Elizabeth M Kearney
d. March 26, 2011
Elizabeth M Kearney
North Mankato - NORTHVIEW
507-388-2288
Elizabeth M. Kearney, age 96, of Mankato died peacefully Saturday, March 26, 2011 surrounded by the family she loved in the home she loved.
Funeral Service will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, April 2nd at First Presbyterian Church, Reverend Paul Rider of St. John's Episcopal Church presiding. Visitation will be 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., Friday, at North Mankato Mortuary " Northview, Commerce Drive, North Mankato.
Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, November 22, 1914, Elizabeth was the daughter of Rebecca Carnes McLean and Edward Wilkie McLean. She graduated from St. Paul Central High School in 1932 and The University of Minnesota in 1936 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Medical Technology. For several years she worked as a medical technologist at the Mayo Clinic and St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota.
She married Rochfort Wynn Kearney, July 22, 1939 in St. Paul, Minnesota. They lived in Rochester, Minnesota until the completion of his surgical residency in 1940. After touring the south and west, they returned to Mankato and Wynn established a surgical practice in his home town.
She was a devoted mother who cherished family above all else. She was active in the community her entire life and was a friend, mentor and role model to many. Elizabeth was the personification of grace, humility, kindness, and generosity and a day didn't pass without her touching someone's life in her special way.
Elizabeth was a 70 year active member of PEO Sisterhood, Chapter U. She also was a member of Thursday Reading Club, Portfolio Club, Mankato Music Club, Mankato Golf Club, as well as Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority and MSU Alpha Gamma Delta Council.
She was an Auxiliary Board member of MRCI (Mankato Rehabilitation Center, Inc.) and also served on the MRCI Board of Trustees. She was a member of the Anthony Wayne Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). She was a co-founder of the first Mankato preschool program in 1948. She was a long time MAESL volunteer (music enrichment for elementary students), served as the first woman member of Mankato United Fund (now United Way) Board of Directors. She was a Cub Scout Den mother for 15 years, a group leader of the Campfire Girls Council, and multi-term president of the Franklin School PTA with continuous membership from 1948 to 1972. She served on the Mankato Recreation Council, was an AFS (American Field Service) student host mother, member of the Mankato Symphony Auxiliary, and member of the St John's Episcopal Church Alter guild. She also volunteered with the St Joseph's Hospital Auxiliary. She enjoyed attending functions of the Doctors Mayo Society of which she was a member. Elizabeth proudly supported CityScience, a New York non-profit founded by her grandson Thor dedicated to enhancing science education of urban youth.
She was a long time board member of the Mankato YWCA and served a term as president. She was the recipient of the YWCA Women of Distinction Award. She provided initial funding to establish the eponymous Elizabeth Kearney Women's Leadership Development Program of the YWCA.
She was honored with her husband Wynn by the Establishment of the Elizabeth and Wynn Kearney International Student Center of MSU, Mankato. She particularly enjoyed spending time with international student recipients of her scholarships. In addition, she somehow found time to be an award winning and enthusiastic gardener who shared her blooms (especially dahlias) with friends and shut-ins for decades. She listed her hobbies as gardening, sewing, hunting and traveling. She was introduced to hunting by her husband Wynn and continued to enjoy bird hunting well into her 80's. She was a supporter and longtime season ticket holder of The Mankato Symphony, MSU Theatre, and the Guthrie Theatre. She enthusiastically attended University of Minnesota Golden Gopher football games for fourscore years, including four games in 2010.
Elizabeth is survived by five children; Rochfort Wynn (Ginnette) Kearney, Jr. of Mankato, Rebecca Anne (H. Roger) Smith of Mankato, Michael McLean (Jane) Kearney of Mankato, Mary Kearney Pierce of Naples, Florida, Robert Edward (Elizabeth) Kearney of Berthoud, Colorado, as well as grandchildren, Rochfort and Robert Kearney, Tara and Thor (Christa Blatchford) Snilsberg, Luke Smith, Matthew, Evan and Jonathan Kearney, Kimberley Pierce, Iona and Skye Kearney, and Katie Lamb. She is also survived by one brother, John Robert McLean of Washington, DC, and nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and one brother.
Memorials may be directed to any of the organizations mentioned above.
507-388-2288
Elizabeth M. Kearney, age 96, of Mankato died peacefully Saturday, March 26, 2011 surrounded by the family she loved in the home she loved.
Funeral Service will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, April 2nd at First Presbyterian Church, Reverend Paul Rider of St. John's Episcopal Church presiding. Visitation will be 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., Friday, at North Mankato Mortuary " Northview, Commerce Drive, North Mankato.
Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, November 22, 1914, Elizabeth was the daughter of Rebecca Carnes McLean and Edward Wilkie McLean. She graduated from St. Paul Central High School in 1932 and The University of Minnesota in 1936 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Medical Technology. For several years she worked as a medical technologist at the Mayo Clinic and St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota.
She married Rochfort Wynn Kearney, July 22, 1939 in St. Paul, Minnesota. They lived in Rochester, Minnesota until the completion of his surgical residency in 1940. After touring the south and west, they returned to Mankato and Wynn established a surgical practice in his home town.
She was a devoted mother who cherished family above all else. She was active in the community her entire life and was a friend, mentor and role model to many. Elizabeth was the personification of grace, humility, kindness, and generosity and a day didn't pass without her touching someone's life in her special way.
Elizabeth was a 70 year active member of PEO Sisterhood, Chapter U. She also was a member of Thursday Reading Club, Portfolio Club, Mankato Music Club, Mankato Golf Club, as well as Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority and MSU Alpha Gamma Delta Council.
She was an Auxiliary Board member of MRCI (Mankato Rehabilitation Center, Inc.) and also served on the MRCI Board of Trustees. She was a member of the Anthony Wayne Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). She was a co-founder of the first Mankato preschool program in 1948. She was a long time MAESL volunteer (music enrichment for elementary students), served as the first woman member of Mankato United Fund (now United Way) Board of Directors. She was a Cub Scout Den mother for 15 years, a group leader of the Campfire Girls Council, and multi-term president of the Franklin School PTA with continuous membership from 1948 to 1972. She served on the Mankato Recreation Council, was an AFS (American Field Service) student host mother, member of the Mankato Symphony Auxiliary, and member of the St John's Episcopal Church Alter guild. She also volunteered with the St Joseph's Hospital Auxiliary. She enjoyed attending functions of the Doctors Mayo Society of which she was a member. Elizabeth proudly supported CityScience, a New York non-profit founded by her grandson Thor dedicated to enhancing science education of urban youth.
She was a long time board member of the Mankato YWCA and served a term as president. She was the recipient of the YWCA Women of Distinction Award. She provided initial funding to establish the eponymous Elizabeth Kearney Women's Leadership Development Program of the YWCA.
She was honored with her husband Wynn by the Establishment of the Elizabeth and Wynn Kearney International Student Center of MSU, Mankato. She particularly enjoyed spending time with international student recipients of her scholarships. In addition, she somehow found time to be an award winning and enthusiastic gardener who shared her blooms (especially dahlias) with friends and shut-ins for decades. She listed her hobbies as gardening, sewing, hunting and traveling. She was introduced to hunting by her husband Wynn and continued to enjoy bird hunting well into her 80's. She was a supporter and longtime season ticket holder of The Mankato Symphony, MSU Theatre, and the Guthrie Theatre. She enthusiastically attended University of Minnesota Golden Gopher football games for fourscore years, including four games in 2010.
Elizabeth is survived by five children; Rochfort Wynn (Ginnette) Kearney, Jr. of Mankato, Rebecca Anne (H. Roger) Smith of Mankato, Michael McLean (Jane) Kearney of Mankato, Mary Kearney Pierce of Naples, Florida, Robert Edward (Elizabeth) Kearney of Berthoud, Colorado, as well as grandchildren, Rochfort and Robert Kearney, Tara and Thor (Christa Blatchford) Snilsberg, Luke Smith, Matthew, Evan and Jonathan Kearney, Kimberley Pierce, Iona and Skye Kearney, and Katie Lamb. She is also survived by one brother, John Robert McLean of Washington, DC, and nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and one brother.
Memorials may be directed to any of the organizations mentioned above.
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