Omeara, Mrs. James (Joanna) 1883-1956

OMEARA, DOWNS, NEY, CONWAY, LEONBERGER, GRAFF, GOERGEN, LAVALLE, DUNKESON, PETTERSON, CLARK

Posted By: Janet Schuldt, Volunteer (email)
Date: 2/7/2011 at 15:59:53

Hawarden Independent, Hawarden, Sioux, Iowa, USA Thursday, July 26, 1956

Mrs. James O'Meara, 72, well known resident in the Hawarden and Ireton vicinities, died at her home here Sunday afternoon following a heart attack. She had been in failing health the past few months.

Joanna Downs was born August 26, 1883, on a farm near Le Mars. She taught school in Preston township, Plymouth county, before her marriage, April 17, 1901, when she became the bride of James O'Meara at Estelline, S. D. The couple farmed on the same place ten miles southeast of Hawarden until their retirement in March of 1949 when they moved to their home in Hawarden. Mr. O'Meara died December 9 of the same year. Mrs. O'Meara was a long time member of St. Mary's Catholic church. She belonged to St. Mary's Guild and was a member of St. Francis circle. Not many years ago Mrs. O'Meara, the mother of seven sons and nine daughters, of whom two were twins, Was cited as "Woman of Achievement of the Year" by the Sioux City Journal.

Survivors include her children, Mrs. Durette Ney and Paul of Hawarden, Francis and Leonard of Sioux City, Mrs. Eva Conway of Fairbanks, Alaska, Mrs. Bess Leonberger of Dickenson, N. D., Clinton of Anchorage, Alaska, Mrs. Irene Graff and Mrs. Cecilia Goergen of Granville, Mike of Orange City, Mrs. Catherine LaValle of St. James, Minn., Josephine of Dallas, Tex., John of Evanston, III., Mrs. Helen Dunkeson of Farmington, N. M., Mrs. Pauline Petterson of Wichita, Kan., and Bob of Las Vegas, Nev.; a sister, Mrs. Molly Clark and a brother, Lloyd Downs both of Seattle, Wash.; 36 grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.

Funeral services were held at 9 o'clock Wednesday morning at St. Mary's church with Fr. Leander Friedman celebrating the requiem high mass. Interment was at the parish cemetery under the direction of the Barnard Funeral Home.