Edward Mcweeny

Edward Leo McWeeny, most recently of Gowrie, passed away peacefully and surrounded by his family on Saturday, August 10, 2024, at Bickford Cottage in Fort Dodge, at the age of 80.

A visitation will be 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, August 14, 2024 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Fort Dodge. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on the same day at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Fort Dodge. Interment will occur at 2:30 p.m. the same day at Lost Grove Township Cemetery, with military rites provided by the American Legion Peterson Post #431 of Gowrie.

Ed was born in Carroll, Iowa on February 23, 1944, to Leo and Maxine (Wolf) McWeeny, as the second of seven siblings. In 1950, Ed moved with his family to a farm near Ute, Iowa, where he spent the rest of his childhood. He helped his family with all the farm chores, including milking the cows. His family attended Mass at Saint Boniface Catholic Church in Charter Oak, Iowa, where he gained a strong foundation in faith. Ed received his early schooling in Ute and Charter Oak, where he participated in football, track & field, and Future Farmers of America. He graduated from Charter Oak-Ute High School in 1963.

After graduating from high school, Ed enlisted in the United States Air Force. He was stationed in Fort Worth, Texas, the US island territory of Guam, and Okinawa, Japan. He attained the rank of Sergeant and served as a ground crew chief for B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers; he oversaw all aspects of aircraft maintenance and sometimes accompanied the flight crew on its missions. He was honorably discharged in 1967 at the end of his enlistment. Following this, Ed enrolled in classes at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, where he met his future wife. He then transferred to Iowa State University, where he served as a residence hall monitor and earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business with minor in Farm Management.

Ed was united in marriage to Caryl Larson at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Moorland, Iowa on June 19, 1971. In the early years of their marriage, the couple resided in Ames, Renwick, Gray, and Callender, Iowa, as Ed finished college and worked in various farm business ventures. In the mid 1970s, the couple moved to the Larson family Century Farm northwest of Gowrie, where they raised their five children. During this time, Ed tended livestock on the farm and was employed as a loan officer at First State Bank and later Heartland Bank in Gowrie for 19 years. In 2010, Ed and Caryl retired to a home in the town of Gowrie itself, where he resided until his health declined.

Ed loved his God, his country, his community, and his family; he dedicated his life to the service of each of these. He was a devout Catholic who attended Mass and prayed often; he served as an altar boy in childhood and as a lector for several years in adulthood. He was proud to have served his country in the Air Force and always counted that service as an important formative experience in his life. He valued a strong and resilient local community; over the years, he participated in several betterment groups in the city of Gowrie, including the Lions Club, Kiwanis Club, Arts Council, and Development Commission. Notably, he led the initiative to rebuild the Betty Nyght Hamilton Bandshell in Gowrie City Park, founded the Dollars for Scholars chapter at Prairie Valley High School, assisted the efforts to establish the ethanol plant north of Gowrie, and supported all the activities of the American Legion Peterson Post #431. He was the rock of his family and instilled in his children the values of service, education, hard work, self-reliance, determination, and perseverance. He deeply loved his parents, his siblings, his children, his grandchildren, and especially his wife of 53 years.

Ed was preceded in death by his parents; sister JoAnn Wand; brothers-in-law Jay Wand, Jim Braunger, and Bruce Smith; and grandson Nathan Edwards.

He is survived by his wife Caryl McWeeny of Gowrie; children David (Kerri) McWeeny of San Diego, California, Gary (Joan) Edwards of Glen Allen, Virginia, Julie (Michael) Miller of Polk City, Iowa, Mary (Andrew) Potter of Marshalltown, Iowa, and Dennis McWeeny of Washington, DC; siblings Patricia Braunger of Coralville, Iowa, Helen (John) Dowling of Flemington, New Jersey, Mary Lee (Kelly) Clarke of Elk Horn, Nebraska, Oliva Smith of West Liberty, Iowa, and Jim McWeeny (Sara Sommerlot) of West Des Moines, Iowa; and grandchildren Bradley McWeeny, Ryan McWeeny, Adam Edwards, Stephen Edwards, Luke Miller, Kayla Potter, Colin Potter, and Drew Potter.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be left to Holy Trinity Church and American Legion Peterson Post #431.