Adrian (Ade) Benedict Panther

PANTHER, BECKMAN, FREEMAN, LIGHT, FITZPATRICK, O’CONNOR

Posted By: Tara (email)
Date: 1/22/2010 at 09:57:49

Adrian (Ade) Panther died peacefully on Tuesday, January 19, 2010, at Oaknoll Retirement Residence at age 93. A funeral mass will be celebrated on Saturday, January 23 at 11:00 am at the Newman Center with burial in St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be at Lensing Funeral Home, 605 Kirkwood Avenue, on Friday evening from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, and the family will greet friends beginning at 10:00 am on Saturday at the Newman Center. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to mass offerings to a church of one’s choice or to Iowa City Hospice.
Adrian Benedict Panther was born January 17, 1917 to Frank and Frances (Beckman) Panther near West Point, Iowa. The family moved to Mt. Pleasant where he attended St. Alphonsus grade and high schools. He attended Wesleyan College before transferring to the University of Iowa on a track scholarship. In 1938, he began his career in the restaurant business at Hamburg Inn #1 on Iowa Avenue in Iowa City. He later operated Big Ten Inn, the Cloud Room at the Iowa City Airport, Hamburg Inn on Center Point Road in Cedar Rapids, and the Coralville Maid Rite.
Adrian married Margaret Frances Freeman at St. Mary’s Church in Iowa City on October 27, 1941. Margaret passed away on May 21, 1978, and soon after Adrian retired from the restaurant business to enter the first class of the Davenport Diocese Diaconate program. He was ordained to the Permanent Diaconate on December 13, 1980. He first assisted at St. Mary’s Church in Iowa City, and in 1983 joined Father Eugene Benda in a full time position at St. Patrick’s Church. In 1989 they were transferred to St. Mary’s Church in Tipton, and in 2004 to St. Mary’s, Mechanicsville before retiring in 2007.
Although he deeply loved all his family and was a loving husband and devoted caretaker to his wife, Adrian’s greatest devotion was to his faith, and his years as a deacon were filled with joy and satisfaction. He was a 4th degree Knight of Columbus and his favorite pastime was playing cards, especially euchre and bridge.
Adrian is survived by two sons: Robert (Sherrie) of Iowa City and James (Carmel) of Malanda, Australia. He is also survived by three grandchildren: Paul (Amy) Panther and Devon (Kevin) Light of Phoenix, and Phillip (Jill) Panther of Chicago; six great-grandchildren, David and Emily Panther, Parker and Mallory Light, and Gabriella and Alexis Panther; and many nephews and nieces. Adrian was preceded in death by his parents and wife; two brothers, Joseph and Francis; and three sisters, Leona Fitzpatrick, Mary Genevieve O’Connor, and Bernadine Panther.
The family would like to express its appreciation to the staff of Oaknoll for their long-time care and loving support.