Iva Mae (Kearney) Walker passed away October 7, 2017 at Friendship Village, Tempe, Arizona at age 101. She was born to Frank and Ida Kearney in Ithaca, Wisconsin on January 8, 1916. She was the youngest of seven children. Her sisters, Nellie, Carrie and Alice as well as her brothers Irvin, Joe and Ed have predeceased her. After high school, Iva traveled to Detroit, Michigan for nurses training. She then moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to become a model and attended beautician school. While modeling, she was picked by the Wisconsin Dairyman's Association to be part of their advertising campaign. Her Likeness was on billboards throughout Wisconsin, and thus she became Wisconsin's first Dairy Queen. She met James Manning Walker who was attending Marquette University Law School. After his graduation they married and moved to Shelby, Iowa where he practiced law. They had three children .The family then moved to Avoca, Iowa where Manning practiced law and became the Assistant County Attorney for Eastern Pottawattamie County. Manning's law practice took them to Council Bluffs, Iowa where they lived until 1972. In that year they moved to Scottsdale, Arizona where Manning practiced law and Iva renewed her Beautician's Certificate. She worked for Elizabeth Arden at the Phoenician Resort. All her years Iva was a dedicated volunteer for the Presbyterian Church, General Federation of Women's Clubs, PEO, and the Republican Party, becoming for a time the National Committeewoman for Iowa. She continued her education and at age 70 she received her college Associates Degree. After the passing of her husband in 1990, Iva moved to Knifley, Kentucky to be near her son Brian and his wife Barbara and her grandsons Manning and Blake. She resided a few years in Danville, Kentucky where she cared for at risk children. In 2002 she moved back to Phoenix, Arizona. Iva was a passionate landscape and floral artist. She taught herself how to paint and created many landscapes and portraits in oil. She is survived by four children, 11 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild. Graveside services will be held Thursday, October 19th at Paradise Memorial Gardens, 9300 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ 85260 at 10:00AM. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower St., Phoenix, AZ 85014. Arrangements entrusted to Messinger Indian School Mortuary, Scottsdale, AZ
source Published in The Courier-Journal on Oct. 15, 2017