Rev. RONALD J. AXEN

MCNAMARA, AXEN, JOHNSON, BRUYERE

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 3/2/2003 at 11:30:27

Rev. Ronald J. Axen

Telegraph Herald - Tuesday, February 25, 2003

Rev. Ronald John Axen, 88, a priest of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, died Saturday evening, Feb. 22, 2003, at Stonehill Care Center.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. today at St. Raphael's Cathedral, with burial in St. Francis Xavier Cemetery, Belmond, Iowa. Friends may call after 9 a.m. Tuesday at the cathedral. The Hoffmann-Schneider Funeral Home, l640 Main St. is in charge of arrangements.

He was born on June 26, 1914, in Eagle Grove, Iowa, son of Alfred M. and Gertrude J. (McNamara) Axen.

He graduated from Clarion Public High School, Loras College, Dubuque, and completed his theological studies at St. Paul Seminary, St. Paul, Minn. He was ordained on May 18, 1940, by the Most Rev. Francis J. Beckman, STD, for the Archdiocese of Dubuque. He served as associate pastor at St. Michael's, Belle Plaine, until September 1940; St. Ludmila, Cedar Rapids, 1940-44; Immaculate Conception, Elma, 1944-47; pastor at St. Joseph, Stone City, and its mission of Holy Trinity, Baldwin, 1947-50; St. Joseph, State Center, 1950-56; St. Patrick's, Dougherty, 1956-62; St. Patrick, Monti, 1962-69; St. Athanasius, Jesup, 1969-72; Sacred Heart, Walker, and St. Mary's, Urbana, 1972-83; Sacred Heart, Fillmore, and St. Aloysius, South Garryowen, from 1983 until his retirement in 1986.

Surviving are a sister, Sister Mary Martin, SM, at Sacred Heart Convent, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; a nephew, Dennis Axen, Elkridge, Minn.; and two nieces, Joanne Johnson, of Rogers, Minn., and Patrice Bruyere, International Falls, Minn.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother.