1975 May 4th. Ottumwa Heights College celebrated the fiftieth
anniversary of its founding with a golden year open house and homecoming.
1976 June 12th. Rev. Timothy Sheedy is ordained at St. Mary’s
Church by Bishop Gerald O’Keefe of Davenport, becoming the first person to
actually be ordained in Ottumwa.
1976 July 3rd. Members of St. Patrick’s parish burn the final
mortgage for the church and rectory.
1976 September. Bishop Gerald O’Keefe of the Davenport diocese officiates
at the dedication of Seton School, located in the St. Mary’s school building
near the corner of Fourth and Market. The school opens with kindergarten and
first grade and plans to add an additional grade each year until it extends
to sixth grade.
1976 (about) The old St. Mary’s Rectory, which served as a residence for
the Sisters of the Humility of Mary and as a refuge for troubled youngsters,
is razed.
1979 May. The last graduation ceremony is held at Ottumwa Heights
College.
1979 October. Fr. James Grubb is named as pastor of Sacred Heart Church.
1981 May. An outdoor Mass is celebrated by Bishop Gerald O’Keefe on the
lawn of the Ottumwa Heights campus celebrates the 100th
anniversary of the founding of the Davenport Diocese.
1981 July. The Sisters of the Humility of Mary agree to sell the Ottumwa
Heights campus to Indian Hills Community College.
1982 February. The Knights of Columbus Hall at 123 W. Third burns, along
with several neighboring buildings, in a fire which also threatens the
Ottumwa Public Library. The fire is ruled to be arson.
1982 June 5th. Bishop Gerald O’Keefe and Rev. Paul Hart
concelebrate a Mass at St. Patrick’s Church commemorating the 100th
anniversary of the founding of St. Patrick’s Parish.
1982 June 6th. The Sisters of the Humility of Mary hold a
farewell liturgy in the Chapel of the Magnificat at Ottumwa Heights Center.
The motherhouse is relocated to Davenport.
1983 October 30th. Council #888 of the Knights of Columbus
dedicate the new KC Hall at 123 W. Third, on the site of the former building
and two other businesses which were also destroyed in the 1982 fire.
1988 St. Joseph Hospital closes. The building is sold to Ottumwa Regional
Health Center and is renamed the Alta Vista Site, housing mental health, and
alcohol/drug treatment facilities and a short term nursing care unit.
1988 October. Father Nicholas Adam is named as pastor of St. Mary of the
Visitation.
1990 June. Father Paul Hart retires from St. Patrick’s Church.
1990 (Fall) Father Tony Herold is named pastor of St. Patrick’s Church.
1995 July. St. Patrick’s Church is rededicated after a renovation which
includes construction of a new chapel.
