ROLAND T. MAHER IS DEATH VICTIM AT LOGAN, IA. SUN.

Descendent of Very Well Known and Highly Respected Family

Victim of a heart attack that followed heat prostration, Roland T. Maher died early Sunday morning, July 26, at Logan, Iowa where since last August he had been a member of the law firm of Welch and Maher. Ill Saturday afternoon, hottest day ever recorded in western Iowa, he had been given treatment by a physician and ordered to bed. Heart failure came as he was sleeping. He was 36 years old.

Rites were held Tuesday morning at 8:30 from St. Francis Borgia Catholic church in Blair, the first time a full military funeral was ever held in the local edifice. The low funeral mass was said by Father George F. Jonaitis, war priest, chaplain of Washington county post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, of which Mr. Maher was a member. At the cemetery Father Jonaitis and Father Francis X. Renner, acting pastor of the parish, together chanted the benedictus.

Participating in the services at the church and cemetery were the firing squad of Stanley E. Hain post, American Legion, and the local V.F.W. post members of which served as pallbearers. During the entire church service the Legion guard of 12 stood at attention, raising their rifles at the elevation of the Host, Gifford L. Dixon sang two solos, Miss Catherine Beekmann accompanying him at the organ.

Following the centuries old church service at the grave, the two military organizations represented conducted an impressive last tribute over the flag-draped casket. The firing squad fired three salutes, followed by taps blown by buglers stationed far across the cemetery grounds as the servicemen stood at attention.

The flag draped over the casket was presented to Mr. Maher’s mother by Chaplain Jonaitis in a simple service. Said he, as he made the presentation, “Dear mother, it is with regret and deep sympathy that I present you this emblem, the American flag, symbolizing the service your son, Roland Thomas Maher, rendered his country in time of war. Through me, as a chaplain, our great government presents it to you, ever to be cherished as a joyful, dignified remembrance of his patriotism.”

Born at Blair February 15, 1900, Mr. Maher was educated in the Blair city schools and with the outbreak of the World War in April, 1917, he, with several other high school students, enlisted in the army. In military uniform he was graduated with the class of 1917, and later as a member of the 127th Nebraska field artillery he trained at Deming, New Mexico. He then went to France with the Nebraska unit.

Returning at the close of the war he enrolled at the Georgetown university law school at Washington, D.C., which he attended four years. Then followed a period of service as personal secretary to a New York city corporation lawyer, and a similar position for a St. Louis capitalist.

For nearly three years he was associated with his brother, William J. Maher, in the latter’s law office, going to Logan in August to join William P Welch there.

While living in Blair Mr. Maher was active in organization of the Washington county post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and from its organization until his departure from Blair, he served as its adjutant and publicity director. He was correspondent from Washington county for an Omaha daily newspaper for two years.

Surviving are an 11 years old daughter, Marian Patricia, now in a New York convent. Patricia, as she was know here, spent last summer with her father in Blair. Other survivors are his mother, Mrs. Grace Maher, three sisters, Mrs. Reed O’Hanlon, Mrs. John J. Leehy, Florence and Miss Margaret Maher, Omaha; and three brothers, William J., Robert M. and James E. all of Blair.

Here from out of town for the rites were Miss Catherine Welch of Missouri Valley; Mr. and Mrs. William P. Welch, Logan; Dr. and Mrs. Benjamin J. Haller and Mrs. George Haller, Sr. of Omaha; Mrs. Ellen Leehy, Francis Leehy, Pat Gillespie, Stephen Maher, Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Carmichael, Mr. and Mrs. Ferris Stewart, Mary Frances Stewart, Jane Egan, Maureen Meehan, Mrs. E. P. Donahue, Jack Donahue, Mr. and Mrs. Merrill Rohrbaugh, all of Omaha; Mrs. Raymond Carpenter, Mr. and Mrs. James Antrim, Mrs. W. H. Welch, Hugh Tamisea, all of Missouri Valley; Miss Eleanor Wood, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Evans, Mrs. Elmer Herman, Misses Dorothy and Margaret Young, all of Logan; Miss Jane Fitzgerald, Miss Hannah Fitzgerald, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Fitzgerald and daughter, Mrs. Ella Martin, Mr. and Mrs. James Shinnick, Ed Fitzgerald, Mrs. Dan Fitzgerald and Mr. and Mrs. Earl Kelly, all of the Garryowen vicinity.

#2-Pilot Tribune 30 July 1936

Roland T. Maher, 36, Died Suddenly of Heart Attack

Blair Resident Until Recently Is Buried Here Tuesday Morning

Roland T. Maher, 36, Blair resident until recently, died early Sunday in Logan, Iowa, following a heart attack superinduced by the heat. An attorney, Mr. Maher was a member of Welch & Maher law firm of that city. The body was brought to the Campbell Mortuary in Blair where the rosary was recited Monday evening.

Mr. Maher was born in Blair February 15, 1900, the son of Mr. and Mrs. James E. Maher, and attended the city schools. At the age of 15 he joined the United States Army and served along the Mexican border. Returning to Blair to complete his high school work, he enlisted for duty in the World War one month before graduation and received his diploma in uniform.

Served Overseas

Although only 17 years of age when sent overseas, he served nine months in England and France with the 127th field artillery as a regimental sergeant major, highest ranking obtainable at his age.

After the war Mr. Maher attended Georgetown University and secured his law degree. In recent years he had been serving here in the law office of his brother, William, before going to Logan.

Surviving him are a daughter, Marian Patricia, now attending a New York City, convent school, who visited here last summer; his mother, Mrs. Grace Maher, Blair; three sisters, Mrs. Reed O’Hanlon of Blair, Mrs. John Leehy of Garryowen and Miss Margaret Maher of Omaha; and three brothers, William J., Robert and James E., all of Blair.

Veterans Officiate

Funeral services were held Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. in St. Francis Borgia Catholic Church. Members of Washington County Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars, of which Mr. Maher had been adjutant, and of Stanley E. Hain Post, American Legion, attended in uniform. The Rev. George F. Jonaitis, Chaplain of the organization, said the funeral mass. Gifford L. Dixon sang two numbers during the services. Interment was in Holy Cross Cemetery here, Father Jonaitis and the Rev. Francis X. Renner saying committal prayers.

Pallbearers, all VFW members, were Frank Wolff, Gail Stricklett, Frank Lutz, William M. Koopman, Andrew Wallace and William Hunt. Members of the VFW post who served as color bearers during the funeral were B. F. Bergman, John Taylor, Dan Phillips and Ed Hoover. Members of the American Legion who served as color bearers and a firing squad were Hans Poulsen, Martin Kuhr, Lee Sumner, Si Johnson, Leslie Offen, Marcus Beck, Ernest Carson, Louie Farnberg, Art Stimson, Cy Andersen and William Blatter.

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

FindaGrave # 120677115