A solemn requiem mass will be sung at 10 a.m. Friday in St. Adalbert's Roman Catholic church for Francis Ratajczak, aged 77, formerly of 745 South Bendix drive, who died at 6 p.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph's Home for the Aged in Chicago, He was the father of Rev. Louis J. Ratajczak, pastor of Holy Rosary Roman Catholic church, Gary, Ind., and spent most of his life in South Bend. He came here from Poland at an early age. A few years ago he went to Chicago. Surviving besides Father Ratajczak are the following other children, Michael, Vincent and Casimir Ratajczak and Mrs. Victoria Przybylska, all of Chicago, Mrs. Katherine Kryza, South Bend, and Joseph Ratajczak of St. Joseph, Mich., and a sister, Mrs. Magdalene Misko, Philadelphia, Pa. The body will be taken at 5 p.m. today from Gary tot he home of a friend, Stephen Pajakowski, 502 South Brookfield street, where the deceased formerly lived, and will lie in state there until the funeral. Internment will be in St. Joseph's Polish cemetery.

Published in The South Bend Tribune, Thursday, March 31, 1938.

Twenty-seven priests from South Bend and other northern Indiana parishes participated in solemn requiem services for Francis Ratajczak, formerly of 745 South Bendix Drive, the father of Rev. Louis J. Ratajczak, pastor of Holy Rosary Roman Catholic church, Gary, Ind., held at 10 a.m. today in St. Adalbert's Roman Catholic church of which he had been almost a lifelong member.

Father Ratajczak, assisted by a long retinue of priests escorted the body from the home of Stephen Pajakowski, 502 South Brookfield street, to the church for the solemn obsequies over which he presided as celebrant. Assisting him were Rev. Valerian Karcz of Gary, deacon, Rev. John J. Moskal, assistant pastor of St. Adalbert's, subdeacon, and Rev. John Bartkowski, of Hammond, Ind., master of ceremonies. The eulogy was delivered by Rev. John Biernacki, of Hammond. Low requiem masses were said at side altars by Rev. Michael Swiatkowski, pastor of St. Hedwige's church, Gary, and Rev. Edward Wroblewski, pastor of Sacred Heart church near Lakeville, this county.

The body of Mr. Ratajczak, who died in Chicago Tuesday night, was brought to South Bend from Gary late Thursday afternoon and lay in the Pajakowski home here. Burial was in St. Joseph's Polish cemetery.

Published in The South Bend Tribune, Friday, April 1, 1938.