Submitted by: Dan Rich

South Bend Tribune 4/26/2000

Rev. William J. Gieranowski

Aug. 8, 1923 - April 24, 2000

Rev. William J. Gieranowski, 76, Catholic priest of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, a native of South Bend, Ind., who had been living in Pompano Beach, Fla., since his retirement in 1981, passed to eternal life after many years of illness on Easter Monday, April 24, in the Saint Anne Retirement Home, Fort Wayne, Ind.

He was born on Aug. 8, 1923, in South Bend, to the late Sylvester Gieranowski and Hedwig Iwaszewski, who both came from Poland. He was also preceded in death by his sister, Virginia (Sister Mary Henrietta, C.S.S.F.), and by his brother, Edward.

He graduated from South Bend Catholic High School in 1942 and from Saint Mary's College, Orchard Lake, Mich., in 1945. He completed his theological studies at Saint Mary's Seminary and the University of Baltimore, Maryland, and was ordained to the Catholic priesthood on June 11, 1949, by Bishop John F. Knoll for service to the Diocese of Fort Wayne.

His parish assignments as an assistant pastor included Saint Stanislaus, East Chicago (July 7, 1949); Saint Adalbert, South Bend (April 20, 1951); Saint Thomas More, Munster, Ind. (July 3, 1951); Saint Vincent, Elkhart, Ind. (May 20, 1955); Saint Henry, Fort Wayne (Jan. 15, 1960); and Saint Jude, South Bend (June 15, 1960). He served as pastor of Saint Hyacinth, Fort Wayne (Sept. 1, 1964); Saint Monica, Mishawaka (July 1, 1970); and Saint Stanislaus Kostka, Terre Coupe (July 6, 1979). He retired because of health on July 1, 1981, and moved to Florida, although he kept a summer apartment in South Bend.

He is survived by his sister, Honorata Andruszko; and by three nieces, Jane Szalay of South Bend, Joan Bryan of San Diego, Calif., and Carol Bostrom of Carmel, Ind.

A Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated at 11 a.m. today, April 26, by Bishop John M. D'Arcy and his fellow priests at Saint Adalbert Parish, South Bend, with burial in his family plot at Saint Joseph Cemetery.

Friends called from 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 25, in the Kaniewski Funeral Home, where a Rosary was prayed at 6 p.m., and may call from 9 a.m. today until the funeral.

A luncheon will follow the cemetery services at Saint Hedwig Parish.

Memorial contributions may be made to Saint Adalbert Parish.

He will be fondly remembered by his family and many friends as a fun-loving and gifted "priests' priest," dedicated to the church, and for his generous hospitality, his sense of humor and story-telling. May God grant him eternal rest.