Rev. Ronald James Wasowski
Deceased: 2016-12-05
Diocese: PORTLAND IN OREGON
ICTE Spring: 2007
Rev. Ronald J. Wasowski, C.S.C., 70, died on Monday, December 5, 2016 at the Holy Cross Residence at the University of Portland in Oregon.
He was born in South Bend, Indiana on March 31, 1946 to Leo and Mary (Sotkiewicz) Wasowski. He attended St. Casimir Grade School for eight years and graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1964. In the fall of 1964 he entered the Congregation of Holy Cross Candidate Program at St. Joseph Hall on the Notre Dame campus. He entered Sacred Heart Novitiate in Jordan, Minnesota on August 15, 1965 and after completing his novitiate year made his first vows on August 16, 1966. Returning to Notre Dame and Moreau Seminary, he resumed studies and graduated with a degree in physics in 1970. Three years later he received his graduate degree in theology from Notre Dame.
Due to the serious illness of his mother, Fr. Wasowski was ordained earlier than his classmates on June 2, 1973 in the Chapel at Moreau Seminary. His mother died four days later.
After ordination, he spent one year at St. Joseph Parish in South Bend, and in 1974 spent a year teaching at Bourgade High School in Phoenix, Arizona residing at Casa Santa Cruz. In 1975 he returned to Notre Dame to prepare for graduate work in earth sciences, and the following year began working on his doctorate at the University of California in Los Angeles. He taught at Notre Dame from 1983 until 1991, and then moved to King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania where he was an Associate Professor of Science until 1998 when he began teaching at the University of Portland as an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences.
Preceding him in death are his parents, Leo and Mary Wasowski and a brother-in-law, Marion Spychalski. He is survived by his sister Patricia Spychalski, a niece Michele Ramachandran, a nephew, Christopher Spychalski and four grand nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, December 11, 2016, at Moreau Seminary, Notre Dame, where a Wake Service will take place at 7:30 p.m. The Funeral Mass will be at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the Notre Dame campus on Monday, December 12, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. Burial will follow in the Holy Cross Community Cemetery at Notre Dame. Kaniewski Funeral Home, South Bend, is in charge of arrangements.
Memorial contributions in support of the mission and ministries of the Congregation of Holy Cross can be made to: United States Province of Priests and Brothers, Office of Development, P.O. Box 767, Notre Dame, IN 46556-0765 or online at: donate.holycrossusa.org.
