Harold J. "Dick" Driscoll 1915-2006

DRISCOLL, KINSELLA, MCGUIRE, TAKES, TAKES, KYLE, SEDARS, COOHEY, RESSLER, MCALLISTER

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 10/18/2015 at 23:24:09

FILLMORE, Iowa - Harold J. "Dick" Driscoll, 90, of 1364 Driscoll Road, Bernard (Fillmore), Iowa, died peacefully at 1:55 p.m. Tuesday, July 18, 2006, surrounded by his family.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Sacred Heart Cath-olic Church, Fillmore. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. Friday, July 21, 2006, at Reiff Funeral Home, Cas- cade, where there will be a wake service at 4 p.m.

He was born on Aug. 20, 1915, on the Driscoll family farm, the sixth child born to Willie and Agnes Driscoll. He married Etheleen Kinsella on June 16, 1948 at St. Aloysius Church, South Garryowen.

He grew up and farmed almost his entire life on Driscoll Road. He and his brother, Clarence farmed together for more than 50 years.

A life long lover of history and writing, he was educated by the Sisters at Sacred Heart School, Fillmore.

He was the proud and loving father of seven children. Many of his happiest hours were spent watching them and his grandchildren participate in sports.

He was a great friend and neighbor to all. He often said "To have a good neighbor, you have to be a good neighbor."

He was an involved member of the community. He was a trustee of Prairie Creek Township, a soil conservation commissioner, and a member of the Dubuque County Board of Education. Dick was elected President of the first Western Dubuque School District Board of Education which faced the arduous task of forming the district. Dick spent many years as a director of the Bernard Telephone Co. He was a member of the Fourth Degree Dubourg Assembly, a member of the Knights of Columbus-Council 930, and a member of Sacred Heart Parish, Fillmore.

He and his brother, Justin, were part of the group that was instrumental in changing the law that allowed private school children the right to ride public school buses. He loved coaching the Fillmore baseball and basketball teams, and being a leader of the Fillmore Progressors 4-H club.

Dick will best be remembered for his unique sense of humor and his quick Irish wit. He loved sharing stories and writing poetry. One of the most treasured gifts he left to all of us was his autobiography "Remembered Yesterdays" which he completed in 2001, at the age of 86.

Surviving are his wife, Etheleen, of Bernard; five sons, Paul (Vicki) Driscoll, of New Bury Park, Calif., Judd Driscoll and Dan (Mary Jane) Driscoll, both of Dubuque, Rick Driscoll, of San Rafael, Calif., and Tim (Tonda Watson) Driscoll, of Bernard; two daughters, Katie (John) McGuire and Joan (Steve) Takes, both of Cascade; 18 grandchildren, Scott (Joanna) Driscoll, Lisa (Evan) Kyle, Chris Driscoll, Erin (Kelly) Sedars, Angela, Brendan, Molly and Matt McGuire, Jackie (fianc, Troy Liabold) Coohey, Jerod (Jeana) Driscoll, Ricky, Michelle, Tom and Leah Driscoll, Cody Takes and Jodi, Jason and Danny Takes; four great-grandchildren, Hailey Driscoll, Braeden Kyle, Will Coohey and Charlie Driscoll; a sister-in-law, Grace Driscoll, of Peosta; and four brothers-in-law, Joe (Norma) Kinsella, Dorrance (Doty) Kinsella, Leo (Inez) Kinsella and Donald Kinsella.

He was preceded in death by his parents; five brothers, Frank, Clarence, Melvin, Leon, and Justin; and three sisters, Florence Ressler, Mary McAllister and Gladys Driscoll.

Telegraph Herald (Dubuque, IA) - Thursday, July 20, 2006