Adney, John Robert 1911-2008

RUSSOW, ADNEY, GOHLMAN

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 12/30/2009 at 19:18:45

John Robert Adney, 97, of Miles, died Friday, Nov. 14, 2008, at Mercy Living Center North, Clinton.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, Nov. 18, at the United Presbyterian Church, Miles, with the Rev. Bill Warhover officiating. Burial was in Miles Cemetery. Miller-Law-Jones Funeral Home, Preston, was in charge of arrangements.

John was born May 5, 1911, to John Alvin and Bertha Russow Adney in McGregor. He graduated from McGregor High School. John married Edith Genevieve Gohlman June 4, 1934, in Clinton. She died in 1979.

John worked for the Milwaukee Railroad's Marquette Shop and the Chicago Northwestern Railroad's Clinton Shop. He spent some years working at the G.A. Gohlman General Store and John L. Franks Lumber and Feed Store, both in Miles. John worked at the Savanna Ordnance Depot during World War II as a munitions handler and explosive operator. He later spent 10 years working with the University of Iowa, Iowa City, doing geological studies of the region. He discovered that the Mississippi River wandered through the Preston, Green Island and Spragueville areas over 10,000 years ago.

John's interests and talents carried him down many different paths. His true profession and calling in life was a writer, historian and amateur photographer. Folks all over Iowa and northern Illinois enjoyed his works for many years. He wrote columns for area newspapers including the North Iowa Times, the Des Moines Register, and the Cedar Rapids Gazette. He was quoted by the Quad City Times newspaper in 2005 that he was in his "77th year of column writing."

John worked on the History of Jackson County and most notably on railroad history. Some of John's stories include “Hoboes,” “Harvest in McGregor,” “Advent of the Auto,” “1800s Doctor—Quack or Saint?” and “Seventeen-Year Cicadas.” He also wrote about the infamous “Al Capone,” “Victorian Era” and “Political Scandals.”

He is survived by sons, John G. of Marion and Robert of Clinton; six grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandson. John was preceded in death by two sisters, a brother and a daughter in-law.

McGregor, Iowa newspaper, NORTH IOWA TIMES, November 2008. Contributor is not related and has no further information.