Edward “Eddie” Whalen

Wednesday, July 25, 2018 2:36 pm

Edward “Eddie” Whalen, 90, of Canton, died Tuesday, July 24, 2018, at his home in Canton. Funeral service is at 11 a.m. July 27, at St. Agnes Plymouth Rock Catholic Church, with Fr. Donald J. Hawes officiating. Burial is in the St. Agnes Cemetery with military rites by the Harmony American Legion. Visitation is from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 26, at the Mengis Funeral Home in Mabel and one hour prior to services at the church.

Eddie was born Jan. 19, 1928, on the family farm in Winneshiek County, to Paul Sr. and Myrtle (Roche) Whalen. He graduated from the Canton High School in 1946. He served in the United States Navy from Nov. 1948 to 1952. He had worked for a short time as a tinsmith in Rochester. Eddie was married to Leona Frana in 1950. Four children were born to this union. They later divorced. He farmed on the family farm until 1995 when he began operating the Villager Drive-In in Canton, where he enjoyed cooking and visiting with the customers, until retiring in 2012.

Eddie was a member of the American Legion in Harmony and the Winneshiek County NFO. He enjoyed woodworking, fishing, dancing and especially spending time with his family.

Eddie is survived by special friend, Sandy Frank, of Canton; children: Danny of Canton, Kevin (Della) of Decorah, Randy (Elaine St. Mary) of Lime Springs and Brenda (Allen C.) Holthaus of Cresco; step-daughter Elaine (Jeff) Geottel; grandchildren: Adam Whalen, Richard Hollenbeck, Rusty Whalen, Erika Whalen, Cassidy Whalen, Mikel Hansen, Rachel Vsetecka, Sarah Halweg, Devin Holthaus, Carter, Olivia, and Wyatt St. Mary, Patrick, Aislinn, Gabriel and Eireann Geottel; 16 great grandchildren; a brother, LaVerne (Neldah) Whalen, of Rochester; sister-in-law, Shirley Whalen, of Rochester; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter-in-law, Joan Whalen; grandson, Mark Whalen; great-grandson, Bryson Holthaus; and brothers and sisters: Harold, Quintin, Paul, Delone, Joe, Larry, Louis and Lucy Whalen.