CONNELL, Martin J. 1881-1960

CONNELL, RYAN

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 10/8/2016 at 09:02:48

Martin J. Connell Died Monday at Grundy Hospital

Martin J. Connell died Monday morning at the Grundy hospital. He had been in failing health during much of the past year. He was a patient in the Grundy hospital early in January, and later for three weeks prior to his death. He would have been 80 years old on his next birthday.

The body was at the Ferree Funeral Home, where service arrangements were made. Funeral services were at 9 o'clock Wednesday morning at Sacred Heart Catholic church, Grundy Center. The service was conducted by the local pastor, Rev. Fr. P. C. Bodensteiner, assisted by former pastor of the Grundy Catholic church, Rev. Fr. Justin Kress, now from Ackley. Burial was in the Grundy Center cemetery.

Mr. Connell was born in Tazwell, county, Ill., March 27, 1881. He was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Connell. The family moved to a farm in southwest Grundy county, Palermo township when Martin was a small boy. He grew up there and attended rural school in Dist. No. 10, Palermo township.

On Feb. 8, 1905, Martin Connell and Nora Ryan were married at Ottumwa, Iowa. Shortly after their marriage they began life together on the Connell farm and that remained their home until they moved to Grundy Center in 1957. The following year they built a new home on East J Ave., Grundy Center.

All of Mr. Connell's active life was spent on the same Grundy county farm. He was one of Grundy county's top ranking farmers, he was a good citizen, a good neighbor, and a good friend to all who knew him. He served as a trustee in Sacred Heart church for approximately 30 years.

Mr. and Mrs. Connell observed their 50th wedding anniversary with a service and "open house" at the Catholic church in Grundy Center on Feb. 8, 1955.

Wife and 6 Children Survive
Mr. and Mrs. Connell were the parents of seven children. One of them, a daughter, died in infancy. Surviving are the wife and six children. The children are (Mary) Mrs. Elden Rouse, Panama Canal Zone; Francis, who resides on the home farm; Raymond, Grundy Center; Leo, Conrad; (Loretta) Mrs. Don Stull, Grundy Center; (Kathryn) Mrs. Wallace Getting, Grundy Center. There are eleven grandchildren.

Other surviving members of the family are two twin brothers, Tom Connell, Waterloo, and Rev. Fr. John T. Connell, Tampa, Fla. There are five surviving sisters. They are Mrs. Nora Kinsinger, Margaret Connell, both from Grundy Center; Sister Mary Carmelita, Ft. Madison, Iowa, Mrs. Mae Murphy, Waterloo; Mrs. A. Hulne, Grundy Center. Preceding him in death were two brothers, Willie and James, and two sisters, Mrs. Ella Lynch and Sister Grace Marie.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 29 September 1960, pg 1