Jack Francis McKone, 87
Jack Francis McKone, age 87 of Lawler, IA, died Tuesday, October 22, 2019, at the Gunderson Harmony Care in Harmony, MN.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Lawler with interment in the church cemetery.
Friends may greet the family 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, 2019 at the church where there will be a 3:30 p.m. rosary and 3:45 p.m. parish scripture service. Visitation continues an hour prior to the Mass at the church.
Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences for Jack's family may be left at hugebackfuneralhome.com
Jack McKone was born on October 23, 1931, the son of Chet and Annamae (Sheridan) McKone. Jack attended Mount Carmel Catholic School and Lawler High School graduating in 1949. After attending Loras College for one year, he enlisted in the US Navy. Jack completed radar school in San Diego then served on the troop ship USS Sandoval APA 194 for four years during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in 1955. On April 30, 1955, he was united in marriage to the love of his life Ruth Louise Simon at Mount Carmel Church in Lawler. Jack and Ruth settled in Lawler and raised five children.
Jack worked side-by-side with his father Chet running McKone Oil Company, which included the Phillips 66 then later the DX gas and tank wagon service station until the late 1970s. Jack then sold the business and worked in the Life Insurance industry for Mutual of New York and Western Fraternal Life of Cedar Rapids, IA where he was a top award winner in insurance sales with both companies. Jack was very active all of his life in the Mt. Carmel Church serving mass until age 85. Jack served on the Lawler City Council, the Lions Club, and Fire Department for many years. He was instrumental in the Beautify Lawler tree planting initiative, building of the Lawler tennis courts, and the Learn to Swim Program in New Hampton.
Jack was a life-time member of both the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was very involved in Lawler Post 279 of the American Legion and was elected to or served all officer positions. He also served as the assistant Chaplin for many years. At the state level, Jack attended his first state-wide American Legion meeting held in Des Moines in 1963. He served as Vice Commander of the Fourth District and Vice-Commander of the Iowa Legion Baseball. Jack was very proud of his contributions to the Veterans Monument in Lawler which provides a special place to honor service men and women. The Monument was dedicated in 2008.
In 2017 at age 86, Jack and Ruth left their beloved home in Lawler and moved to Coon Rapids, Minnesota to be near several daughters, his sister, and many nieces and nephews.
Jack loved to visit, and was an avid story teller. He was extremely quick-witted and never passed up the opportunity to make someone smile. A visit with Jack would always include stories about the old days in Lawler, as he would say “most of them were true.” He was a passionate hunter, fisherman, and golfer. Sports were also important to Jack including his love of the Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, the Iowa Hawkeyes, and was an avid follower of Turkey Valley sports and music activities. Jack and Ruth loved to travel and took many trips throughout the United States usually with their children. Later in life, they continued to travel including to Ireland and several parts of Europe.
Of greatest importance to Jack was his love of family, his Catholic faith, Irish heritage, and his pride of being an Iowan and American. He loved being involved with Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and spending time with his many, many friends. He will be greatly missed.
Survivors include, his wife Ruth; children Jackie, Jane, Jim (Connie), Jenny (Steve) Dosch, and Jess (Lane) Powell; grandchildren, Casey (Jess) McKone, Madison McKone, Nicholas Powell, Joseph Dosch, John Dosch; one great grandson, Brecken McKone; brother in-law, Keith Simon; many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Chet and Annamae McKone; sisters, Helen McKone, Regena (George) Lindeman, sister, Myrnie (John) Corkery; niece, Colleen Corkery; nephew, Paul Lindeman; niece, Patrica Lindeman; his father and mother-in-law, William and Ida Simon; brother-in-law, Frank Simon, Kenny Simon; niece, Diane Simon, great-nephew Daniel (Danny) Fratzke.
