Father Gillespie, Educator, Dies in St. Charles
December 12, 2019
ST. CHARLES—Father Edward F. Gillespie died Monday, Dec. 9, 2019, here. He was born on April 1, 1931, in Chicago to Edward Gillespie and Mary Agnes O’Byrne Gillespie.
Father Gillespie attended St. Mary Seminary in Baltimore, Md., where he received two bachelor’s degrees, a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology. He later attended Loyola University in Chicago, where he received a master’s degree in education in 1964. Father Gillespie was ordained by Bishop Loras T. Lane at St. James Pro-Cathedral in Rockford on May 25, 1957.
Father Gillespie was assigned as parochial vicar at St. Thomas Aquinas in Freeport from 1957 to 1960, at St. James in Belvidere from 1960 to 1962, and at SS. Peter and Paul in Cary from 1962 to 1963. He served on the faculty at St. Edward Central Catholic High School in Elgin from 1964 to 1966 and then as superintendent from 1966 to 1969. In 1969 he joined the faculty at Aquin Central Catholic High School in Freeport. From 1969 to 1970, he was part of the faculty at Aurora Central Catholic High School. He served as director of Religious Education at Aurora Central Catholic High School from 1970 to 1984. In 1984 He was assigned as pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Aurora and retired there from active ministry on July 2, 2001.
Father Gillespie had a gift of relating to young people which made his many years of ministry in education so fruitful. He touched many student’s lives and is remembered fondly by many.
He was preceded in death by his parents; Mary Agnes and Edward Gillespie both of Doonin, Kilcar, in County Donegal Ireland.
Father Gillespie is survived by the O’Byrne family in Ireland and cousins from the Gillespie side in the States; and his good friend and caregiver Gail Quinn.
The Funeral Mass will be on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019, at 11:30 a.m. at St. Joan of Arc Parish, 820 Division St., Lisle. Visitation will take place at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the time for the Mass at 11:30 a.m. Burial will be at All Saints Cemetery, Des Plaines.
Memorials can be made in his name to the Diocese of Rockford Long Term Care for Priests Fund.