Date of Birth:
Monday, May 30, 1927
Date of Death:
Monday, February 3, 2014
Age:
86 years old

Clara Mae McKeown

Clara Mae McKeown, age 86 died on Monday, February 3, 2014 at Maple Manor Nursing Home in Rochester, MN.  Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 8, 2014 at the original Macken Funeral Home chapel in Rochester, MN.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral.  Interment will occur at Oakwood Cemetery, Rochester, MN.

Clara Mae McKeown  was born on May 30, 1927 in Fort Atkinson, IA to William L. and Mary Ann (Malek) Hyke. Clara  attended Our Lady of Lourdes School in Lourdes, IA. Clara married Mr. Ivadore Becker and they gifted the world with their lovely daughter Darlene Elnora in 1942.  Clara went on to marry Mr. Christopher Stokas, whom she married twice.  Thereafter, in 1964, Clara married the love of her life, Mr. Thomas McKeown (with the US Army and later an electrician from Chatfield, MN) and they moved to Richfield/Bloomington, MN.  Ms. McKeown lived a life of luxury, happiness, and commitment to her family.  She enjoyed her soap operas and was the first person anyone in the family could count on for a helping hand.

Clara was fire & ice- she was the person you most wanted to stand next to, play with, and have fun.  During WW2 & the Korean Conflict, Mrs. McKeown was a cigarette girl and an accomplished swing & ballroom dancer.  Clara loved entertaining the troops and they enjoyed her sweet figure, happy attitude, and vivacious spirit.  In later year, Clara became known for her “break dance” moves whirling around the dance floor and “cutting the rug”  with her much younger grandchildren & great-grandchildren.  Clara was a very social person who loved visiting with people and chatting on the phone. She liked old movies from the 40’s to 60’s, Rat Pack music (and their current clones), Lawrence Welk, and  ‘Dancing With the Stars’ on TV. Most of all, Clara adored being with her family, especially her daughter and grandchildren.  Two sisters and one brother  survive Mrs. Clara McKeown: Mrs. Jane Hudson of Cresco, IA, Mrs. Genevieve Buker of Cresco, IA, and Mr. Charles Hyke of Waterloo, IA. One sister predeceased her, Mrs. Agnes M. Driscoll.  Her nieces, Bernice Ollendieck of Cresco, IA, Shirley Berglund of Denver, CO, Marion Samec of Cedar Rapids, IA,  and nephews, Robert Hyke of Phoenix, AZ, James Hruska of Cresco, IA, and several other nieces and nephews also survive.  Preceding Mrs. McKeown in death were her parents, a still-born infant daughter, her beloved daughter Darlene O’Byrne (2003) . Widowed, Mrs.McKeown, was also preceded in death by husband Thomas E. McKeown (2010), and  four brothers, Benjamin, Leonard, William, and Clem Hyke, and several nieces, nephews, brothers-in-law, and sisters-in-law.  Also surviving are her cherished grandchildren Katherine (Greg) Lewis, Leesburg, FL, Daniel Gray, Rochester, MN, Dr. Gerald (Kerry) Gray, Rochester, MN and Jennifer (Zachary) Resch of Kasson, MN. Clara leaves behind 5 devoted great-grandchildren (Andrew Gray, Cameron Gray, Sydney Gray, Katelyn Harrington and Jack Harrington) and 2 adorable step great-grandchildren (Gretchen Resch & Will Resch).  Clara was a pistol, and the entire family will miss her kind and loving spirit forever.  Go get ’em in Heaven Clara!

Macken Funeral Home is handling the arrangements, and online condolences are welcome at www.mackenfuneralhome.com