Thomas "Joe" Lally

Thomas Joseph Lally was born July 23, 1921, the son of John and Margaret Houlihan Lally. He passed away Tuesday, January 1, 2012, at the Crawford County Memorial Hospital in Denison, Iowa, at the age of 91.
Joe was born in Vail, Iowa. He received his education in country school through the 8th grade and graduated from St. Anns High School with the class of 1938. Joe farmed with his father before joining the Army Aircorp in 1942, serving as a photographer in the military. Joe was united in marriage to Rita Kelly on June 7, 1944, in Jacksonville, Florida. He was honorably discharged on January 18, 1946, and came back to the farm where he remained until retiring and moving to town in 1988.
Joe was a progressive farmer and utilized farming conservation practices. He and his family were featured as WOWs Omaha TV station farm family of the week in November 1966. Joe was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He enjoyed gardening and playing cards in his spare time. Joe continued his photography endeavors for many years at special events in the surrounding area. He was a lifetime member of St. Ann Catholic Church in Vail and also the Knights of Columbus and the Vail American Legion Post 65.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Rita in 2011; two brothers, Francis Paul, and Martin; two sisters: Catherine Lawler and her husband, John; and Jane Marie Thompson and her husband, Elmer; two brothers-in-law: Robert Dieter and Ed Pribyl; and one sister-in-law, Regina Lally. Survivors include his four daughters, Kate Lally of St. Louis, Missouri; CJ Leise and her husband, Sid of Vail; Janeen Fischer of Bancroft, Iowa; Mary Pat Venner and her husband, Bob of Carroll; two sons, Dan Lally and his wife, Ruth of Vail; and Dick Lally and his wife, Diane of Arnolds Park; 23 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren; one brother, John Lally of Denison; three sisters, Theresa Haney and husband, Jim of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota; Helen Dieter of Vail; and Genevieve Pribyl of Valley, Nebraska; one sister-in-law, Mary Lally; other relatives and friends.