Keeney Murder-Suicide

KEENEY, BROMAN, FELDERMAN, EVANS, CLARK, DURKOP, DRISKELL

Posted By: Anne Hermann (email)
Date: 12/9/2008 at 21:36:08

Jackson Sentinel
June 10, 1960

Double Services Today… Man Kills Wife and Self

Double funeral services for a Maquoketa man and wife, who local law enforcement officers report were victims of a murder and suicide late Monday night or early Tuesday, will be held today (Friday) at 2 p.m. in the W. G. Carson & Son funeral home here. The Rev. M. M. Nothdurft, pastor of the Methodist church, will officiate. Burial will be in the Bridgeport cemetery.

Dr. J. A. Broman, Jackson County coroner, said Wednesday that a coroner’s jury had ruled Orville G. Keeney, 57, and his 38-year-old wife, Florence, had died of gunshot wounds.

“The sheriff (Lorin C. Felderman) and (Maquoketa) city police are convinced that the deaths were murder and suicide,” said Dr. Broman, “and I am abiding by their decision.”

Authorities theorize Mr. Keeney fatally wounded Mrs. Keeney as she lay in an upstairs bedroom at the family residence at 311 S. Olive street around midnight Monday. Keeney then went downstairs, seated himself on a davenport and then took his own life. Bodies of the couple were found by their two children, Milo, 20 and Dianne, 14, upon arising Tuesday morning. Police were notified at 8:10 a.m.

Dead couple’s children told officers they retired Monday about 9:30 p.m. and detected nothing out of the ordinary as far as their parents were concerned. Neither did they hear any commotion nor startling noises during the night, they said.

Maquoketa Chief of Police Alan Evans disposed a note advised the Keeney children to contact an uncle or the sheriff. A member of the family said Keeney himself had been depressed lately.

Mr. Keeney, who with Mrs. Keeney was employed at Clinton Engines Corporation, was born Aug. 4, 1902, in Jackson county, a son of late James and Ida Reed Keeney. He and his wife, the former Florence E. Clark, were married on Aug. 4, 1939, at McCausland, Iowa.

Mrs. Keeney was born Dec. 28, 1921, in Maquoketa, a daughter of Peter and Ella Durkop Clark.

In addition to the children, Keeney is survived by three brothers: Arch, William and Fay, all of Maquoketa. Mrs. Keeney’s survivors include the children; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Clark of Maquoketa and Mrs. Lucille Driskell of Davenport. A brother preceded her in death.

Mr. and Mrs. Keeney were also preceded by one child.