Keefe, Judge Joseph Campbell 1926-2009
KEEFE, CAMPBELL, FLATER, WESSELS, DAVIS, GROVE
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 9/13/2012 at 14:30:16
Judge Joseph C. Keefe, age 82, of Decorah, Iowa, died Monday evening, August 3, 2009 at Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah following a sudden illness.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 A.M. Friday, August 7, 2009 at St. Benedict Catholic Church in Decorah by Rev. Phillip Gibbs. Burial will be in St. Benedict Cemetery with full military honors.
Visitation will be from 4:00 – 7:00 P.M. Thursday at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah, with a Rosary recited by the 3rd Degree Council #4208 Decorah Knights of Columbus at 4:00 P.M., an Honor Guard from 5:30 – 7:00 P.M. by the 4th Degree Davis Assembly Knights of Columbus and a Vigil Service at 6:30 P.M. Visitation continues on Friday at 8:00 A.M. at Fjelstul Funeral Home.
Joseph Campbell Keefe was born September 26, 1926, in Charles City, Iowa, the son of Thomas J. and Mary Virginia (Campbell) Keefe. He graduated from Charles City High School with the class of 1944 and then joined the U.S. Navy. He was a radio man stationed in Hawaii during World War II. He then attended Loras College for one year and then transferred to the University of Iowa, graduating with a B.A. degree in August 1950. Joe graduated from Iowa with a Juris Doctorate degree in February 1952.
He was united in marriage to Illola Flater on July 17, 1948 at the University of Iowa Student Center Rectory in Iowa City, Iowa. This union was blessed with two daughters, Kathryn and Mary.
After law school Joe became an insurance adjustor for State Farm in Carroll, Iowa for a couple of years and then was transferred to Clear Lake, Iowa. He was then invited by Isadore Meyer to join him in his law firm in Decorah in 1955 and practiced law for 10 years. Joe was appointed to Judge on July 1, 1965 by Governor Hughes. He retired on July 1, 2004. Joe taught classes at Luther College and also traveled the country teaching new judges. He was the President of the Iowa District Court Judges Association in 1972 and 1973, served as the Iowa Judges Association’s representative to the Iowa State Bar Association in 1972, received the Award of Merit from the Iowa Judges Association in 1989, the highest honor that the Iowa Judges Association may bestow on one of its members. He also served as a Senior Judge on the Iowa Court of Appeals from time to time after his retirement from the District Court bench hearing appeals from the district court and was a member of the Iowa State Bar Association. After his retirement, he helped file books at the Winneshiek County Clerk of Court office.
Joe was a very active member of St. Benedict Catholic Church in Decorah, where he served as lector and Eucharistic minister, the Knights of Columbus, as 3rd degree since 1956 and 4th degree since 1958, the Elks Lodge for 61 years, Silvercrest Golf & Country Club and then Oneota Golf & Country Club. He was also active in the American Cancer Society and was very involved at the Decorah Public Library. Joe’s family was very important to him.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Tommy, who was a gunner and killed in action over Germany during World War II; one sister, Nancy Wessels in November 2008; and one son-in-law, Michael Davis, in October 2007.
Joe is survived by his wife, Lola of Decorah; two daughters: Kathryn K. Davis of Minneapolis, MN and Mary K. (Michael K.) Grove of Edina, MN; two grandsons, Michael J. and Matthew J. Grove of Edina; and one brother, Dr. Patrick (Rosemary) Keefe of Dewitt, Iowa; and by many nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be given to American Cancer Society or Decorah Public Library.
Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database
St. Benedict’s Catholic cemetery
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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