BYRNES, Dean E. 1928-2011

BYRNES, KLECKNER, ERWIN

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 7/5/2011 at 12:13:51

RICEVILLE, IOWA - Dean E. Byrnes, 83, of Riceville, Iowa, passed away Sunday, July 3, 2011, with his family at his side at Mitchell County Regional Health Center in Osage, Iowa.

Visitation will be held at the Lindstrom Funeral Home in Riceville today, Tuesday, July 5, from 5-8 p.m. There will be a scripture service at 5 p.m. Funeral services will be held at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 6. The Rev. Ray E. Atwood will officiate. Burial will be at St. Peter's Catholic Cemetery in New Haven, Iowa.

Dean was born on January 13, 1928, on the Byrnes family farm north of New Haven, Iowa, and was the youngest child of A.J. and Grace Erwin Byrnes. He attended country school and graduated from St. Mary's Academy in New Haven in 1946. After graduation, he farmed the family farm and was involved in dairy production until 1980. In 1980, he moved to Riceville and continued working for State Farm Insurance as a hail adjuster until the early 2000s.

On February 4, 1950, he was united in marriage to Dolores Helen Kleckner at Sacred Heart Church in Osage, Iowa. They celebrated their 61st anniversary in February 2011.

They were the parents of six children: Edward (Lavonne), Osage, Iowa; Jayne Noble (Bob), Riceville, Iowa; Terry (Sara), Riceville, Iowa; Kevin (Linda), Riceville, Iowa; Bill (Alisa), Lake Mills, Iowa and Chris (Martha), Duluth, Minn.

Dean's interests included collecting Farmall tractors (both toy and big ones!), following his children and grandchildren's numerous school activities and was a member of the same card club for 56 years. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Riceville Kiwanis Club. One of the highlights of Dean's and Dolores' life together was a trip to Ireland in 1999.

Dean is survived by his wife Dolores, his six children, 18 grandchildren (Joshua, Jonathan, Cameron, Collin, Andrea, Amanda, Dustin, Jess, Abby, Zachary, Garrett, Cole, Brittney, Royce, Mercedes, Diane, Kory and Molly), 11 great- grandchildren, his sister Ruth Dunlay (Waterloo), three sister-in-laws and one brother-in-law.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two grandsons, two brothers, one sister, seven brothers- in-law and three sisters- in-law.

Lindstrom Funeral Home, 401 E. Main St., Riceville, IA 50466-0100, 641-985-2242.

[ Mason City Globe Gazette online, July 5, 2011 ]