Iona Connolly Obituary

Connolly, U.S. Army, (Ret.)
LTC Iona "Sherm" Connolly, U.S. Army, (Ret.)
July 5, 1918 - December 7, 2017
Iona Sherman Connolly died on December 7, 2017 at the age of 99. Sherm was born on July 5, 1918 in Valentine, Nebraska and grew up in a sod cabin originally built by her grandfather.
Sherm was a pioneer in the Women's Army. She had just graduated from the Nebraska State Normal School when the attack on Pearl Harbor changed the course of her life. Her brothers immediately enlisted, and Sherm wanted to join them, but it wasn't until Congress passed a bill creating the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps on May 15, 1942 that women were welcome. The next day, she traveled by train to the recruiting station at Omaha to enlist. She then joined 800 other women at the First WAAC Training Center at Fort Des Moines, Iowa.
During her twenty-seven years of active service, Sherm attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and had many interesting assignments. She served in England, preparing for the Normandy invasion; arrived in Paris on September 1, 1944; and served as Company Commander of a WAC Detachment for three years in Tokyo. Back in the USA, she had assignments at the WAC Center at Fort McClellan; Army Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama; WAC Coordinator Army Air Defense Command, ARAD COM, Colorado Springs; as well as WAC Staff Advisor to Commanding General of Third Army, Fort McPherson, Atlanta.
When Sherm retired from the Army in 1970, she chose to live in Colorado Springs and became an enthusiastic volunteer. She worked at Fort Carson, was a member of the North Colorado Springs Rotary Club, and was honored as the Rotarian of the Year. Sherm traveled extensively, and one of the highlights was attending the World Conference on Women in China in 1995.
Sherm loved the Army and the USA. It seems appropriate that she passed away on December 7, 2017, the seventy-sixth anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Sherm was preceded in death by her husband, James Connolly; her parents, Abe and Viola Sherman; and her brothers, Jack Sherman and Bob Sherman.
She leaves behind a stepson, Peter Connolly (Ginny); grandsons, David Connolly (Kerry) and Peter Connolly (Marybeth) as well as six great-grandchildren.
Sherm was cremated. A Graveside Service will be held, 11:00AM, Friday, April 13, 2018 at Fort Logan National Cemetery, 3698 South Sheridan Boulevard, Denver, Colorado 80235.