Submitted by: Dan Rich
Br. Ronan Koenigsknecht CSC
South Bend Tribune 5/7/2002
Brother Ronan (Norman) Koenigsknecht, CSC, 83, died after a lengthy illness on Friday, May 3, in Dujarie House, Notre Dame, Ind. He was born on March 13, 1919, in Fowler, Mich., the son of Ignatious and Theresa (Spitzley) Koenigsknecht. One of eight children, he is survived by a brother, Raymond, and by two sisters, Theresa and Bertha.
Br. Ronan attended school in Fowler before joining Holy Cross at Watertown, Wis., in September 1940. He received the habit of the brothers at Rolling Prairie, Ind., on Feb. 1, 1941, pronounced temporary vows on Aug. 16, 1942, and perpetual vows on Aug. 16, 1948.
Before entering the congregation, Br. Ronan was involved in farming, mastering as well the necessary ancillary manual skills such as carpentry and painting, as well as general maintenance.
In Holy Cross, he took night classes in machine shop and woodworking, increasing his capabilities in the general maintenance field. He exercised these considerable skills during his entire active life, starting at St. Joseph's Novitiate, Rolling Prairie, from 1942-45. He was then assigned to Sacred Heart Juniorate, Watertown, St. Charles Boys' Home, Milwaukee, Wis., and the novitiate again, each for a year. From 1948-59 he helped staff St. Joseph's Farm in Granger, Ind., then became maintenance chief at Columba Hall, Notre Dame, where he remained until 1997, when health considerations made it advisable to take up residence at the Helen D. Schubert Villa, Notre Dame. His condition becoming more critical, in July 2001 he transferred to the adjacent Dujarie House facilities.
Br. Ronan was a man of many talents geared toward the maintenance of institutional buildings, residences and equipment. Despite a long-standing and progressively deteriorating arthritic condition, this gifted, quiet, deeply prayerful brother contributed faithfully, significantly and without complaint to the bettering of his community's life wherever he was assigned.
Visitation will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8, in St. Joseph's Chapel, the brothers' Holy Cross Village at Notre Dame, 54515 State Road 933. A Mass of the Resurrection will follow at 3:30 p.m., with burial immediately afterward at St. Joseph's Cemetery on the village grounds. The Kaniewski Funeral Home is handling arrangements.