John Cleary

John Michael Cleary, age 75, of Faribault, died Monday, October 5, 2009 at the North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale.    Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, October 12, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. at the Divine Mercy Catholic Church in Faribault, with the Rev. Kevin Finnegan, pastor officiating.  Interment will be held at the Calvary Cemetery in Faribault with military honors provided by the Rice County Central Veterans Association.    Visitation will be held at the Parker Kohl Funeral Home in Faribault on Sunday from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. and at the church on Monday for one hour prior to services.  The parish prayers will be held on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. with members of the Faribault Council 889 Knights of Columbus in attendance.    The family prefers that memorials be directed to the Divine Mercy Catholic Church or to the Charity of your choice.    John Michael Cleary, the son of Michael and Hazel (McDermott) Cleary was born in Duluth, MN on February 17, 1934.  His working years started out on the DM+IR rail yard in Proctor, MN in the days of steam engines.  After military service in the U.S. Army and some education at UMD (under the GI Bill) he went to work at DeWitt Seitz Company in Duluth.  He married Jeanne Lois Jones at St. James Catholic Church in Duluth on August 27, 1960.  After a short time he returned to UMD where he finished his education degree.  He moved with his wife and 2 children, Bridget and Alison, to his first teaching job in Milwaukee, WI.  They returned to Minnesota in 1966 when John started teaching at Faribault Junior High School.  In Faribault, John and Jeanne added two boys to the family, Michael and Timothy.  John taught for 28 ½ years, retiring in January 1995.  After the death of his first wife Jeanne, he married his second wife Lois Donahue on Sept. 7, 1996 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Faribault.    John was a graduate of Proctor High School, University of Minnesota Duluth, and Mankato State College.  He was U.S. Army Veteran.  John was a member and past Grand Knight of Faribault Council #889 of the Knights of Columbus, member of the American Legion Post #43, and a member of Divine Mercy Catholic Church.    He is survived by his second wife Lois Donahue Cleary of Faribault, his daughter, Bridget Cleary of Luck, WI, daughter, Alison (George) LaRoche of Faribault, MN, son, Michael (Kristin) Cleary of Rochester, MN, son, Timothy (Rochelle) Cleary of Hermantown, MN and his sister, Claire Cleary of Cloquet, MN.  John is survived by 11 grandchildren and 2 great grandsons.  Grandchildren are Mary, Timothy, Kate and Anne LaRoche of Faribault.  Quinton and Shane Cleary of Rochester and Nick, Finnian and Arwyn Cleary of Hermantown.  Vanessa (Timothy) Wilcox of St. Louis Park, MN with children Westley and Ben.  John is also survived by 9 step-children, Mike (Connie) Donahue, Mark (Robin) Donahue, Kathy (Pete) Nass, Julie (Phil) Zweber, Tim (Julie) Donahue, Mary (Dave) McIntyre, Joe (Kathryn) Donahue, Jim (Jessie) Donahue and Mick (Tammy) Donahue with their children and grandchildren.    He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Jeanne, his brother James (Jan) Cleary of Proctor, MN and by his grandson Aidan Cleary. Directions to Divine Mercy Catholic Church: http://divinemercycatholics.org/Directions%20to%20new%20church.jpg