KEARNEY, James C.

KEARNEY, GROSS, KLOCKE, PEASE, LYSHIK

Posted By: Roseanna Zehner (email)
Date: 11/11/2004 at 14:52:46

Sgt. James C. Kearney III, 22, of Emerson, died Nov. 1, 2004, near Sharan, Afghanistan, while serving his country in the Iowa National Guard, Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Wednesday, Nov. 10, 10:30 a.m., at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Red Oak. Father Ken Gross will officiate the services. Burial will be at the Emerson Cemetery. Military honors will be conducted by the Soldiers of the Iowa Army National Guard.

Sgt. Kearney was the son of James C. Kearney Jr. and Theresa (Klocke) Kearney, born April 4, 1982, in Atlantic. The family moved to Emerson when he was 5 years old. He graduated from Nishna Valley High School in 2001. After graduation, he worked for Park Place in Glenwood until going to work for Red Oak Die Casting, where he worked for a short time before being deployed to Afghanistan. While serving in Afghanistan, he received the Bronze Star Medal (Posthumous), the Purple Heart (Posthumous), the Army Good Conduct Medal (Posthumous), the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device, the Army Service Ribbon, the Combat Infantry Badge (Posthumous), the Weapons Qualification Badge (M16A2- Expert), and the Weapons Qualification Badge (M249-Expert). He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and a former member of the Boy Scouts of America, where he earned the rank of Life Scout. He was also a volunteer counselor at Camp Cedars for Boy Scouts.

Sgt. Kearney was preceded in death by his grandfather, James C. Kearney Sr., and his uncle, Peter W. Kearney. He is survived by his parents, James C. Kearney Jr. and Theresa Kearney of Emerson; brothers Jeremy Kearney of Ft. Lewis, Wash., and Brandon Kearney of Emerson; sister Melinda Pease and husband Paul of Council Bluffs; nephew Tommy Pease of Council Bluffs; grandparents Pauline Kearney of Milton, Fla., and Don and Alice Klocke of Adrian, Mich.; great-grandmother Hazel Lyshik of Cedar Rapids; many aunts, uncles and cousins; and many other relatives and friends.

Memorials in memory of James Kearney are suggested to the USO in support of all troops deployed. Nelson-Boylan-LeRette Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.