JOHN J. O'ROURKE

HERKES, OROURKE, OBRIEN, BARTELS, KLUTNICK, BRAY

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 4/16/2003 at 20:25:45

John J. O'Rourke

Telegraph Herald - Wednesday, April 9, 2003

John J. O'Rourke, 88, of 1018 Dunham Drive, died Monday, April 7, 2003, at Luther Manor.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church. Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery, where there will be a flag presentation accorded by the American Legion Post 6 of Dubuque. Friends may call from 9 to 10:45 a.m. Thursday at the church. The Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Westview Funeral Home, 2659 Kennedy Road, is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. O'Rourke had a long career in the insurance claims industry for the Ohio Casualty/West American Insurance Co. He returned to Dubuque after retirement in 1991.

He was born on July 14, 1914, in Dubuque, son of Joseph J. and Clara (Herkes) O'Rourke.

He was a graduate of Columbia (Loras) Academy and a 1936 graduate of Loras College where he played varsity football and ran varsity track. He also attended Loyola Law School in Chicago.

He was athletic coach and taught at St. Columbkille's School in Dubuque before moving to Chicago in the late 1930s.

He enlisted in the Army in 1942 where he served throughout World War II, serving in the Provost Marshall's office. He reached the rank of Staff Sergeant.

He married Mary O'Brien in May 1943, at St. Rita's Parish, in Chicago; she died in 1978. He later married Virginia M. Bartels on Oct. 2, 1982, at Holy Family Church, New Melleray, Iowa.

John was a devoted family man, always placing the interest of his family ahead of his own. He loved reading, traveling and history, and passed those enthusiasms on to his children.

He was a member of the Loras College Alumni Association, American Legion Post 6 of Dubuque and the Dubuque Golf and Country Club.

Surviving are his wife, Virginia, of Dubuque; a daughter, Susan (James) Klutnick, of Huntington Beach, Calif.; a son, Thomas (Margaret) O'Rourke, of Frankfort, Ill.; grandsons, Jonathan Klutnick, Michael O'Rourke (Loras 1999) and Brian O'Rourke (Loras 2003); and a sister-in-law, Elizabeth Bray.

He also was preceded in death by a sister, Claire; and a brother, Robert.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to St. Joseph the Worker Church and Loras College.

John's family would like to thank Dr. Philip Leeson, Hospice of Dubuque and Luther Manor for their support and care.