Kuehnle, John L. Sr.

John L. Kuehnle Sr., 80, of Mechanicsville, died Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010. Funeral mass: 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Mechanicsville, by the Rev. Andrew Kelly. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Morgan Funeral and Cremation Choices Mount Vernon Chapel. Private family burial at Rose Hill Cemetery, in the spring.

John was born Feb. 12, 1930, to Louis and Mae (Billmeyer) Kuehnle in Dubuque, Iowa. He attended school in Dubuque and graduated from Senior High School, attended Loras College and graduated from the University of Iowa Law School in 1953.

John worked many small jobs while attending college. He delivered flowers and furniture, worked on the railroad and for John Deere. John was an excellent softball fast pitcher. He was offered jobs, so he would play for the employer's team. It was after one of his games he asked his catcher's sister, Donna Orndorff, on a date and from there love blossomed. While on leave from the service, (he was stationed in Puerto Rico), they were united in marriage in the rectory of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Dubuque on Dec. 19, 1954.

After his discharge from the army they settled in Mechanicsville, where John practiced law for 53 years. To this union six children were born, John Kuehnle and Michele Finnegan, Mark and Julie Kuehnle, Anne and Joseph Matulka, Sara Fitzgerald, Jane and Ken Malaby and Lora Kuehnle. His family continued to grow with the addition of his grandchildren, Joel, Ruth, Paul, James, Ellen, Jill, Erik, Alison, Emma and Ian. His extended family includes his two sisters and their spouses, Kay and Bill Frommelt and LouAnn and Tom Kress, and in-laws, Shirley Lange and Ron and Lois Orndorff and 19 nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; infant brother, Carson; infant daughter, Lora; grandchildren, James and Emma; and brother–in–law, Cecil Lange.

John supported the community he lived in by being an active member of Lions Club, Mechanicsville Commercial Club, St. Mary's Catholic Church and Knights of Columbus, Cedar County Bar Association and the Iowa Bar Association. He was presented with the Melvin Jones Fellow Dedicated Humanitarian Services. He served on the Iowa Board of Governors in the 1980s.

John enjoyed sports, from playing himself to watching his children and grandchildren. He attended Hawkeye sports for over the past 50 years. If you stopped by their home, he and Donna were usually watching a sporting event on TV. In high school, he was honored as a National Thespian, which his children also participated in and enjoyed.

As most families, we are glad John was a part of our lives. We appreciate the lessons he taught us and the love he shared with us.

Contributions may be made in John's memory to the Mechanicsville Ambulance Service, MCC Food Pantry and St. Mary's Catholic Church General Fund.

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