Iowa
Old Press
THE FREMONT COUNTY HERALD
Sidney, Fremont Co., Iowa
February 26, 1925
Imogene News
The entire community mourned the death of Mrs. Johanna O'Connor
which occurred February 14, after an illness of three months'
duration, from the infirmities of advanced age. Johanna Keefe was
born in County Cork, Ireland, 71 years ago. At the age of two
years she immigrated from Ireland to Godridge, Canada with her
parents in 1880 (sic). When Lincoln was elected president the
family came to the United States . She well remembered the rally
of the Civil War. They located first at Clinton, Iowa, her father
being employed in building railroads. They gradually moved
westward until they settled at Glenwood. In the year 1870 she and
her sister went to Council Bluffs, where she was employed in
several homes. Four years later she was united in marriage to
Patrick O'Connor in the St. Francis Church at Council Bluffs, by
the late Rev. Father McMenomy. They first lived as overseers of
the Christian Brothers range in Mills county, but in the year
l877 they purchased a farm two miles northwest of Imogene, where
they resided for 14 years, then moved to her present home where
she spent the remainder of her life. Mr. O'Connor's death
occurred in 1898. Mrs. O'Connor was a devoted member of the St.
Patrick's parish and was a constant member of the altar society
since it was organized over 40 years ago. She has assisted in
building five churches in southwestern Iowa. Her piety and
evotion were so well known by all her friends that her casket was
decked with spirituals instead of flowers. She was the second
eldest of a family of ten children and her youngest sister, Mrs.
Mary Malloy of Galveston, Texas, is the only one of the family
who survives. She was unable to attend the funeral. Mrs. O'Connor
was the mother of several children, five of whom survive. They
are Thomas, Mrs. F. F. Maher, Joseph, Daniel and Nellie. Two
sons, John and James, preceded her in death. She is also survived
by 13 grandchildren. The funeral was held Monday, with services
at 9:30 from the St. Patrick's church. Requiem mass was
celebrated by Rev. Edmund Hayes, who preached a very touching
sermon. In a very few words he told how the church was made up of
such common devoted servants as Mrs. O'Connor whose names are not
in history but in the records of the church. The honorary
pallbearers were farmer neighbors, John McGinnis, James Laughlin,
John Hughes and Thomas Shaber of Imogene; Harry Berrrigan of
Council Bluffs, and Thomas Kennan of Shenandoah. The active
pallbearers were relatives, Ed and Tom Horrigan of Imogene; James
O'Connor of Dennison; Mike O'Connor of Kansas City; Mike and Ed
O'Connor of Council Bluffs.
The out-of-town friends who were present at the funeral were:
Henry Berrigan of Council Bluffs
Mr. and Mrs. Earl Davenport of Tarkio.
Mrs. George Gilmore of Council Bluffs
Mr. Gutchenritter of Shenandoah
Thomas Keenan of Shenandoah
Walter Keenan of Shenandoah
Mike Magner of Dennison
Mrs. J. J. Meekan of Dennison
Agnes O'Connor of Carroll
Mr. and Mrs. B. S. O'Connor of Council Bluffs
Ed O'Connor of Council Bluffs
Florence O'Connor of Carroll
James O'Connor of Dennison
Jerry O'Connor of Dennison
Mary O'Connor of Council Bluffs
Mike O'Connor of Kansas City, and
Mile O'Connor of Council Bluffs
The family wish to extlend their sincere thanks for the kind
assistance and sympathy shown them in their recent bereavement.
[transcribed by W.F., March 2007]