Memorial for murder-suicide family of Kerry woman

A memorial mass for the Huber family who were found dead in their home in Reno, Nevada is being held in Joan Huber’s native Killarney, on Wednesday.

Joan Huber, aged 53, her husband Adam, 50, and their two sons Adam, 17, and Michael, 16, were found dead last Wednesday.

The alarm was raised after the family had not been seen for a number of days.

Ms Huber, nee Kelly, who is originally from Coolculsough near Killarney had shot her husband, and their two teenage children, before taking her own life, Reno police said.

She had been living in the US for around 30 years.

Ms Huber was a member of the Irish heritage and charity organisation the Sons and Daughters of Erin in Reno, Nevada.

The family had booked a table for the St Patrick’s Day banquet celebrations. In a post on its Facebook page, the club said Joan was one of their members and it “mourns the loss of Joan and her family”.

The club will remember the family by placing candles on an empty table, having a moment of silence and playing “Amazing Grace,” Willie Puchert, the organisation’s president, said in an interview.

Joan Huber was the eldest of five children of the late John Kelly, who died two years ago. He was a retired psychiatric nurse and a huge figure in GAA, rowing, rural, and other organisations in East Kerry.

Her mother, Sheila nee Doolan, and a number of her siblings reside in Killarney.

The Huber family is sadly missed and dearly loved by their families in Ireland and the USA, the death notice posted on Monday said.

The memorial mass will be 7.30 pm on Wednesday in St Mary’s Cathedral, it said. The house is private.

The late Joan had attended Lissivigeen National School and Loreto Secondary School in Killarney.

Now retired, Bernadette Noonan the former principal at Lissivigeen, has said she was hugely saddened at news of Joan’s death. She remembered the late Joan as, quiet, diligent, and intelligent.

The family were all lovely children at school, Ms Noonan said.

“Joan was a lovely quiet girl. She was a diligent worker. She was very bright.”