David Connelly (1946-2020)

CONNELLY

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 2/4/2020 at 19:37:42

DAVID CONNELLY Stone City
Donald Connelly, 73, of Stone City, died Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020, at Northbrook Manor Care Center in Cedar Rapids. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at Goettsch Funeral Home in Anamosa, where the family will greet friends from 9 a.m. until the time of service. Burial will be in Wilcox Cemetery, Viola, where military honors will be conducted by Anamosa Veterans Honor Guard and the U.S. Navy. Thoughts, memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.goettschonline.com. Donald Lance Connelly was born Aug. 17, 1946, in Anamosa, the son of Gerald and Mary (Strabala) Connelly. He attended Anamosa Community Schools and served his country in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. He married Virginia Chapman in 1968. The couple made their home in Monticello and later divorced. He moved to Stone City a few years later and married Cathy Collman there in 1992. She died in 2001. He was employed as a welder for FMC Link Belt Speeder in Cedar Rapids and later worked as a guard at the Iowa State Men's Reformatory in Anamosa. He was a member of the VFW and Drill Team in Monticello and enjoyed watching television, especially westerns and "MASH," canoeing and fishing, driving old cars, riding motorcycles and cheering on the Broncos. He enjoyed a simple, quiet life. He is survived by his children, Angie (Kevin) Melsha, Cedar Rapids, Lance (Vivian) Connelly, San Ramon, Calif., Amy (Kent) Zirtzman, Manchester, and Joseph (Anna) Connelly, Grand Rapids, Minn.; grandchildren, Trevor Melsha, Rylee Melsha, Isaac Zirtzman, Olivia Zirtzman, Aidan Zirtzman, Samantha Connelly and Allison Connelly; his siblings, Terry (Anita) Gingerich, Las Cruces, N.M., Marilynn (Paul) Sternick, Melbourne, Fla., and Mike (Michelle) Connelly, Loudon, Tenn.; a sister-in-law, Sue (Roger) Smith, Stone City; a very good friend, Mike "Birddog" McCullough, Stone City; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his wife, Cathy, he was preceded in death by his parents and brother-in-law, Ken Collman. The family would like to thank the staff at Above & Beyond Home Health Care, St. Luke's Hospice Care and Northbrook Manor Care Facility for the care they provided for Don.