"Chipper" James J. Kearney 1928 - 2002

BRADLEY, KEARNEY, CUNNINGHAM

Posted By: Marguerite (email)
Date: 12/19/2002 at 12:05:52

Iowa City Press Citizen
Cedar Rapids Gazette

IOWA CITY

“Chipper” James J. Kearney, 73, of 1321 Rochester Avenue, Iowa City, died Sunday evening, December 15, 2002 at Mercy Hospital, Iowa City from complications of congestive heart failure.

Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 18, 2002, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Iowa City, with the Reverend Kenneth Kuntz, officiating. Scattering of his cremated remains will be in the United Kingdom at a later date. Friends may call from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. Tuesday at the Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service, 605 Kirkwood Avenue, Iowa City, where there will be a parish vigil service at 7:00 p.m. Memorials may be made to the Chipper Kearney Memorial Fund.

James Joseph Kearney was born May 29, 1928 in Strabane, County Tyrone, Ireland, the son of Thomas and Mary Alice (Bradley) Kearney. He grew up in Ireland and enjoyed sports as a young man. After his schooling he traveled and worked in England and Scotland. He was united in marriage to Catherine Cunningham on December 27, 1962 in Johnstone, Scotland. The couple moved to the United States in 1964 and settled in Iowa City where he owned and operated Chipper’s Tailor Shop. In his free time he especially enjoyed golfing, the opera and telling autobiographical tales, not all of which can be accurately verified.

Chipper is survived by his wife, Catherine, his daughter, Terri Kearney, his son, James Kearney & Megan McCannon all of Iowa City, two sisters; Mary O’Donovan and her husband Jim of Ireland, Ann Baker and her husband Ken of England, also many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by an infant brother, his parents, his brother, Michael and one sister, Eily Kearney.