Submitted by: Dan Rich
Nov. 17, 1916 - Dec. 11, 2003
South Bend Tribune 12/12/2003
Brother John Quigley, CSC, 87, died after an illness in Saint Joseph Community Hospital, Mishawaka, Ind., on Dec. 11. Brother John was born in East Cleveland, Ohio, on Nov. 17, 1916, the son of the late Mr. Edward Quigley and Mrs. Anna Mary (Hetherington) Quigley. He attended St. Joseph and St. Philomena elementary schools, the former in Ashtabula, the later in East Cleveland, Ohio, and Shaw High School in East Cleveland. He went on to earn a bachelors degree in business subjects at Niagara University, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
When World War II began shortly after Br. John's graduation from Niagara Univ. He entered the Army, where he rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant and served in the European Theater until the war ended in 1945. Br. John went into business for himself in 1949 as proprietor of an auto court. Between then and 1952 he was also a machine operator for Thompson Products in Cleveland and a field clerk for Duffy Construction of Cleveland.
Sensing a religious vocation, he entered the pre-novitiate program of the Holy Cross Brothers in June 1952. On Aug. 15 that year he took the habit of the brothers at St. Joseph's Novitiate, Rolling Prairie, Ind. He made his first profession of vows on Aug. 16, 1953, and his perpetual vows on Aug. 16, 1958.
His first teaching assignment was at St. Edward's High School in Austin, Texas, where he stayed until sent north in January 1955 to join the faculty at Cathedral High School, Indianapolis, Ind. In 1957 he moved to Catholic Central High School, Monroe, Mich., teaching there until 1968, when he began his lengthy and productive association with St. Edward High School in Lakewood. From that time until 1988 he was on the faculty of the school, then he retired, remaining at St. Edward so as to be of service in several ways in both the school and the brothers' residence. It was only very recently that, because of increasing health problems, he moved to the Helen D. Schubert Villa at Notre Dame, Ind., the brothers' assisted living center.
Br. John compensated for his fairly short stature with an always ready combination of Irish wit and wisdom. His congeniality was legendary in his religious community, and his lengthy term of services at St. Edward - at the end, 35 years - contributed to his influence in the school and his service to the brothers with whom he lived and taught. There was very little that could distort Br. John's placid, smiling appearance. Br. John and his always encouraging demeanor were welcome in both school and residence as living signs of the effectiveness of his religious community's mission to be men with hope to bring. His presence in the memories of those whom he influenced will serve to remind them of that mission.
Visitation will begin at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, in the St. Joseph's Chapel, the brothers' Holy Cross Village at Notre Dame, 54515 St. Rd. 933. A Mass of Resurrection will follow at 3 p.m. with burial immediately afterward at St. Joseph's Cemetery on the village grounds. The Kaniewski Funeral Home is handling arrangements.