Ambrose J. McDonnell 1912-2003

MCDONNELL, CURTIS, LAMBE, REHM, SAUL, MELLOY, RYAN, DECKER, PAYNE, WOLBERS, COX, DRISCOLL

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 7/16/2017 at 20:48:22

Telegraph Herald (Dubuque, IA) — Sunday, April 13, 2003

BERNARD, Iowa - Ambrose J. McDonnell, 90, of 307 Jess Street, Bernard, died at 4:30 a.m. Saturday, April 12, 2003, at Shady Rest Care Center, Cascade.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Garryowen, with the Rev. Thomas Bisenius officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 9 p.m., Monday at Reiff Funeral Home, Cascade, where there will be a wake service at 4 p.m.

He was born on Sept. 17, 1912, in Garryowen, son of Neil and Mary Ann (Curtis) McDonnell. He married Florence Lambe on June 7, 1938, at St. Aloysius, South Garryowen.

He received his education in the former St. Patrick's School in Garryowen. Ambrose farmed in the rural Bernard area until retiring in 1959. He also was a bus driver for the Western Dubuque Schools and operated McDonnell Hardware and did carpentry work in Bernard. He was a member of St. Patrick's Parish in Garryowen, Iowa, a member of the Bernard Commercial Club and the Cascade Knights of Columbus-Council 930.

Ambrose served on the Bernard City Council, and was a member of the Bernard Volunteer Fire Department, where he served as chief. He was the manager for the Bernard baseball team. Ambrose loved to play euchre with his friends. He was an avid fisherman and hunter, a devoted Cubs, Hawkeyes and Chicago Bears fan.

Surviving are five children, Sister Marlene McDonnell, of Cascade, Donald (Sharon) McDonnell, of Dubuque, David McDonnell, of Bernard, Lynn McDonnell of Bernard, and Dan (Margie) McDonnell, of Dubuque, Iowa; seven grandchildren, Diann (John) Buss, Nancy (Pat) Rehm, Gary (Amy) McDonnell, Kevin (Jill) McDonnell, Mark (Deb) McDonnell, Amanda McDonnell and Heather (Jim) Saul; nine great-grandchildren; two sisters, Margaret Ryan, of Bernard, and Theresa (Ed) Melloy, of Dubuque; and three sisters-in-law, Carmie McDonnell-Decker, Kathleen McDonnell and Carlene McDonnell, all of Bernard.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Florence McDonnell, on Sept. 9, 1990; four sisters, Helen Payne, Anita Wolbers, Estelle Cox and Mary Clara Driscoll; and four brothers, Ignatius, Joseph, Paul and Raymond McDonnell.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be given to a favorite charity, the Bernard Rescue Unit and St. Patrick's Parish, Garryowen.

The family wishes to thank the Mercy Medical Center-Dubuque third floor nursing staff and Bernard Rescue Unit. And a special thanks to Shady Rest Care Center staff for the care given to Ambrose.