In Memoriam
We have had so many wonderful people help us with the Clinton website. Without the efforts of volunteers, none of this would be possible at all. This Memorial page serves as a final Thank You to those who have dedicated their wonderful volunteer services and shared with all of us.
Mike Kearney
Mike was an avid historian and genealogist. He submitted LOTS of family history to the Clinton site including family histories of many of Clinton's more prominent families. He also spent a lot of time photographing and submitting over 70,000 gravestone photos to the Gravestone Photo Project, not only for Clinton Co. but for several other counties as well.
Mike co-authored Midwest Families, 1979, a genealogical
compilation of ancestors dating back to the 1600s. Mike is descended
from pioneer families in this area. His great, great grandparents
James Kearney and Bridget Walsh were early members of St. Anthony's
Parish in Davenport in 1844. His great, great grandparents Michael
Lynch and Bridget Fleming settled in Clinton County in 1840 and were
founding members of St. Irenaeus Parish. His great grandfather's
older brother Michael Lynch, Jr. enlisted in Company A 21st Regiment
Iowa Infantry in 1862, fought in several Civil War battles including
the siege of Vicksburg in 1863, and died from complications from
battle later that year.
Mike was active in many civic organizations including the Clinton
Sesquicentennial Committee (chairman 2003-05), the Clinton County
Historical Society (board of directors since 2004 and president
twice), the Historic Preservation Commission (chairman 2004-05), the
Clinton YMCA (board of directors 2006-17), the Clinton County Waste
Commission board (2006-10), the Curtis Mansion Foundation board
(2007-18), and the American/Schleswig-Holstein Heritage Society
(president 2020-22). Mike was recognized with a Spirit Award in 2004
and named the Jack Dermody Memorial Downtown Partnership Volunteer
of the Year 2006-07. He served as a Clinton City Councilman
(2005-12) and was on the editorial board of the Clinton Herald
(2012-22).
Charlotte Cramer
Charlotte was a wonderful friend and was very dedicated to getting informatin online for Clinton County. She had deep roots in Clinton Co. and was a descendant of Benjamin Lake, a very early settler. She donated quite a bit of info so that it was available to be transcribed. She is very much missed and thought of often with fondness.
Madonna Harms
Madonna was a wonderful and sharing person. She contacted us about putting "something" online about an orphan train. We had never heard of such a thing. She educated us thoroughly and then proceeded to donated bunches of info to the IAGenWeb project so that we would have that info available for future researchers. It was turned into the Orphan Train Riders Project. She was known to many as 'the Orphan Train Lady' and we are grateful beyond measure to have known her.
Fran Barsema
You may see Fran's name on many of the pages here at the Clinton County IAGenWeb. She typed up many, many pages of info for us to post online.
Obituary
Frances "Fran" D. Barsema, age 79, of Thomson, Illinois, died
Thursday, April 18, 2019 at Genesis Health Systems in Davenport,
Iowa. A private family burial of ashes will take place in Upper York
Cemetery, Argo Fay.
Fran was born February 29, 1940 in Phoenix, Arizona, the daughter of
Cleon and Mary Jane (Burton) Dodge. She attended Clinton High
School. On April 20, 1973, Frances married Kenneth "Woodchuck"
Barsema in the Spring Valley Reformed Church in Fulton, Illinois.
Together they raised three children and celebrated 29 years of
marriage until Kenneth's death in 2003.
Fran was a homemaker who cherished taking care of her family. She
also drove truck for a short time, under the handle, "Lead Bottom"
She and her husband enjoyed camping every weekend with their fifth
wheel camper out West and at Potterā€™s Marsh Campground in Thomson.
Frances was a people person and was never afraid to say exactly what
was on her mind. She loved gathering with folks at the campground,
and spending nights talking around the campfire.
Aunt Mid
I would like to give a brief shout out to my wonderful Aunt Mid, who instilled in me the love of genealogy and family history. She was very proud of the Clinton IAGenWeb.