Kenneth Franklin O'Conner
Kenneth
Franklin O'Conner, age 86, of Centerville, Iowa, died
Tuesday, July 27, 2004, at Mercy Medical Center in
Centerville. He was born the son of Frank and Cecil
(Espy) O'Conner on July 3, 1918 in Centerville, Iowa.
Kenneth attended Rural Appanoose County Schools.
On June 23, 1940, he was united in marriage to Helen
Sears in Centerville, Iowa. Kenneth began working
for his father in the coal mines at the age of 14.
He then farmed for 14 years and was former owner of
the O'Conner Grocery in Moravia, Iowa and finally
retired in 1980 from John Morrell in Ottumwa, Iowa.
He was a loving husband, father and grandfather and
also served as a Deacon, Trustee and Usher for the
First Baptist Church in Centerville, Iowa.
Kenneth was preceded
in death by: his parents; two granddaughters,
Kimberly
O'Conner and Serena Shepard; one great grandson, Skye
O'Conner; and his
sister, Marjorie Paxton.
He is survived by:
his loving wife, Helen O'Conner of Centerville, Iowa;
his daughter Sharon Tice and her husband Ed of Centerville,
Iowa; his son,
Gary O'Conner and his wife Judy of Clearmont, Missouri;
his brother, Norris
O'Conner of Centerville, Iowa; two sisters, Enid Walker
and Manilla Boyer,
both of Centerville; as well as five grandchildren
and eleven great
grandchildren.
Funeral services will
be held on Saturday, July 31, 2004 at 10:30 AM at
the
First Baptist Church in Centerville, Iowa with Rev.
Lloyd Johnston
officiating. Burial will follow at the Hillcrest Cemetery
in Moravia, Iowa.
Visitation will be held on Friday, July 30, 2004 from
1:00 PM til 8:00 PM at
the Schmidt Family Funeral Home in Centerville, Iowa.
Visitation with the
family present will be from 6:00 PM til 8:00 PM on
Friday at the funeral
home.
Memorials can
be made to either the First Baptist Church, the Alzheimers
Association or the Black Lung Disease Research Foundation
and can be left at
or mailed to the Schmidt Family Funeral Home at 501
North 18th Street,
Centerville, Iowa 52544.
