Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....McKenna, Patrick J. 1918
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Unidentified Publication, Jul 1918

Life’s Book Closed For J.P. McKenna

Called to the Home Above Without Warning While Sitting on a Porch at Crystal.

True indeed is it that in the midst of life we are in death and this trite
saying was vividly brought to our people when the news came that P.J. McKenna
had suddenly passed away about seven o’clock at Crystal, Thursday evening, July
4, 1918.  Word went from one to another and people who had recently seen him
before leaving that place were loath to believe it.

Mr. and Mrs. McKenna accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Matthew O’Connell motored to
Alma on Thursday afternoon and later went over to Crystal on the return home,
stopping at the cottage occupied by O.W. Wilson and family of Butternut, where
their son’s wife, Mrs. M.E. McKenna was staying with her parents.  After the
supper had been enjoyed with the friends assembled, while Mr. McKenna was
sitting upon the porch and without warning his spirit winged its flight from
this world of trouble to the home on high.  Medical aid was called but
sufferings patiently borne by himself had ended and Patrick J. McKenna’s name
was written in the book of the Allwise Father.  Death was due to apoplexy. 
While he had never complained much of ill health he had remarked to friends that
his head hurt terribly at times, but he still continued to be at the store and
looked after business and few realized that his health was impaired.  

He was of a family of seven, five boys and two girls, children of Matthew and
Catherine McKenna and was born in North Plains township, Ionia county, March 24,
1864.  His early life was spent on the farm and when a young man he entered into
the mercantile business with J.W. Cowman at Hubbardston and two stores were
operated, one at that place and Mr. McKenna came to Carson City in 1892 and for
a time continued business under that firm name but later took over the stock and
since has been one of the leading merchants of the town, his residence here
being over a quarter of a century.

Mr. McKenna was united in marriage to Miss Rose O’Connor of Hubbardston,
February 8, 1893 and to this home came four children; a son and daughter have
preceded him to the home above and with the companion of his youth remain two
sons, Lieut. M.E. McKenna of the 126th infantry in France, and Leo, who is a
student at Ann Arbor, but this summer has been with the Community Chautauqua
Co., and at the time of his father’s passing was at Medora, Illinois arriving
Saturday at noon.  These with the son’s wife, Mrs. M.E. McKenna, survive,
besides two sisters, Mrs. Wm. Grace, Sr., Mrs. Thos. O’Connell, four brothers,
Thos. of this place, George and Peter of Hubbardston and Nicholas of Denver,
Colo, and many relatives.

Mr. McKenna was a clean-cut man in all lines of business and was always ready to
do his part in whatever he was called upon for and he will be greatly missed for
his kindly ways.  He was everybody’s friend and no one ever heard him say aught
of his fellowman.  To the grief-stricken family the sympathy of the community is
extended for his friends were legion as the masses of beautiful flowers
testified and which bore silent messages of sympathy and respect for one who had
so suddenly been cut off in the prime of life.

The funeral of Mr. McKenna took place at 9 o’clock Tuesday morning at St. Mary’s
church requiem high mass being conducted by Rev. J.J. Sheehan.  Many hundreds in
attendance that overflowed the church and the places of business closing during
the services testified to the respect the deceased was held by his follow
citizens.  The Knights of Columbus of which he was a member accompanied the
remains from the house to the church and again from the church to St. Mary’s
cemetery.


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