John J. Kiernan (1977)

KIERNAN, RYAN, WATTS, SHAMBAUGH, SCHULTE, DOTY

Posted By: Treva Patterson (email)
Date: 8/25/2006 at 14:04:55

Winterset Madisonian
1977

John Kiernan Dies at 79

John J. Kiernan, a former long-time farmer in Jefferson township of Madison county, died Friday, Oct. 21 at Mercy hospital in Des Moines. He was 79 years of age, and had been in ill-health for about a year.

A son of James and Elizabeth Ryan Kiernan, he was born April 3rd, 1898 on the home farm located about 13 miles northeast of Winterset.

He was a graduate of the former Capital City Commercial College in Des Moines, and attended Iowa State college at Ames.

He was married to the former Alice Watts.

Mr. Kiernan farmed in Jefferson township until six years ago when he retired and moved to Des Moines.

He was a member of St. Augustin's Catholic Church in Des Moines, of Oblates of St. Benedict Conception Abbey at Conception, Missouri, and a former member of St. Patrick's Catholic church in the Irish settlement of Madison county.

He is survived by his wife Alice; four son, Father James Kiernan of Leon, Iowa, Jack and Tom of Boulder, Colorado, and Gary of rural Booneville; one daughter, Mary Beth Shambaugh of Des Moines, 12 grandchildren; three sisters, Sister Mary Juanita, O.F.S. of Carroll, Iowa, Mrs. Lenora Schulte of Coral Gables, Florida and Mrs. Frances Doty of La Jolla, California.

A wake service for Mr. Kiernan was held Sunday evening at the Caldwell-Brien-Robbins Funeral home in Des Moines. Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. Monday, Oct. 24th from St. Patrick's Church in the Irish Settlement, with the son, Father James Kiernan officiating. Burial was in St. Pat's cemetery.