Peter "Joe" Joseph Gaherty

Peter "Joe" Gaherty, age 83, of Storm Lake, Iowa died Saturday, June 27, 2015 at Methodist Manor Retirement Community in Storm Lake. Funeral Mass will be held Wednesday, July 1, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Storm Lake. Burial will follow in the St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will take place Tuesday, June 30, 2015 from 6-8:00 p.m. with a vigil service at 7:00 p.m. and a rosary at 7:30 p.m. at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements. Peter Joseph “Joe” Gaherty was born in Storm Lake on May 29, 1932. He grew up on the family farm outside Storm Lake, attended grade school and high school at Providence Consolidated in Sulphur Springs, and graduated in 1950. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Storm Lake and has been a member of that parish community his entire life. In 1951 he was inducted into the U.S. Army and spent part of his two-year tour of duty in Korea toward the end of the Korean Conflict. He was discharged in 1953 with the rank of sergeant and retuned to farm with his father and over the years purchased his own parcels of land adjoining the family farm. Following the deaths of his mother and father, Joe moved to the nearby home built by his grandfather in 1913 and continued to farm that land as well as his own. Always interested in sports, having played basketball in high school, he took up bowling and became involved in regular league play in Storm Lake. He became a serious fan of local high school basketball following local teams even to their state tournament play. He became especially interested in stock car races at this time and attended races regularly at the Alta Fairgrounds. He retired from active farming following his sale in 1998, bought a home, and moved to Storm Lake. He still continued to help out with the farming of his own land. It was at this time of reduced work pressure that he began to travel. He visited Alaska, Hawaii, Australia, Europe, and Ireland. His last trip was an exhausting cruise on the Amazon River. He sold his home and took an apartment at Otsego Place where he has been a resident for the past eight years. Joe is survived by his brother, Michael, sister-in-law, Ellen, brother-in-law Laverne Mertz and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Thomas and Margaret, his sister Helen Mertz, and twin nieces Michelle Marie and Lisa Ellen Gaherty.

Peter "Joe" Joseph Gaherty

May 29, 1932 - June 27, 2015