James Francis McKenna - Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home
James Francis McKenna - Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home
James Francis McKenna - Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home
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IN LOVING MEMORY<br />
<strong>James</strong> <strong>Francis</strong> <strong>McKenna</strong><br />
APRIL 25, 1917 ~ EARLY, IOWA<br />
APRIL 26, 2011 ~ STORM LAKE, IOWA<br />
FUNERAL MASS<br />
Saturday, April 30, 2011 at 10:00 a.m.<br />
St. Mary’s Catholic Church<br />
Storm Lake, Iowa<br />
CONCELEBRANTS<br />
Reverend Bruce Lawler & Reverend Timothy Schott<br />
ALTAR SERVERS<br />
Nick Smith, Dillan Smith, Joseph Sandhoff<br />
LECTOR<br />
Marye Caslavka & Mark <strong>McKenna</strong><br />
CANTORS<br />
Meghan Osterman & Scott Strader<br />
ORGANIST<br />
Teresa <strong>McKenna</strong> Caslavka<br />
CHOIR<br />
St. Mary’s Caritas Choir<br />
HONORARY PALLBEARERS<br />
Donald <strong>McKenna</strong>, Nate <strong>McKenna</strong>, Irwin “Mac” <strong>McKenna</strong><br />
Vern Varenhorst, The late Jennifer Rathke, Anne Kohring<br />
Jessica <strong>McKenna</strong> Steege, Kate <strong>McKenna</strong>, Molly <strong>McKenna</strong> Reitsma<br />
Meghan Osterman, Abby <strong>McKenna</strong>, Marye Caslavka, Eileen Fagan<br />
PALLBEARERS<br />
Jason <strong>James</strong> <strong>McKenna</strong>, Patrick Michael <strong>McKenna</strong><br />
Christopher <strong>James</strong> Strader, <strong>James</strong> Stephen <strong>McKenna</strong><br />
Timothy Sterling Osterman, Zachary Rogers Caslavka, Casey <strong>James</strong> Fagan<br />
INTERMENT<br />
Full Military Rites by the Alta VFW Post #6172<br />
St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery<br />
Storm Lake, Iowa<br />
Arrangements by<br />
FRATZKE & JENSEN FUNERAL HOME<br />
www.fratzkejensen.com<br />
Newell Storm Lake Schaller<br />
J<br />
ames <strong>Francis</strong> <strong>McKenna</strong>, age 94, passed away surrounded by family on Tuesday, April 26, 2011 at Buena<br />
Vista Manor in Storm Lake after a successful and fulfilling life.<br />
<strong>James</strong> <strong>Francis</strong> <strong>McKenna</strong> was born on a family farm three miles west and one and half miles north of Early,<br />
Iowa on April 25, 1917 to Alma (Smith) and John <strong>McKenna</strong>. Both John and Alma were from farming families<br />
and very accustomed to hard work and living off the land.<br />
Jim joined John and Alma’s growing family which already included older sister, Loretta. Throughout the years, siblings<br />
Margery, Melvin, Bernard and Donald would come along. With six children, John and Alma found their family complete.<br />
Farm life proved to be a wonderful blessing with many opportunities to learn life’s ―little‖ lessons. Those lessons<br />
weren’t in the school room, but at the side of Grandpa Smith. One in particular was when a boy picked a fight with Jim at<br />
the age of 12. After Jim told his Grandpa about the altercation, Grandpa Smith said, ―There is good and bad in all of us.<br />
However, there is more good than bad in the worst of us.‖<br />
Jim attended country school through fifth grade; completed grades 6-10 at Sacred Heart in Early, Iowa and graduated<br />
from Nemaha High School in Nemaha, Iowa at the age of 16. Jim’s journey to college graduation was filled with<br />
determination and tenacity. Jim stayed home the first year after his high school graduation to help on the family farm.<br />
The next year he attended Buena Vista College and then returned home for two more years. In the fall of 1937, Jim<br />
found himself at Iowa State College in Ames, Iowa attending school full-time and working at the ISU Beef Barn parttime—pulling<br />
down a hard-earned $.25 an hour.<br />
Even with his rigorous work and school life, Jim served on both the dairy and livestock judging teams and traveled to<br />
Waterloo, Iowa; Chicago, Illinois; and Kansas City, Missouri for various competitions. Graduating from Ames in the spring<br />
of 1940, Jim was ready to take on the world.<br />
His first job took him to Fort Dodge, Iowa where he took over as Webster County 4-H Club Agent. Jim worked as the<br />
county agent for two years. It was during this time that Jim met his ―bossy babe.‖ Jim’s cousin, Rose Evelyn<br />
Shellenberger introduced Jim to Marye Champlin, one of her fellow nursing students, and they began to date. With Marye<br />
finishing up her RN degree and Jim enjoying his 4-H job, what more could there possibly be? Enter – World War II.<br />
On March 31, 1942, Jim enlisted in the Navy. He was accepted as an aviation cadet. He was a Navy-trained, Marine<br />
pilot. Marye joined the Navy as a registered nurse. Together, they would serve their country. After a series of different<br />
training camps, Jim served his country for nearly three years as a pilot and lived in places such as Guam and<br />
Guadalcanal. Jim and Marye married the morning of February 4, 1945, at Our Lady of Victory Chapel at Camp Pendleton,<br />
California. Jim and Marye moved to Alexandria, Virginia, where Jim finished out his tour of duty. Life was good, they were<br />
good, everything was coming up ―Roses‖ – literally!<br />
Jim and Marye’s next five years took them from managing a diversified livestock farm outside of Elgin, Illinois to<br />
opening up a grain elevator in Vincent, Iowa. All the while, adding to their family.<br />
Their life really turned around when Jim and Marye got the chance to buy a farm outside of Storm Lake, Iowa. Here, on<br />
Geisinger Road, they made their home, put eight children through St. Mary’s Catholic School, teaching them how to be<br />
good stewards of the earth. Grandkids by the dozen came along, playing on Grandpa’s farm, riding the ponies, climbing<br />
apple trees and turning the farmhouse music room into a playhouse, a dance stage or a place for a slumber party.<br />
Popcorn was always a must!<br />
In 1980 they built a home on the lake in Storm Lake, but Jim did not officially retire from farming until 2001.<br />
Throughout the years he was an active member for the B.V. County Pork Producers, B.V. County Farm Bureau, ISU<br />
Extension Council, and Knights of Columbus and served on the Board of Directors for Buena Vista Regional Medical<br />
Center. He was honored in 1958 as the B.V. County Master Pork Producer. Jim enjoyed farming, playing cards, spending<br />
time with his family, and sharing remarkable stories and experiences with all. He will be forever treasured as a generous,<br />
loyal, determined, brilliant and loving man. Jim was and always will be a true inspiration to all who knew him.<br />
Those left to honor Jim’s memory are his children: Rosemarye (John) Rathke of Copperas Cove, Texas; Michael<br />
<strong>McKenna</strong> of Blakesburg, Iowa; Kathleen (Bruce) Osterman of Sibley, Iowa; Kevin (Jan) <strong>McKenna</strong> of Storm Lake, Iowa;<br />
Maureen (Brad) Strader of Storm Lake, Iowa; Stephen <strong>McKenna</strong> of Storm Lake, Iowa; Teresa (Brian) Caslavka of<br />
Muscatine, Iowa; and Melissa (Dennis) Fagan of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; 19 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; brother,<br />
Donald (Kay) <strong>McKenna</strong> of Savoy, Illinois; and sister, Margery Parrott of Long Island, New York.<br />
Preceding him in death are his loving wife of 59 years, Marye; parents; two brothers; one sister; one granddaughter;<br />
and one daughter-in-law.
hank you for celebrating our dad’s life with us. He was a humble man<br />
T of very strong faith who walked quietly with God everyday. He gave<br />
God and our mother credit for his successful life, farming enterprise, and<br />
family.<br />
He was proud to serve his country. He has left us with an important legacy.<br />
We were raised to love God, family, our country, and friends and to forgive<br />
our enemies. His life exemplified Christian stewardship. He was a man of rare<br />
quality.<br />
Thank you for your support during this difficult time and coming to share this<br />
journey with us. Go d B less Yo u All!<br />
You are invited to join us for lunch and a time of fellowship at the Knights<br />
of Columbus Hall immediately following the burial.<br />
— The <strong>McKenna</strong> Family<br />
IN LOVING MEMORY<br />
<strong>James</strong> <strong>Francis</strong> <strong>McKenna</strong><br />
APRIL 25, 1917 APRIL 26, 2011