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Obituaries

Pray For Them

Fr. Stanley Gruchot

ASSOCIATE PASTOR, CHAPLAIN

Father Stanley J. Gruchot, retired priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, died Nov. 12 at St. Andrew Life Center in Niles. He was 89.

A native of Chicago, Father Gruchot was a graduate of St. Mary of Perpetual Help elementary school, Quigley Preparatory Seminary North, and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. He was ordained in 1945.

His first assignment in 1945 was at St. Andrew, Calumet City, where he served as assistant pastor for seven years. From 1952 to 1959, he was assistant pastor at St. Camillus Parish on the Southwest Side.

He then served as assistant pastor of St. Mary of Perpetual Help (1959-64), St. Mary Magdalene (1964-70) and back at St. Andrew the Apostle, Calumet City (1970- 71).

Father Gruchot left the parish on a leave of absence and was eventually laicized in December of 1972. On Jan. 9, 1982, Father Gruchot was reinstated to the priesthood.

He was assigned to St. Anastasia in Waukegan, where he served as associate pastor from 1982 to 1986. He was then assigned as associate pastor to Holy Rosary Parish in North Chicago (now closed), where he served from 1986 to 1990. In 1990, he was named chaplain at the St. Andrew Life Center until his retirement from active ministry in 1991.

Three brothers, Thaddeus, Aloysius, and John, survive Father Gruchot.

Fr. John Boyle

PASTOR

Father John T. Boyle, a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, died Nov. 16.

“Most of Father Boyle’s priestly life and ministry was dedicated to serving the African-American community and the poor throughout the Chicago area,” said Father John Canary, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Chicago and a Mundelein Seminary classmate of Father Boyle.

A native of Chicago, Father Boyle was a graduate of St. Mary of the Lake School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary, St. Mary of the Lake College in Niles and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. He was ordained in 1969.

Father Boyle’s first assignment was at St. Eulalia in Maywood, where he served as assistant pastor for six years. He then served as associate pastor at St. John de LaSalle on the South Side (1975- 80) and St. Ambrose (1980-85).

In 1985, Father Boyle was appointed pastor of St. Ambrose, where he remained until he was named pastor of St. Felicitas in 1993. He served there for nine years.

He is survived by his sister, Judith Reyes and his brother-in-law, Deacon David Reyes.

Fr. Charles Kelly

PASTOR EMERITUS

Father Charles F. Kelly, pastor emeritus of St. Daniel the Prophet Parish in Chicago, died Nov. 19 at Holy Family Villa in Palos Park. He was 87. A native of Chicago, Father Kelly was a graduate of St. Ignatius School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary, St. Mary of the Lake College in Niles and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. He was ordained in 1948.

Father Kelly’s first assignment was at St. Francis Xavier Parish in LaGrange, where he served as assistant pastor for seven years. He also served as assistant or associate pastor at St. Benedict, Blue Island (1955-64) and St. Ethelreda (1964-69). In 1969, Father Kelly was appointed administrator of Presentation Parish, where he remained for one year. In 1970, Father Kelly was named assistant pastor of St. Matthias Parish, where he served for two years.

Father Kelly’s next appointment was as pastor of St. Philomena Parish, where he remained for the next 12 years. Father Kelly then served as pastor of St. Daniel the Prophet Parish from 1984 until 1992, when he was named pastor emeritus.

Sister Marie Houle

MUSIC TEACHER

Adrian Dominican Sister Marie (Phyllis Ann) Houle, 77, died on Oct. 31 in Michigan.

A Michigan native, Sister Marie spent nearly 20 years ministering as a music teacher in Michigan, Florida, Iowa and Illinois, and 30 years as a coordinator of religious education in Michigan.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Queen of Angels (1964-68) and St. Clare of Montefalco (1968-69).

Sister Marie is survived by two brothers, Thomas and James, and a sister, Phyllis Gartner.

Sr. Ellen Marie Stafford

TEACHER, PARISH VISITOR

Sister of Providence Ellen Marie (Helen Mary) Stafford, 93, died Nov. 3 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind.

A Galesburg, Ill., native, she entered the congregation in 1934. In her 75 years as a Sister of Providence, Sister Ellen Marie ministered as teacher for 38 years in schools in Indiana and Illinois. In 1975, she began a 23-year ministry as parish visitor for the Catholic parishes in Galesburg.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Our Lady of Sorrows (1948-52), St. Francis Borgia (1952-54), St. Sylvester (1959-64) and St. Athanasius, Evanston (1964-66).