Obituary of Dr. Frank Kane

Died Monday November, 1916 age 32 years

Great Throng Attends Dr. J.F. Kane’s Funeral

All walks of life represented at obsequies of Minooka physician

Large delegations from the Lackawanna County Medical Society, the Young Men’s Institute of Minooka, both organizations of which he was an active member. Hundreds and relatives and friends, as well as people prominent in the various professions, city and county officials, were in attendance this morning at the funeral of Dr. John F. Kane, one of the best known young physicians of the valley, which took place at 9:30 o’clock from the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Kane of Birney Avenue, Minooka. It was one of the largest funerals that Minooka ever witnessed, and showed the love and esteem in which the doctor was held.

Out of respect to the memory of Dr. Kane, many of the business houses of the town closed their doors during the time of services were being conducted at the church.

The solemn high mass of requiem in St. Joseph’s church at 10 o’clock was celebrated by the Rev. J.J, Ruddy, of Dunmore. The Rev. P.E. Lavelle was deacon and the Rev. E.J. Melley subdeacon. The Rev. Charles Murray was the master of ceremonies. During the mass the choir of St. Joseph’s Church under the direction of Miss Helen Gibbons, organist sang the responses. At the offertory Ned Connolly, a cousin of the doctor, sang “O Jesu Clementissmi,” and as the body was being taken from the church Miss Theresa Gibbons sang “Absent.” The mass was composed by Joseph Ohnewald.

Floral Remembrances

For more that the hour previous to the departure for the church the Kane home was thronged with friends of the doctor and of the family. The casket in which the body of the doctor was on view was covered with many floral remembrances . One of the attractive pieces was from the members of the Y.M.I., of Minooka, and another from the Lackawanna Medical Society. There were many other beautiful remembrances consisting of pillows, palms, ferns, wreaths, casket bouquets and chrysanthemums, A number of the floral pieces came from persons whom the doctor had treated in the past few months.

For over fifteen minutes before te closing of the casket people filed through the room and looked at the face of their dead friend. Many of the people who passed y the bier were foreigners and they burst into tears as they viewed the body. The little children of the town also viewed the body of their friends. The doctors greatest delight was bringing the smile of happiness. He was never more content than when he was doing some act of kindness to make the little ones happy. So vast was the crowd that hundreds were forced to stand in the yard and on the sidewalk in front of the Kane home and the procession to the church was several blocks in length. The seating capacity of St. Joseph’s Church was taxed many being forced to stand in the aisles and in the rear of the church.

The flower-bearers were Thomas and John O’Boyle, William Lynett and John Connolly.

Casket-Bearers

The honorary casket bearers were the members of the Lackawanna Medical Society and brothers of the doctor. They were Dr. Charles Falkowsky, Jr., Dr. J. Norman White, Dr. John Zychowicz, Dr. Charles B Noacker, Dr. William Berge and Dr. James E. O’Toole. The active casket-bearers were from the Y.M.I. and were John J. Joyce, William Stokes, James Egan, Joseph Murray, Michael Coyne, and P.J. Philbin. Burial was made at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Minooka. Funeral services at the graveside were conducted by The Rev. J.J. Ruddy, of Dunmore. The Rev. P.E. Lavelle pronounced the final absolution of the body.

Priests seated in the sanctuary during the mass were: The Rev. Hugh Geraghty, of Dickson City; The Rev. D.W. McCarthy of Wilkes-Barre; the Rev. M.F. Crane of Avoca; The Rev. Thomas McHugh, of Pittston; the Rev. Jmes E. Donnelly, of South Scranton; and the Rev. Andrew Zychowicz of South Scranton, and the Rev. Roman Wandolowski of Greenwood.

Contributed by Maria Montoro Edwards
The photo was taken at the graduation of Dr. Kane from Georgetown Medial School - contributed by his grandson, John F. Kane.