Submitted by: Dan Rich

Br. Ramon Purzycki, CSC

Jan. 10, 1920 - June 1, 1998

South Bend Tribune 6/3/1998

Brother Ramon (Matthew) Purzycki, C.S.C., of Dujarie House, Notre Dame, Indiana, died on June 1, 1998, at Du-jarie House af-ter a long illness.

Born on January 10, 1920, to Mirczyslaw and Felicia (Radowski) Purzycki in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, Matthew was one of seven children. He attended primary and secondary schools in Erie, Pennsylvania, and Watertown, Wisconsin. At the age of 20 he entered the novitiate of the Brothers of Holy Cross on August 15, 1940, making his first profession of vows on September 15, 1941, and his perpetual profession on September 15, 1944.

He spent his entire religious life in ministry at the University of Notre Dame. As a student from 1941-1944, he worked part time for a year on the staff of the university bookstore. In 1944 he took a position in the Notre Dame Post Office, where he remained until 1976 when he retired as postmaster, a position he had held since 1968. From 1968 to 1970 he was a member of the provincial council of the Midwest Province.

After the post office, Br. Ramon served once again on the staff of the Notre Dame Bookstore, this time for fourteen years, until his retirement in 1990 at Columba Hall on the campus, where he had resided since 1943. He remained there until December 1997 when, diagnosed with a seriously weakened heart, he required the skilled care available at Dujarie House, the brothers' infirmary.

In an article written about Br. Ramon at the time of his retirement as postmaster, he was accurately described as ''quiet and genial,'' and was credited with ''following in an indefatigable line of Brother-postmasters stretching right back to Father Sorin, founder of the university and its first postmaster'' (1851). The author noted that ''for over a quarter century he's walked back and forth at least three times a day between the post office and the brothers' residence, Columba Hall.'' Br. Ramon and his fellow brothers in the post office saw their often tedious work as part of the community's apostolate, a service to people, and a means of witnessing to the presence of God.

After the viewing beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 4, 1998, a Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. in St. Joseph Chapel at the Holy Cross Brothers Center, Notre Dame. Burial will follow.

Hickey Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.