Thomas F. “Tom” Denneny

DENNENY, MCCRAITH, DONOVAN, STRAWN, WELLS, O’LEARY, MCCOY, ANDREWS, MAHONEY, CLARK, LE, GOULD, DAVIS, BOYD, CORDELL, TADDONIO, ROTTER, BISHOP, OWEN, MOORE, PATTEN, REESE, PARTRIDGE, MITCHELL, SALVA

Posted By: Tara (email)
Date: 8/11/2010 at 14:22:35

Thomas F. “Tom” Denneny, 81, of Iowa City, died peacefully Sunday, August 8, 2010 at his home.

Thomas Francis Denneny was born February 5, 1929 at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa. His parents were Thomas Francis Denneny and Genevieve McCraith Denneny. Tom attended one room country schools and lived on farms in Johnson County until his family moved to Iowa City in 1941. He graduated from St. Patrick’s High School in 1946. Tom married Wilma Donovan on April 15, 1950. They recently celebrated 60 years of marriage.

Tom was a driver for Sanitary Farm Dairy where he was a member and union steward of the Teamsters Union. He retired in 1991 from the University of Iowa Patient Transportation Department. Tom was a life-long member of St. Patrick’s Church; a 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus, Council 842; Eagle’s 695; the Morse Community Club; an advocate on the Chatham Oaks Board and a past president/founding member of the County Johnson Irish. In addition, Tom belonged to Johnson County Historical Society, Friends of St Bridget’s Foundation and past District Representative of the Boy Scouts of America.

Tom was known for his willingness to help people, his great smile and his wonderful ability to make friends. He never knew a stranger. He enjoyed bowling, golfing, playing Euchre, gardening, jigsaw puzzles and everything Irish. Tom especially enjoyed hunting and fishing with his sons & grandsons. After retirement, Tom liked meeting with classmates from the Class of ’46 and having weekly breakfasts with his Transportation Department friends. At the age of 79, Tom, under instruction from his granddaughter, Megan Bishop became reacquainted with the art of painting. In 2009, Tom reached his artistic goal by being invited to exhibit some of his work at Uptown Bill’s Small Mall.

Tom is survived by Wilma, his wife of 60 years, six daughters and three sons: Diane (Jerry) Strawn of Solon; Jim (Diane)Denneny of Iowa City; Barbara (Joel) Wells of Iowa City; Mary (Patrick) O’Leary of Davenport; Genelle Denneny (Guy McCoy) of Lawrence, KS; Steven Denneny of Iowa City; Susan (Mack) Andrews of Austin, TX; Colleen Mahoney of Iowa City and Tim Denneny (Beth Clark) of Hills, Iowa.

Tom has twenty grandchildren: Kristine (Hung) Le; Jeffrey (Jenn) Gould; Amy (Eric) Davis; Jennifer(Mason) Boyd; Eric (Shilpa) Denneny; David Denneny; Michelle Denneny; Trisha (Carl) Cordell; Jason (Shelly) Wells; Keegan Wells; Renagh O’Leary; Jonathon O’Leary; Kelsey Taddonio (Nick Rotter); Tom Denneny; Shannon Denneny; Adrianne Andrews; Sam Andrews; Megan Bishop; Steven Denneny and Allie Clark.

There are twelve great-grandchildren: Tinh , Kima, Hana and Mai Le; Rowan Gould; Amiya Denneny; Kaden and Marleigh Wells; Jessica, Joshua and Carly Cordell and Andrew Rotter.

He is also survived by four brothers-in-law: Charles Owen of Iowa City; Bob “King” Moore of Coralville; Roland (Darlene) Donovan of Iowa City; Patrick (Jackie) Donovan of Iowa City and four sisters-in-law: Betty (Alan) Patten of Oxnard, CA; Susan (Jim) Reese of Conroe, TX; Rosemary (D.G.) Partridge of Breda, IA and Kathleen Donovan of Halifax, Nova Scotia. He is also survived by many beloved nephews, nieces and cousins.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Genevieve Mitchell Moore, Ann Owen and Mary Theresa Denneny, his brother Larry Denneny and a son-in-law, Gary Salva.