(Veteran)

Lt. John M. Kenny

The body of Lieut. John M. Kenny was brought to Blair today from Lewistown, Mont., and laid to rest in the Blair cemetery by the side of his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. F.W. Kenny, whose deaths occurred in 1911 and 1914. John died at his home in Lewistown at 3 o’clock last Friday afternoon and the funeral service was held at the residence at 4:30 Sunday afternoon, under Masonic auspices, he being a member of the Blue Lodge, Knights Templar, the Scottish Rite and of Algeria temple of the Shrine. His sisters, Misses Maud and Sue Kenny, were with him during his last illness and when the end came from dropsy induced by heart trouble. John Kenny was born in this city in June of 1879, so would have been 48 had he lived until June of this year. He grew to manhood here, was graduated from the high school in 1896 and went to Nebraska State University for two years. When the Spanish-American war broke out in 1898 he enlisted in Co. E of the 3rd. Nebraska Vol. Inf., which was recruited and captained by the writer and was chosen 2nd lieutenant, Rev. W. H. Underwood, then serving as pastor of the Methodist church in Arlington, serving as 1st lieutenant. After Col. Bryan appointed Rev. Mr. Underwood chaplain of the regiment John was advanced to the 1st lieutenancy and served for nine months in Florida and three months in Cuba, being mustered out at Augusta, Ga, May 11th, 1898. He worked for the Crowell Lumber & Grain Co. for a short time and then went to Montana, where he was with a lumber company for about twenty years. He was never married, his love for music seeming to be the ruling passion of his life. He was an accomplished violinist, playing that difficult instrument with the feeling and soul of an artist. He was prominent in musical circles in Lewistown and gave much time to the DeMolay orchestra, which he organized and trained into a very finished body of musicians. Besides the two sisters, Maud and Sue, who were with him, he leaves three sisters, Clara, Mrs. Paul Howard, of Kewanee, Ill., Aimee, Mrs. Lyman Peck, and Mary, Mrs. Burtis Smith, both of Omaha. John was a reticent nature but of sterling worth that was soon discovered by those who knew him for any length of time. He was clean, capable, conscientious and loyal, qualities that make for deep friendships of the right kind. The bereaved sisters have the sincere sympathy of their many friends. Rev. W. H. Underwood conducted the commitment service at the cemetery, the music being furnished by a double mixed quartette. The pallbearers were old schoolmates except Dr. R. J. Murdoch, M. R. Lippincott, Stanley Osborn, W. W. Wilkinson, Dr. W. M. Haller and Sherry Moore.

~There is an additional obituary on file at the Blair Public Library published in The Enterprise March 31, 1927. It does not have any additional information.

~~~ Obituaries courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~