CONNELL, James J. 1884-1958

CONNELL, CULLINAN

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 10/8/2016 at 05:57:06

Jim Connell Dies After Long Illness

After a lingering illness, James J. Connell, son of Jerry and Bridget (Cullinan) Connell, passed away at St. Francis hospital, Waterloo, Thursday evening at 9:15, March 27th.

He was born at Hopedale, Tazewell county, Illinois, on Dec. 9th, 1884. The Connell family moved to Iowa when Jim was but a boy of nine and established itself on a fine southwest Palermo township farm where he resided until his father retired to a home on H. Avenue, Grundy Center, in 1908.

After putting in a brief period of clerking in the Grundy Bakery, he purchased the business and successfully operated a thriving business for a number of years. Then he transferred to Dubuque, where he was a partner in the electrical wiring and appliance business of Connell & Berkley.

In 1930 he moved to the George Brasted farm, a few miles west of Grundy Center, and there accumulated an outstanding heard of Holstein dairy cattle that frequently topped the list in the County Association's records. At the beginning of World War II he was chosen as foreman of the Hemp Mill established here in 1941. After the war he retired to Grundy Center where he took an active part in civic projects, managing the town baseball team, and also served as a member of various competitive bowling teams, the high point being his participation in the National Bowling Congress held in Toledo, Ohio.

His health failing, he spent two years in Mesa, Ariz., and another in McAllen, Texas. After his return from the South he made his home with his sisters, Mrs. W. H. Kinsinger, Grundy Center, and Mrs. J. L. Murphy, Waterloo.

Those of the family who survive him are three brothers, Martin J., Grundy Center, Thomas E., Waterloo, and Reverend Father John P., Tampa, Florida. His sisters are Mrs. W. H. Kinsinger (Nora), Grundy Center, Margaret, Anoka, Minn., Sister Mary Carmelita, Fort Madison, Iowa, Mrs. J. L. Murphy (Mae) Waterloo, Mrs. Alois Hulne (Rose), Grundy Center. His parents, two sisters, Mrs. P. J. Lynch (Ella), Sister Rose Marie (Grace), and a brother, Willie, preceded him in death.

A Requiem High Mass was celebrated by Father Connell, brother of the deceased, in Sacred Heart church at 9:30 Monday morning, March 31. Father Donald Weydert delivered the funeral sermon and conducted the committal service at the graveside in Sacred Heart cemetery. His grave is beside that of his father and mother.

The pallbearers were his nephews, Richard Connell, Joseph Connell, Raymond Connell, John B. Murphy, Robert E. Hulne and Joseph W. Hulne.

Relatives and friends from Anoka, St. Paul, Austin and Worthington, Minn., Chicago and Delavan, Ill., Omaha, Neb., Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Independence, Marshalltown, Ely, Fort Madison, Manchester, Iowa, also many from various towns in Grundy county.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 3 April 1958, pg 6