Joseph T. Houlahan
March 28, 1916 — February 11, 2006
Joseph T. Houlahan, 89, of Manchester, Iowa, formerly of Coggon, died Saturday, February 11, 2006 at the Regional Medical Center in Manchester following a short illness.
Funeral Mass will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, February 18, 2006 at St. Mary?s Catholic Church in Manchester by Rev. Msgr. Ralph Simington. Friends may call from 4-8 p.m. Friday and from 9-10 a.m. Saturday at the Bohnenkamp-Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Manchester. Burial will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Coggon with military rites.
Joe was born March 28, 1916 in Ryan, the son of Thomas & Maye V. (Skahill) Houlahan. He graduated from St. John?s High School in Ryan in 1932 and from Loras College in Dubuque in 1936. During his college years, Joe was a champion boxer in the CYO and Golden Gloves at 126 pounds. Joe served in the United States Navy Fleet P.O. in San Francisco, California. On February 2, 1940, Joe was united in marriage to Loretta J. Sheeley at St. Patrick?s Catholic Church in Monti. The couple moved to Coggon until 1970 when they moved to Cedar Rapids. Loretta died December 15, 1973. In 1939, he became a rural mail carrier. Joe later was a boys basketball coach and English teacher at St. John?s School in Ryan. He worked for Penick & Ford in Cedar Rapids from June 1954 to March of 1977. Joe wintered in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Joe was a member of St. Mary?s Catholic Church in Manchester, Knights of Columbus #909, Cedar Rapids NRLCA, Coggon Volunteer Fire Department, Elk?s Club #2148 of Scottsdale, and was a past-Vice Commander of the Coggon American Legion. He enjoyed golf, spectator sports, reading, dancing, crossword puzzles, the Chicago Cubs and his grandchildren. Joe had a fabulous sense of humor.
Joe is survived by his children, Judy (Ron) McMahon of Manchester, Tom (Kathy) Houlahan of Cedar Rapids, Pat Houlahan of St. Peters, MO, John (Nancy) Houlahan of Wilmar, MN, Mary (Jerry) Badger of Manchester and Jim (Karen) Houlahan of Coralville; 25 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren; three step-children, Larry (Mardene) Hinton of Kankakee, IL, David (Linda) Hinton of Omaha, NE, and Linda Hinton of Des Moines; 5 step- grandchildren and 6 step-great-grandchildren.
Joe was preceded in death by his wives, Loretta Sheeley Houlahan, Lorraine Hinton Houlahan and Isabelle Moore Houlahan; two sisters, Mildred Bodkin & Blanche Carlton; and three brothers, Bernard, Edmund & Donald Houlahan.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials directed to Loras College in Dubuque or St. Mary?s Catholic Church in Manchester.
Please sign our online guestbook for Joe at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.
Funeral Mass will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, February 18, 2006 at St. Mary?s Catholic Church in Manchester by Rev. Msgr. Ralph Simington. Friends may call from 4-8 p.m. Friday and from 9-10 a.m. Saturday at the Bohnenkamp-Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Manchester. Burial will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Coggon with military rites.
Joe was born March 28, 1916 in Ryan, the son of Thomas & Maye V. (Skahill) Houlahan. He graduated from St. John?s High School in Ryan in 1932 and from Loras College in Dubuque in 1936. During his college years, Joe was a champion boxer in the CYO and Golden Gloves at 126 pounds. Joe served in the United States Navy Fleet P.O. in San Francisco, California. On February 2, 1940, Joe was united in marriage to Loretta J. Sheeley at St. Patrick?s Catholic Church in Monti. The couple moved to Coggon until 1970 when they moved to Cedar Rapids. Loretta died December 15, 1973. In 1939, he became a rural mail carrier. Joe later was a boys basketball coach and English teacher at St. John?s School in Ryan. He worked for Penick & Ford in Cedar Rapids from June 1954 to March of 1977. Joe wintered in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Joe was a member of St. Mary?s Catholic Church in Manchester, Knights of Columbus #909, Cedar Rapids NRLCA, Coggon Volunteer Fire Department, Elk?s Club #2148 of Scottsdale, and was a past-Vice Commander of the Coggon American Legion. He enjoyed golf, spectator sports, reading, dancing, crossword puzzles, the Chicago Cubs and his grandchildren. Joe had a fabulous sense of humor.
Joe is survived by his children, Judy (Ron) McMahon of Manchester, Tom (Kathy) Houlahan of Cedar Rapids, Pat Houlahan of St. Peters, MO, John (Nancy) Houlahan of Wilmar, MN, Mary (Jerry) Badger of Manchester and Jim (Karen) Houlahan of Coralville; 25 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren; three step-children, Larry (Mardene) Hinton of Kankakee, IL, David (Linda) Hinton of Omaha, NE, and Linda Hinton of Des Moines; 5 step- grandchildren and 6 step-great-grandchildren.
Joe was preceded in death by his wives, Loretta Sheeley Houlahan, Lorraine Hinton Houlahan and Isabelle Moore Houlahan; two sisters, Mildred Bodkin & Blanche Carlton; and three brothers, Bernard, Edmund & Donald Houlahan.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials directed to Loras College in Dubuque or St. Mary?s Catholic Church in Manchester.
Please sign our online guestbook for Joe at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.
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