HARKIN, Theresa (1931-2008)

HARKIN

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart, Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/15/2008 at 09:36:58

Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa
September 23, 2008

THERESA "BABE" (Dooley) CAIN HARKIN, Norwalk

Theresa "Babe" Cain Harkin, 76, of Norwalk passed away Sunday, September 21, 2008 at her home.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10 a.m., Thursday, September 25, 2008 at St. Patrick's Irish Settlement Church, rural Cumming. A visitation will be held from 2 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, September 24th at Ochiltree Funeral Service & Aftercare in Winterset, where the family will be present to receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. A prayer service will be held at 7p.m. that evening. Burial will be in the St. John's Cemetery, Cumming. Memorial contributions may be directed to The American Cancer Society and the Maryknoll Sisters. On-line condolences may be directed to the family at www.ochiltree.com

Theresa Elleen Dooley was born December 27, 1931 in Des Moines, the daughter of Thomas Bertram and Laura (Kelly) Dooley. She attended rural Madison County Schools before attending Mt. Loretto's in Council Bluffs graduating in 1949. She married Hugh Francis Cain in 1952 at St. John's in Cumming and after his death in 1964 she married Joseph Harkin in 1967 at St. John's in Cumming.

Theresa was a devoted wife and mother who worked all of her life on her family's century farm in Warren County. In later years she worked at the HyVee Deli in West Des Moines. She was a life long Madison and Warren County resident.

She was a member of the St. Patrick's Irish Settlement Church and the Altar and Rosary Society.

She is survived by her nine children, Charlotte (Brian) Haines of Truro; Sheila (Dan) Lynch of Van Meter; Hugh Cain and Anne Clark of Norwalk; Mary Theresa (Joel) McChesney of Milwaukee, WI; Paul (Kelly) Cain of Winterset; Brendan (Teri) Cain of Burns, OR; Cecilia (Mike) Lynch of Bristow, VA; Maureen (Kevin) Dietz of Sentinel Butte, ND; Matthew (Suzanne) Harkin of Norwalk; a brother, Jim Dooley of Winterset; 24 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Theresa was preceded by her husbands, Francis and Joseph; parents; a sister, Dorothy Lillie; and four brothers, Vince, Louis, Ray and Dick Dooley.