Submitted by: Dan Rich

Clarence Frances Dineen

April 1, 1916 - Feb. 20, 2007

South Bend Tribune 2/23/2007
SOUTH BEND - Clarence Frances Dineen, 90, passed away on Tuesday, February 20th, 2007, in Jacksonville, Florida. Clarence was born on April 1, 1916, in DeGraff, Minnesota, to a large, wonderful family. He worked his way through St. Cloud State Teacher's College in Minnesota.

He married Margaret Carney, a fellow student, in 1943. He was a WWII veteran, and then went on to earn both his master's and doctorate in biology at the University of Minnesota with the financial help of an older sister and brother. In 1950 he moved his young family to South Bend, Indiana, to begin a six-year term in the biology department at the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana.

In 1956 he became the chairman of the biology dept. at St. Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana. He remained there until retirement in the early 1990s. During his long career he influenced and was loved by all his students. The Dineens retired to Naples, Florida, and then to Jacksonville, Florida. Clarence was preceded in death by his loving wife, Margaret, in 2000. He leaves four children to remember the happiness he brought to their lives: a son, Jim (Jeanine); and three daughters, Diane (Pat) Pacella of Toledo, Ohio, Margot (Michael) Strother of Lexington, Kentucky, and Mary Kay (Stewart) Wetchler Dineen of Williamsburg, Virginia; 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; and a sister, Isabelle Byrne of DeGraff, Minnesota.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. today (Friday) in the HICKEY Funeral Home, 17131 Cleveland Road. Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, February 24, at 9 a.m. in the Church of Loretto on the campus of St. Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana. Clarence will be laid to rest next to his wife at Cedar Grove Cemetery on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. Those wishing to make an expression of sympathy in Clarence's memory are asked to consider The Macular Degeneration Studies/Research Budget Officer, National Eye Institute, Building 31, Room 6A16, 31 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892.