Msgr. Lafferty dies at age 76

September 23, 2004

CARROLL - Msgr. James Lafferty, 76, died Sept. 21 at St. Anthony Nursing Home in Carroll.

The funeral is at 10 a.m. Sept. 24 at Holy Spirit Church in Carroll. His seminary classmates and other priests of the Diocese of Sioux City will celebrate the Mass. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Carroll.

The visitation was held Sept. 23 at Holy Spirit Church with a rosary at 5 p.m., vigil service at 7 p.m. and a rosary by the Knights of Columbus at 8 p.m. with an honor guard by the Fourth Degree of the Knights of Columbus.

Msgr. Lafferty was born Nov. 11, 1927, the son of Andrew and Elizabeth (Tritz) Lafferty. He graduated from St. Lawrence in Carroll in 1942 and Trinity High School in Sioux City in 1946.

He attended Loras College in Dubuque and received his master's degree in theology from Conception Theological Seminary in Missouri. He was awarded a master's degree in Latin from Creighton University in Omaha. Msgr. Lafferty received a doctorate degree in classical education from St. Louis University in St. Louis, Mo. He also acquired an Iowa secondary teacher's certificate and an Iowa superintendent certificate.

Msgr. Lafferty was ordained to the priesthood on May 5, 1954, by Bishop Joseph M. Mueller at Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City.

He served as principal of Heelan High School in Sioux City from 1959 to 1962. He was the superintendent of education for the Diocese of Sioux City from 1965 to 1986. He was the pro-life director for the Diocese of Sioux City from 1988 to 2004. He also served in many schools and parishes in such communities as Breda, Pocahontas, Milford, Sioux City, Arcadia, Schaller and Ogden.

Msgr. Lafferty is survived by his brother V. Clayton Lafferty and wife, Beverly of Laconia, N.H. and sisters, Jeanne Walker of Eagle Point, Ore.; Virginia Struve and husband Roy of Manning; Sister Nancy Lafferty, OSF of Sioux City; Dr. Judy Lafferty of Los Angeles, Calif.; and Sister Andre Lafferty, OSF of Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong.

He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters Eleanor Queenan, Sylvia Vance, Kathleen Rose Lafferty and Ann Marie Lafferty.

Instead of flowers, a memorial has been established for Carroll Area Catholic Schools.