Ione O'Hearn

Ione O'Hearn, 92, Wahpeton, ND passed away on Friday, April 25, 2014 at St. Francis Healthcare Campus, Breckenridge, MN. The Funeral Mass will be on Wednesday, April 30, at 10:30 AM at St. John's Catholic Church, Wahpeton, ND with Rev. Dale Lagodinski officiating. Visitation will be on Tuesday from 5 PM to 7 PM with a prayer vigil at 7 PM at Willow Creek Chapel, Wahpeton, ND. There will also be visitation one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery, Fairmount, ND. Memorials may be given in Ione's name to the Humane Society of Richland and Wilkin Counties, Wahpeton or the Carmelite Monastery, Wahpeton. Arrangements are entrusted to Vertin-Munson Funeral Home, Wahpeton, ND.

Ione Rose O'Hearn was born on July 31, 1921 on the home farm in Greendale Township, Richland County, ND to Peter and Scholastica (Bernard) Wawers. As a young person she worked for Cudahy's in Fairmount, ND and other area places. During WWII, she worked at the Swift Packing Plant in South St. Paul, MN.

Ione was united in marriage to Eugene "Gene" O'Hearn on June 1, 1944 at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Fairmount. They lived on a farm in the Fairmount area until 1947 when they purchased a farm near Tenney, MN where they lived until 1978. At that time, due to Gene's health, they moved to Wahpeton.
As the children were growing up, she was a 4-H leader for twenty years. She and Gene were the 1968 Wilkin County Farmer of the Year as presented at the Northwest Winter Agricultural Show in Crookston, MN. They were also active in the Minnesota DFL and Traverse Electric REA. She was very active in the Tenney Home and Hobby Club, the St. Anthony Altar Society, The Order of Foresters, Riveredge Hospice, and served on the executive board of the Humane Society of Richland and Wilkin Counties. As a bowler she was a trophy winner at state competitions.
After Gene died in 1980, she began to travel the world with her friend Polly Mumm and she made dancing a favorite pastime with her special friend, Bud Stollenwerk. Ione lived to spend her time at the lake place on Otter Tail Lake.

Ione is survived by her three children, Richard O'Hearn, Kalamazoo, MI, Deborah O'Hearn, Minneapolis, MN, Nancy O'Hearn, Wahpeton, ND, her six siblings, Leander (Edith) Wawers, Wahpeton, Benjamin (Marilyn) Wawers, Wahpeton, Eva (Franklin-Jiggs) Miller, Duluth, MN, Marlys Miller, Fargo, ND, Paul (Joan) Wawers, Wahpeton, DiAnn Clementich, Fargo, ND.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Scholastica Wawers, her husband, Gene O'Hearn, her brother, Edwin Wawers, her sister-in-law, Vangie Wawers, and her brothers-in-law, Lyle Miller and Al Clementich.