Served Hispanic population

A priest who served the Archdiocese of Chicago’s South suburbs for over 30 years, Father William T. O’Connor, 68, died Oct. 5 of cancer. He died at St. Paul Parish, Chicago Heights, where he served for the last 15 years as pastor and associate pastor.

He grew up on Chicago’s West Side in St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, which merged with two other parishes in 1988 to form St. Martin de Porres Parish. Father O’Connor attended Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein. He was ordained in 1968 by Cardinal John Cody. Following ordination, he served for four years as assistant pastor at St. Zachary in Des Plaines.

Father O’Connor’s work on Chicago’s South Side began in 1972 when he became assistant pastor of St. Basil Parish. He served in that capacity until 1981, when he was made St. Basil’s pastor. While at St. Basil, he started a community health clinic in the basement of the church. Later, he prevailed upon the sisters of St. James Hospital in Chicago Heights to work with the parish in this outreach to the community. He was the catalyst in developing other community services through alliances with city officials and the police department.

He served as assistant pastor for one year in 1987 at St. Ann in Hazel Crest, and then as associate pastor (1988-1991) and pastor (1991-2003) of St. Paul Parish in Chicago Heights.

Between 1987 and 1991, Father O’Connor was the associate director and then acting director of Oficina Regional del Apostolada Hispano (O.R.A.H.), the regional office of a ministry serving the Hispanic community in southern Cook County. This was a precedent-setting ministry that was eventually incorporated into the vicariate structure with the inclusion of Hispanic coordinators in areas that served a significant Hispanic population.

Father O’Connor had a special love for the Hispanic people, particularly Mexicans. He worked tirelessly representing and advocating for the Hispanic community. He often appeared in court to translate for members of his parish, and he was involved in health care because he was concerned that undocumented immigrants lacked these services.

St. Paul’s was a Slovak parish and Father O’Connor blended that culture with Hispanic culture. He insisted on bilingual services and honoring special feast days like Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Father O’Connor is survived by his 91-year-old mother, Veronica, three brothers and one sister.

Fr. Richard Kraft

Missionary to Philippines

Divine Word Missionary Father Richard Kraft, 81, died Oct. 2. Born in Rochester, N.Y., he was the oldest of six children. He served in the South Pacific with the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II. He began his training at Divine Word Seminary, Bordentown, N.J., in 1947, and was ordained at Divine Word Seminary, Techny, in 1955. He was missioned to the Philippines after his ordination. He was assigned to Lacub in the northern Philippines, which was then the most isolated of the society’s missions. For 44 years he hiked on foot and rode on horseback to bring the sacraments to the people in the area. Between pastoral assignments he directed the diocesan radio station and did seminary formation work. He returned to the United States and retired at Techny in 2000.

Harold Gunty

Teacher, volunteer

Harold Gunty, 78, teacher and volunteer, died Oct. 1. A Chicago native, he grew up in Sacred Heart Parish on the city’s South Side. He served in the U.S. Air Force as a navigator during World War II. He married Therese Kohs, also of Sacred Heart Parish. They had 11 children. They were among the first families to live in the newly established South suburban city of Hometown and were one of the founding families of Our Lady of Loretto Parish there.

Gunty taught math courses over a 34-year career at Kelly High School in Chicago. He also taught for 22 years at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills.

At Our Lady of Loretto, Gunty was involved with many ministries, including the Holy Name Society, Parish Council, liturgy committee, and St. Vincent de Paul Society. He also was a lector at Mass and brought Communion to the sick and homebound.

Gunty also umpired for Little League and high school games and was a registered IHSA baseball official.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a son. He is survived by his wife, 10 children, three brothers and 16 grandchildren. A son, Chris, is a former editor for New World Publications.

Patricia Lewis

Mother of NWP staffer

Patricia Lewis, 78, died Sept. 29. She and her late husband, Kemble, are survived by four children, Jeffrey, Cindy, Marica, and Steve, a telemarketing manager for The Catholic New World. Also surviving are nine grandchildren.

Fr. Lambert Kempkes

Teacher, missionary

Mariannhill Missionary Father Lambert Kempkes, 80, died Sept. 23. Born in the Netherlands, he was inspired to be a priest by an uncle who was a member of the Divine Word Missionaries.

Kempkes’ seminary studies were interrupted by the advance of the German army during World War II. He and his fellow seminarians were rounded up with other villagers and transported by cattle car to Germany. They were released upon the discovery of their status as seminarians.

Kempkes finally returned home by traveling through mine fields and hiding in trucks to cross checkpoints. He eventually resumed his studies for the priesthood. He was professed with the Mariannhill Missionaries in 1944, and was ordained in 1950.

After ordination he taught math and biology in Holland and assisted at a parish across the border in Germany. He was later assigned to Papua New Guinea, where he started a school. He was then assigned to study in the United States. He earned a master of arts degree and a doctor of philosophy degree from Loyola University, Chicago. He later ministered at St. Joseph Hospital until open heart surgery caused his retirement. He then became chaplain of Little Company of Mary Hospital, where he ministered to the sick for many years.

This fall he was able to join nearly 4,000 former pupils of St. Thomas More Parish for a reunion. He had assisted there on weekends for many years.

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