known James M. Berry saddened the community last March. There are four grandchildren.

Anna Brophy Berry was a devoted member of the Catholic Church and of her community. While in good health she was an active alumna of her Alma Mater, at one time serving as president of the Saint Mary's Retreat Association and also as an officer of the Alumnae Association. She possessed the affection and esteem of many lifelong Marquette friends who often experienced her sympathy and quick charity in time of trouble. For several years preceding her death, she held the office of postmaster at Marquette.

Mrs. Berry had been in delicate health for some time, and shortly after going to Viroqua to visit her daughter, Mrs. Kuehn, in early October, she became ill. She suffered a cerebral hemorrhage a few days before her death. When her illness became serious her son Stanton, with his family, and her daughter Sister Mary St. Virginia, were called.

Also in attendance at the funeral, besides Marquette, McGregor, Viroqua and Prairie du Chien friends, were Mrs. Berry's sisters-in-law, Mrs. M.J. Loftus, Marquette; and Miss Rose Berry, Chicago; two nieces, Mrs. L. Walsh and Mrs. B. Skiba, Saint Paul, Minn.; Sister Mary St. Ida, B.V.M., Chicago; Mrs. Albert Kuehn, New Albin; Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Smith, LaCrosse, Wis.; Mr. and Mrs. John Wiedner and Mrs. Louis Boardman, Harpers Ferry, and Mrs. Eldon Sauegling, Guttenberg.

The Reverend J.J. Horsfield, Mrs. Berry's pastor for many years, celebrated the funeral Mass, and the pall-bearers were M.E. Grady, Elmer Langlie, T.B. O'Leary, Harry Schott and J.J. Sloan, Marquette; Frank Huebsch, McGregor; John Wiedner, Harpers Ferry and Martin Coutant, Prairie du Chien.

~North Iowa Times, Thursday, November 7, 1940, pg 8, Marquette Times column

Note: Anna & her husand are buried Saint Gabriel Cemetery, Prairie du Chien, Crawford Co., WI

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The photo below was contributed by Stephen Dobbs, along with his comments: "Due to North Iowa Times obituary for Anna (Brophy) Berry obit [we]started tying a lot of the loose ends together. In this photo from my grandmother's scrapbook are Anna (Brophy) Berry with husband James M. and their two girls, Virginia and Mary, taken outside the Berry Hotel in Marquette (N. McGregor) on a visit my grandmother made when she was in her late teens. We estimated the year to be about 1918.

Clayton Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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