Obituaries

Father Ray Monsour was part of history when he joined a group of priests from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to begin serving in Venezuela in 1970. Father Monsour, who served in that country for five years and helped establish the mission parish of Jesucristo Resucitado, died Oct. 4 at age 85.

Father David Smith had a powerful effect on the many students he taught over several decades at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. The retired faculty member at the university died Sept. 13. He was 85.

Rick Evenson cherishes the last two-and-a-half months he spent with his uncle, Father Dennis Evenson, who died June 17 at Our Lady of Peace hospice care center in St. Paul at age 84.

J. Michael Byron was a young business professional working for a bank and climbing the corporate ladder when he met Father Tim Wozniak in 1982 at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis. He asked to meet with Father Wozniak, and that conversation was part of a journey that led Byron to the priesthood.

Father Francis Pouliot had a slogan he would often repeat during the 22 years he served as pastor of Visitation in south Minneapolis: “Well begun, half done.” These words stayed with Dan Gleason, who served as principal of Visitation School during all of those 22 years. He would hear them during the first week of classes, when Father Pouliot celebrated Mass and tried to help students understand the importance of getting off to a good start.

Father Marvin Klaers wanted to get to know everyone in the parishes where he served, and he backed that commitment with action, said Patty Kocur, who worked for him at St. Joseph in Miesville and St. Mary in New Trier, where he was pastor for 26 years before he retired in 2002.

Father William Paron, who died unexpectedly Feb. 12 in Waconia, served five parishes in four decades of ministry. People who knew him well described him as joyful, kind, generous, a leader who helped develop parish leaders.

Deacon Don Fidler, who ministered 17 years in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, died Feb. 6. He was 73.