In loving memory

Hunter Adam O'Donnell

August 22, 2001 - August 7, 2005

The entire Hunerdosse family joins the family of Arthur Hunerdosse in grieving the loss of little Hunter.  The accident which took his life occurred on the same weekend as the family reunion in Spring Green.  We all missed the presence of the Arthur's family, and we keenly sensed their absence, and joined them in sorrow.  Hunter's father, Sgt. Ryan O'Donnell just left home to serve in the United States Army in Iraq. 

We pray for God's peace and comfort during this terrible time of great loss.

The following appeared in local newspapers.

The Hawk Eye, Burlington, Iowa

Tuesday, August 9, 2005

Son dies before soldier's deployment

By KILEY MILLER kmiller@thehawkeye.com

LaHARPE, Ill. — The 3–year–old son of an Iraq–bound soldier died Sunday in a Springfield, Ill., hospital, two days after choking at his family home.

Hunter Adam O'Donnell had survived on life support since Friday, family spokesman Ken Hunerdosse said.

Hunter was the son of Sgt. Ryan and Shannon O'Donnell of LaHarpe. He had a year–old sister, Makayla.

The funeral will take place at 10:30 a.m. Friday at First Church of the Nazarene, with the Rev. Terry Vance officiating.

Burial will follow at Aspen Grove Cemetery.

Ryan O'Donnell, a Burlington native, was boarding an airplane in Texas to join fellow soldiers in the 224th Engineer Battalion in Iraq when he learned about his son's situation.

Working through the Red Cross, he joined his family Friday evening at St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Ill., where Hunter had been taken by helicopter from Memorial Hospital in Carthage.

Sgt. O'Donnell serves in Company A of the 224th, a southeast Iowa National Guard unit deployed since January. He had volunteered as a replacement to go to Iraq to help fill battle–drained ranks.

Lt. Col. Todd Jacobus, the battalion's commander, said O'Donnell would have become a team leader in Company A.

"On behalf of the soldiers and Marines serving here with the 224th Engineer Battalion, our deepest regrets are passed along to this family," Jacobus said by e–mail Monday. "Our thoughts and prayers are with them."

Hunerdosse said a memorial fund is being established to help pay medical bills and funeral expenses. He declined to explain the choking incident, except to say there was no pre–existing condition that would have led to Hunter's death.

Sgt. O'Donnell had left his job as a union electrician to spend his final weeks before deployment with his wife and children.

At a send–off ceremony in Mount Pleasant for the 224th replacements, Hunter and Makayla were dressed in red, white and blue.

Shannon O'Donnell said then that her son, who would have turned 4 on Aug. 22, believed "daddy's a superhero" because he was going to "fight the bad guys."

"He was kind of quiet, wasn't real talkative," Hunerdosse said, "but he was a sweet, lovable kid."

Vance, pastor at First Church of the Nazarene said prayer services were conducted over the weekend for the O'Donnells. Church members now are providing meals to the family.

Ryan and Shannon O'Donnell are doing "as well as could be expected," Vance said. "In talking to (them) Sunday, they said to me 'I have a peace,' — a peace that they didn't expect to have."

The Hawk Eye, Burlington, Iowa

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Hunter O'Donnell

Hunter Adam O'Donnell, 3, of LaHarpe, Ill., died at 9:27 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 7, 2005, at St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Ill.

Born Aug. 22, 2001, at Fort Madison, he was the son of Ryan Christopher and Shannon Marie Hiland O'Donnell.

He was a member of First Church of the Nazarene.

Survivors include his parents; one sister, Makayla Elizabeth O'Donnell at home; maternal grandmother, Lynn Hunerdosse; paternal grandfather, Joseph O'Donnell; and paternal grandmother, Susan Carter.

He was preceded in death by his great–grandfather and great–great–grandmother.

Visitation will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at Lunning Chapel, where the family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m.

The funeral for Hunter O'Donnell will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at First Church of the Nazarene, with the Rev. Terry Vance officiating. Burial will be in Aspen Grove Cemetery.

A memorial has been established and contributions may be sent to U.S. Bank, 3104 West Ave., Burlington, Iowa 52601.