Francis Joseph Beecher 1905-2005

DONAHUE, BEECHER

Posted By: michael (email)
Date: 5/13/2005 at 11:26:56

Francis Joseph Beecher, 100, formerly of Iowa City, died May 12, 2005 at Crestview Care Center in West Branch.

Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Monday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church with the Reverend Rudolph T. Juarez officiating. Burial will be at St. Joseph Cemetery in Iowa City. Visitation will be held Sunday from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service in Iowa City, where a rosary will be conducted at 5:00 p.m.. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Iowa City Senior Center, the Regina Foundation or Crestview Care Center.

Francis was born January 5, 1905 in Elmira, Iowa the son of Michael and Hannah (Donahue) Beecher. He graduated from St. Patrick’s High School and attended the University of Iowa.

Francis started working at the Washington Hotel when he was in high school in 1922 and continued working there until it closed in 1972 under the name of the Davis Hotel. He lived in Iowa City until he moved to West Branch in 2000.

Francis was active in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. He was an avid baseball player and was called to play in the minor leagues but his failing eyesight prevented him from playing. Francis and Irving Weber carried papers at the same time.

Francis is survived by two nieces, Mary Eileen Scheetz, of Iowa City, and Mary Nebel of Shell Lake, WI, one nephew, Paul Cannor of Elbridge New York and many many great nieces and nephews; a niece in-law, Eunice O’Neil of West Branch, two nephew-in-laws, Kenneth Volk of Almond, Wisconsin and Jack Dorsey of Mason City, Iowa.

His parents, one brother Rev. Raymond Beecher, four sisters, Ella O’Neil, Mae Connor, Genevieve Dodt and Bertina Donovan preceded him in death as well as nephews Joseph O’ Neil, Leo O’Neil and Raymond O’Neil and nieces Rita Volk, Mary Agnes Prescher and Patricia Dorsey and two great nephews Gerald O’Neil and Patrick Nebel.

On line condolences may be directed to www.lensingfuneral.com