Richard Kearney, age 92, died on Saturday, December 20, 2014 at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa. Before his death he was a resident of Otsego Place in Storm Lake.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 27, 2014 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Storm Lake. Burial will follow in the Storm Lake Cemetery. Visitation will take place from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, December 26, 2014 at Sliefert Funeral Home in Storm Lake, which is in charge of arrangements.

Richard was born in Rock Rapids, Iowa on April 23, 1922, the son of William and Agnes Cosgrove Kearney. He moved to Storm Lake when he was in 4th grade, and graduated from Storm Lake High School in 1940. Following his graduation from high school he began his college education at Loras College and Creighton University. During a break in his college years he worked on the Alcan Highway in Alaska.

His education was interrupted by World War II. He served in the Army from February, 1943 to November, 1945, as a combat engineer in Europe, receiving a Purple Heart for injuries received in battle and Bronze Stars for acts of bravery and heroism.

Following the war he returned home to Storm Lake, obtained a bachelor’s degree from Buena Vista College, and married his friend and high school classmate Barbara DeLand. Their devotion to each other was complete, and their marriage lasted for 65 years until Barbara’s death on March 25, 2014. Richard and Barbara had four children, Jan Kearney (Charles Sabalos)of Tucson, Arizona, Patricia Moe (Keith) of Albert City, William Kearney (Ying) and Matthew Kearney (Jamie), all of Iowa City, and grandchildren Elizabeth, Emily, Emma, Helen and Sarah, and great- grandchildren Braylon, Eve, Cannon and Vivian.

Richard obtained his master’s degree from Iowa State University and embarked on a career teaching chemistry, physics and electronics to students at Rembrandt, Hayes, and Early, and 35 years as a beloved teacher at Storm Lake High School. Before his retirement in 1986, he made a lifetime of friends and enriched the lives of untold numbers of students.

Richard was a lifelong member of St. Mary’s Parish in Storm Lake. His many interests included decades of amateur radio activity, and he will be remembered by many by his call letters K0HLM. He could build or fix anything, notably beautiful and intricate miniature engines which he made on his metal lathe. He loved to grow roses in his garden by the lake. But mostly he was interested in his family and his wide and treasured circle of friends.

Richard is survived by his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, and by his nieces Lynn Kintigh and Kathleen Luehring, and nephew Thomas Kearney. He was preceded in death by his wife Barbara, his parents, his brother William, and his sister Corinne.