Philip Edward MCHALE

MCHALE, OCONNER, KAUFMAN, DUS, OTTO, NELSON, MCLAUGHLIN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 3/19/2010 at 13:53:33

Wright County Monitor - Clarion. IA
March 1, 2007

Philip Edward McHale, 76, of Clarion, passed away on Tuesday, February 20, 2007, at the Rochester Methodist Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota. A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Friday, February 23, at the St. John's Catholic Church, Clarion. Fr. Chris Podhjsky officiated at the 10:30 a.m. service. Burial was in the St. John's Catholic Cemetery, Clarion.

Philip Edward McHale, was horn on April 2, 1930 in rural Clarion, the son of John and Ellen "Nellie" (O'Conner) McHale. He attended the Wall Lake Township Country School. He graduated from the Clarion High School in 1948. He worked on the family farm until his retirement in 1995. On June 22, 1955, Philip was united in marriage to JoAnne Kaufman at the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Belmond. To this union four children were born. Philip enjoyed playing the guitar and harmonica. He liked spending time at the Eagle Grove Airport flying small aircraft and visiting with friends. He spent many hours in his machine shed working and inventing many things. He was a Wall Lake Township Trustee. Philip enjoyed sharing his agricultural knowledge and telling stories of his shanty Irish youth as the one room school house historian for the Wright County Fair. Philip was a member of the St. John's Catholic Church in Clarion.

He is survived by his wife, JoAnne of Clarion; one son, Kevin and wife, Ellyn of Clarion; three daughters, Felecia Dus and husband, Frank of Schaumburg, Illinois, Janyce Otto and husband, Richard of Rochester, Minnesota and Ann McLaughlin of Rochester, Minnesota; six grandchildren; one sister, Judy Nelson of Urbandale; and many nieces and nephews. Philip was preceded in death by his parents; four sisters, Gloria, Mary, Eleanor and Leone; and two brothers, Emmet and John.