Former Lake Co. Priest Dies At Age 80

Former archdiocesan priest Rev. Ronald C. Lewandowski died at the age of 80 last week. Lewandowski most recently served as the associate pastor at St. Patrick Parish in Wadsworth until his retirement in 2008.

He was born on Feb. 28, 1938 in Chicago and attended St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr School and Lane Technical High School, both in Chicago, according to a news release from the Archdiocese of Chicago. Lewandowski earned a bachelor's degree at Wright City College in 1959 and a master's degree in Divinity at Sacred Heart School of Theology in 1995 in Hales Corners, Wis.

He was ordained to the priesthood on May 20, 1995 by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, Archbishop of Chicago, and celebrated his first Solemn Mass at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Wheeling on May 21, 1995. After ordination to priesthood, Lewandowski served the archdiocese as associate pastor of Our Lady of the Wayside in Arlington Heights (1995 to 2000), St. Anne Church in Chicago (2000 to 2002) and St. Patrick Parish in Wadsworth where he served until he retired in July of 2008.

Rev. Gerald Walsh – one of Lewandowski's 11 classmates and pastor of Prince of Peace Church – remembers how much Lewandowski enjoyed his 22 years in the priesthood, according to the news release.

"Ron always felt called to the priesthood, so at the age of 53 gave up his professional business life and joined the seminary," Walsh said. "Being ordained at the age of 57 in 1995, Ron wanted to spend the remainder of his life helping others to know the Lord in an intimate way."

A visitation will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. on Friday at Prince of Peace Church, 135 S. Milwaukee Avenue in Lake Villa, and a funeral mass will follow. Bishop George Rassas will be the main celebrant and homilist. Walsh will preside at the committal and burial will take place at All Saints Cemetery in Chicago.

Photo via the Archdiocese in Chicago