The McNerney Family
My father, Dr. Joseph Richard McNerney, was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. He moved to West Des Moines in May 1941, taking up residence at 312 4th Street. He opened his medical practice at 324 5th Street before relocating it to 225 5th Street. He was married to Mary Ellen, who passed away in December 1948, leaving him with two young children, Richard and Mary.
My mother, Ruth Malinda Atwell, moved to Des Moines in 1948 to work as a nurse at Still College Hospital. She met Dr. McNerney, and they married in August 1949, moving into a newly constructed home at 521 16th Street in West Des Moines. Together, they had nine more children: Joseph, David, Robert, Elizabeth, Daniel, Sarah, Bridget, Edwin, and Angela. Despite their demanding schedules, my parents always prioritized family, holding daily family dinners, grand holiday celebrations, and annual summer road trip adventures filled with lively traditions.
Deeply devoted to public service, my parents were active members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. My father was involved in the Lions Club, Knights of Columbus, and served as President of the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce. Professionally, he was Chief of Medicine at Des Moines General Hospital, brought nuclear medicine to Iowa, and facilitated the city’s first ICU. He served as Chairman of the Board at what is now Des Moines University for nearly 20 years, teaching as a beloved professor and lecturing globally in places like the USSR, China, India, and Israel.
My mother was equally impactful in community leadership. While raising 11 children, she served as President of the West Des Moines Women’s Club, United Way of Des Moines, and the West Des Moines Opportunity Committee (which evolved into the West Des Moines Opportunity Center). She was also active in the League of Women Voters and mentored medical student spouses. Later, she managed my father’s medical practice, operated an antique shop on 5th Street, and joined the Valley Junction Residential Association. In recognition of her dedicated support, the Eddie Davis Community Center honored her by naming the Ruth McNerney Conference Room in her dedication.
Quiet acts of generosity defined their lives. When I was young, people down on their luck would quietly show up to do yard or home maintenance, share lunch with our family, and receive a day or two of paid work. My father also hosted Iowa Governor Herschel Loveless for dinner, exciting us kids with the state trooper car parked in our driveway.
My dad bought two houses on Maple St. he said the abstract said that the houses couldn’t be rented or sold to blacks (actually a common racial slur in those days) or shanty Irish. My dad got a big kick out of saying “Yeah I rent it to a black guy and I’m Irish and I own it!”
Dr. J.R. McNerney (1911–1998) and Ruth McNerney (1924–2025) built a vibrant family and community legacy. Nine siblings are alive today, with two residing in West Des Moines, one in Windsor Heights, and others spread across the globe. Preserving our heritage through shared family memories and local archives from the West Des Moines Express remains a true joy.
