William J. McDevitt



 

Margaret Dunlavey & William J. McDevitt on their wedding day 28 Jan 1880

03 Apr 1855 - 10 May 1923

Funeral services for William J. McDevitt were held Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church in DeWitt, Iowa with a Solemn High Mass celebrated by the Reverend J.J. Nelson assisted by the Reverend W. Vaughan of Villanova, as deacon, and the Reverend T. O’Dowd of Charlotte, as sub-deacon. A large concourse of relatives and friends gathered in the church to attend the solemn ceremonies and to pay their final tribute of respect for this worthy Christian man.

The body was laid to rest in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Villanova by the side of a daughter, Kathryn, who died in 1901.

The following friends of the deceased were pallbearers: Thomas McGinty, M.N. Shannon, Thomas Tierney, J.J. Dermody, Thomas Dignon, Peter Flannery, Thomas McConahy , and W.J. McClimon.

Among the out-of-town relatives attending the funeral were: Sister Mary William of Marshalltown, Sister Mary Grace of Burlington, and John Dunlavey of Ethan, South Dakota.

Obituary

Following an illness of three days duration, the death of William J. McDevitt, a well known resident of Clinton County, occurred on Thursday morning May 10, 1923 at his home in DeWitt where he had resided since last November.

He was born April 3, 1855, in Pennsylvania. At the age of three years he, with his parents, came to Iowa locating on a farm near Villanova. Mr. McDevitt was married to Miss Margaret Dunlavey on January 28, 1880, by the Reverend J.V. Gaffney at St. Patrick’s Church, Villanova.

Surviving are his wife, three daughters: Sister Mary William of Marshalltown; Mrs. John McGarry of DeWitt; and Mrs. Mark Dolan of Goose Lake; seven sons: Harry and Will of DeWitt; John, Godfrey, Raymond, Leonard and Walter of Goose Lake; twelve grandchildren; one brother, James and a sister, Mary of Lyons.

Mr. McDevitt was progressive in his ideas, mature in his judgments, and wise in his opinions. A kind husband, a loving father, and a loyal neighbor, unselfish and affable, he wished well to all and rejoiced in the prosperity of others. He was a generous Catholic man, always taking an active part in every enterprise that would advance the interests of the Church.