Vincent Edward Tierney

Quietly proud, very private and a strong man of integrity. Vincent Edward Tierney was born September 12, 1930 in Weller, IA to William Joseph Tierney and Marie Genevieve Barron Tierney. He was reared with a strong faith in God, tremendous love for his country and with the love of his family always around him. Vince, his brothers, Don and Bob and sister, Nan were a farm family and he learned to work hard and play hard. A basketball player in high school, he graduated from Melrose High School in 1948. After graduation, he worked the wheat fields traveling from Texas through North Dakota. After harvest he joined Van Houten Construction of Rapid City, SD and enjoyed the adventures of a young man in the Dakotas. He joined the Navy in 1951 during the Korean Conflict and fought valiantly as a Seabee in the Philippines, the Alaskan Aleutian Islands and mainland Korea. After the service, Vince returned home to Iowa and once again swept Mary Evelyn Sinclair off her feet and they were married on April 16, 1955. Vince and Evie moved to the farm west of Melrose on the Bluegrass Road where they farm and raised their family and live to this day. They welcomed Kimberly Ann in 1956, Mary Elizabeth in 1957, Edwin Vincent in 1958, and David Andrew in 1962. During his careers, he was a master operator for Prather Bros Construction and Bill Jeffries Construction of Russell, IA. He had an early career in real estate with Star Realty in Des Moines, then joined Kaiser Ag Chemical at the Melrose plant and retired from that company in 1994. He built a barn and went to Ireland and then decided that retirement was not for Vince. He resumed his real estate career with Iowa Realty and excelled in real estate sales for 19 years until his retirement in 2012. He is survived by his wife, Evelyn. Daughter, Kim and husband David Keller of Indianola and their children, Ann Tierney Keller, Emily and Seth Lampman and daughter, Elliot, Meghan Keller and Peter Crall, John Keller and Kendra Core. Daughter, Beth and her husband, Dr. John Cook of Van Wert, OH and their children, Daniel and Stephanie Tong Cook, Shauna and Tony Steffee and children, Daniel, Evan, Jonathan and Jacob; Joshua and Nikki Cook and daughters, Kasia and Kiera and baby girl Cook due in September; and Nathan and Mary Katherine Cook. Son, Ed and his wife Deborah of Indianola and their children Kate and Ross Huff and Patrick Barron Tierney. Son, Dave and his wife Carol of Ames and their children, Kristin Marie and Michael Kimber and their son, Willis, Ryan William Tierney and Lauren Naeve. Vince is also survived by a sister, Regina Ann Foster and her husband, Robert. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Don and Bob. Vince was a 50 year member of the American Legion Richard F. Ward Post in Melrose and was a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus, Council #4167. He was a generous man and always had a ready hand to help others. He liked to get to church early and loved his family. Vince has made the circle and the crops are good and the grass is mowed. He passed away on Sunday, July 28, 2013, in Des Moines, IA. A Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, July 31, 2013, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Melrose, with Fr. Patrick Lumsden officiating and Deacon Edwin Kamerick assisting. Vince will be laid to rest in Melrose on ground donated from the family farm, at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, with military rites provided by the American Legion Richard F. Ward Post in Melrose. Visitation will be 3-7 p.m., Tuesday, July 30, 2013, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Melrose, with Vince's family present throughout the afternoon and evening. A rosary will be led at 4 p.m. by the Knights of Columbus, Council #4167, with a Christian wake service beginning at 7 p.m. Memorials may be made to St. Patrick's Catholic Church or to the American Legion Richard F. Ward Post in Melrose.

Vincent Edward Tierney

September 12, 1930 - July 28, 2013