Coon Rapids Enterprise September 5, 1947
Page 1
Funeral services for Father Willard J. Christy, 37, a former Coon Rapids boy, were held at Annunciation church here yesterday morning in charge of many dignitaries of the church.
Father Christy, who held the rank of captain in the U. S. Army, was chaplain of Camp Cooke disciplinary barracks. His death occurred at Santa Barbara, Calif., last Friday evening when the taxi in which he was riding to report the theft of his own car was struck at a street intersection by another car driven by a negro fleeing from the police.
Capt. Christy, a veteran of service in the Pacific, had only been stationed at Camp Cooke a short time but was doing a grand job according to the colonel in charge of the camp.
The body arrived in Carroll Wednesday morning accompanied by Father Christy's brother, Walter, of Oakland, Calif. It was taken to the home of his brother, Postmaster Gerald Christy, east of town, and at seven that evening to Annunciation church where it lay in state, with a guard of honor composed of men of the parish until the services Thursday morning.
Father Christy read his first Mass at Annunciation Church, Coon Rapids May 24, 1939, and it was here that his funeral was held with pontifical requiem high mass at 10 o'clock yesterday morning.
Celebrant was the Most Rev. Thomas L. Noa, Bishop of the Diocese of Marquette, Michigan.
Assistant priest, Monsignor C.J. Ives, a former pastor of Annunciation church and one who helped Father Christy in his preparation for the priesthood.
Deacon of Honor the Rev. Philip Dailey and Rev. Charles Knippe. Deacon of the Mass, the Rev. Louis Lynch. Sub-Deacon of the Mass, the Rev. Bernard Montag.
Master of Ceremonies: the Rev. Thomas M. Parle and the Rev. Robert Quinn.
Sermon by the Rev. Robert Joynt.
Absolution at Casket by the Most Reverend Edmond Heelan, Bishop of the Diocese of Sioux City.
Six of the above priests, Dailey, Knippe, Lynch, Montag; Quinn and Joynt were chaplains in the service during World War II.
Interment was in the Catholic cemetery here with a detail from the local American Legion post in charge of the military ceremonies.
Ladies of the parish served dinner to the clergy and to near relatives at Annunciation school following the burial ceremonies.
Willard Christy, seventh in a family of ten brothers and sisters, was born on a farm north of Coon Rapids, the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Christy.
He grew up on the farm, graduated from Coon Rapids high school with the class of '28. He worked for the Jensen creamery for a while and then farmed for a couple of years.
Deciding to study for the priesthood he entered Trinity college at Sioux City and graduated there in 1935. He then entered St. Paul Seminary at St. Paul, Minn., completed his studies arid vvas ordained at Sioux City May 31, 1939. Four days later he read his first mass at Annunciation church here.
For a year he served as assistant pastor at Jefferson, was assistant at St. Lawrence church at Carroll for a
month and then served four years as assistant pastor at Cherokee.
While at Cherokee he offered his services as a chaplain in the Army and early in 1944 began his basic training at Harvard university.
Following this he served in several camps on the Pacific coast, going overseas for service in the South Pacific and in Japan in May of that year. After three years of active duty with the 81st Infantry, part of the time with the army of occupation in Japan, he returned to the United States last February just too late to get home in time for his mother's funeral.
After a leave of absence during which he visited relatives and friends here, he returned to the west coast and later assumed his duties at Camp Cooke. He was returning from Fiesta week pageant at Santa Barbara when the fatal accident occurred.
Father Christy is survived by nine brothers and sisters - Gerald and Josephine Christy of Coon Rapids; Donald of Bagley; Paul and Maurice of Portland, Oregon; Mrs. Clay Matthews and Mrs. Eddie Edmund, Bob and Walter all of Oakland, Calif.
He leaves other relatives and a host of friends here.
Page 1
Funeral services for Father Willard J. Christy, 37, a former Coon Rapids boy, were held at Annunciation church here yesterday morning in charge of many dignitaries of the church.
Father Christy, who held the rank of captain in the U. S. Army, was chaplain of Camp Cooke disciplinary barracks. His death occurred at Santa Barbara, Calif., last Friday evening when the taxi in which he was riding to report the theft of his own car was struck at a street intersection by another car driven by a negro fleeing from the police.
Capt. Christy, a veteran of service in the Pacific, had only been stationed at Camp Cooke a short time but was doing a grand job according to the colonel in charge of the camp.
The body arrived in Carroll Wednesday morning accompanied by Father Christy's brother, Walter, of Oakland, Calif. It was taken to the home of his brother, Postmaster Gerald Christy, east of town, and at seven that evening to Annunciation church where it lay in state, with a guard of honor composed of men of the parish until the services Thursday morning.
Father Christy read his first Mass at Annunciation Church, Coon Rapids May 24, 1939, and it was here that his funeral was held with pontifical requiem high mass at 10 o'clock yesterday morning.
Celebrant was the Most Rev. Thomas L. Noa, Bishop of the Diocese of Marquette, Michigan.
Assistant priest, Monsignor C.J. Ives, a former pastor of Annunciation church and one who helped Father Christy in his preparation for the priesthood.
Deacon of Honor the Rev. Philip Dailey and Rev. Charles Knippe. Deacon of the Mass, the Rev. Louis Lynch. Sub-Deacon of the Mass, the Rev. Bernard Montag.
Master of Ceremonies: the Rev. Thomas M. Parle and the Rev. Robert Quinn.
Sermon by the Rev. Robert Joynt.
Absolution at Casket by the Most Reverend Edmond Heelan, Bishop of the Diocese of Sioux City.
Six of the above priests, Dailey, Knippe, Lynch, Montag; Quinn and Joynt were chaplains in the service during World War II.
Interment was in the Catholic cemetery here with a detail from the local American Legion post in charge of the military ceremonies.
Ladies of the parish served dinner to the clergy and to near relatives at Annunciation school following the burial ceremonies.
Willard Christy, seventh in a family of ten brothers and sisters, was born on a farm north of Coon Rapids, the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Christy.
He grew up on the farm, graduated from Coon Rapids high school with the class of '28. He worked for the Jensen creamery for a while and then farmed for a couple of years.
Deciding to study for the priesthood he entered Trinity college at Sioux City and graduated there in 1935. He then entered St. Paul Seminary at St. Paul, Minn., completed his studies arid vvas ordained at Sioux City May 31, 1939. Four days later he read his first mass at Annunciation church here.
For a year he served as assistant pastor at Jefferson, was assistant at St. Lawrence church at Carroll for a
month and then served four years as assistant pastor at Cherokee.
While at Cherokee he offered his services as a chaplain in the Army and early in 1944 began his basic training at Harvard university.
Following this he served in several camps on the Pacific coast, going overseas for service in the South Pacific and in Japan in May of that year. After three years of active duty with the 81st Infantry, part of the time with the army of occupation in Japan, he returned to the United States last February just too late to get home in time for his mother's funeral.
After a leave of absence during which he visited relatives and friends here, he returned to the west coast and later assumed his duties at Camp Cooke. He was returning from Fiesta week pageant at Santa Barbara when the fatal accident occurred.
Father Christy is survived by nine brothers and sisters - Gerald and Josephine Christy of Coon Rapids; Donald of Bagley; Paul and Maurice of Portland, Oregon; Mrs. Clay Matthews and Mrs. Eddie Edmund, Bob and Walter all of Oakland, Calif.
He leaves other relatives and a host of friends here.
Coon Rapids Enterprise September 5, 1947
Page 1
Funeral services for Father Willard J. Christy, 37, a former Coon Rapids boy, were held at Annunciation church here yesterday morning in charge of many dignitaries of the church.
Father Christy, who held the rank of captain in the U. S. Army, was chaplain of Camp Cooke disciplinary barracks. His death occurred at Santa Barbara, Calif., last Friday evening when the taxi in which he was riding to report the theft of his own car was struck at a street intersection by another car driven by a negro fleeing from the police.
Capt. Christy, a veteran of service in the Pacific, had only been stationed at Camp Cooke a short time but was doing a grand job according to the colonel in charge of the camp.
The body arrived in Carroll Wednesday morning accompanied by Father Christy's brother, Walter, of Oakland, Calif. It was taken to the home of his brother, Postmaster Gerald Christy, east of town, and at seven that evening to Annunciation church where it lay in state, with a guard of honor composed of men of the parish until the services Thursday morning.
Father Christy read his first Mass at Annunciation Church, Coon Rapids May 24, 1939, and it was here that his funeral was held with pontifical requiem high mass at 10 o'clock yesterday morning.
Celebrant was the Most Rev. Thomas L. Noa, Bishop of the Diocese of Marquette, Michigan.
Assistant priest, Monsignor C.J. Ives, a former pastor of Annunciation church and one who helped Father Christy in his preparation for the priesthood.
Deacon of Honor the Rev. Philip Dailey and Rev. Charles Knippe. Deacon of the Mass, the Rev. Louis Lynch. Sub-Deacon of the Mass, the Rev. Bernard Montag.
Master of Ceremonies: the Rev. Thomas M. Parle and the Rev. Robert Quinn.
Sermon by the Rev. Robert Joynt.
Absolution at Casket by the Most Reverend Edmond Heelan, Bishop of the Diocese of Sioux City.
Six of the above priests, Dailey, Knippe, Lynch, Montag; Quinn and Joynt were chaplains in the service during World War II.
Interment was in the Catholic cemetery here with a detail from the local American Legion post in charge of the military ceremonies.
Ladies of the parish served dinner to the clergy and to near relatives at Annunciation school following the burial ceremonies.
Willard Christy, seventh in a family of ten brothers and sisters, was born on a farm north of Coon Rapids, the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Christy.
He grew up on the farm, graduated from Coon Rapids high school with the class of '28. He worked for the Jensen creamery for a while and then farmed for a couple of years.
Deciding to study for the priesthood he entered Trinity college at Sioux City and graduated there in 1935. He then entered St. Paul Seminary at St. Paul, Minn., completed his studies arid vvas ordained at Sioux City May 31, 1939. Four days later he read his first mass at Annunciation church here.
For a year he served as assistant pastor at Jefferson, was assistant at St. Lawrence church at Carroll for a
month and then served four years as assistant pastor at Cherokee.
While at Cherokee he offered his services as a chaplain in the Army and early in 1944 began his basic training at Harvard university.
Following this he served in several camps on the Pacific coast, going overseas for service in the South Pacific and in Japan in May of that year. After three years of active duty with the 81st Infantry, part of the time with the army of occupation in Japan, he returned to the United States last February just too late to get home in time for his mother's funeral.
After a leave of absence during which he visited relatives and friends here, he returned to the west coast and later assumed his duties at Camp Cooke. He was returning from Fiesta week pageant at Santa Barbara when the fatal accident occurred.
Father Christy is survived by nine brothers and sisters - Gerald and Josephine Christy of Coon Rapids; Donald of Bagley; Paul and Maurice of Portland, Oregon; Mrs. Clay Matthews and Mrs. Eddie Edmund, Bob and Walter all of Oakland, Calif.
He leaves other relatives and a host of friends here.
Page 1
Funeral services for Father Willard J. Christy, 37, a former Coon Rapids boy, were held at Annunciation church here yesterday morning in charge of many dignitaries of the church.
Father Christy, who held the rank of captain in the U. S. Army, was chaplain of Camp Cooke disciplinary barracks. His death occurred at Santa Barbara, Calif., last Friday evening when the taxi in which he was riding to report the theft of his own car was struck at a street intersection by another car driven by a negro fleeing from the police.
Capt. Christy, a veteran of service in the Pacific, had only been stationed at Camp Cooke a short time but was doing a grand job according to the colonel in charge of the camp.
The body arrived in Carroll Wednesday morning accompanied by Father Christy's brother, Walter, of Oakland, Calif. It was taken to the home of his brother, Postmaster Gerald Christy, east of town, and at seven that evening to Annunciation church where it lay in state, with a guard of honor composed of men of the parish until the services Thursday morning.
Father Christy read his first Mass at Annunciation Church, Coon Rapids May 24, 1939, and it was here that his funeral was held with pontifical requiem high mass at 10 o'clock yesterday morning.
Celebrant was the Most Rev. Thomas L. Noa, Bishop of the Diocese of Marquette, Michigan.
Assistant priest, Monsignor C.J. Ives, a former pastor of Annunciation church and one who helped Father Christy in his preparation for the priesthood.
Deacon of Honor the Rev. Philip Dailey and Rev. Charles Knippe. Deacon of the Mass, the Rev. Louis Lynch. Sub-Deacon of the Mass, the Rev. Bernard Montag.
Master of Ceremonies: the Rev. Thomas M. Parle and the Rev. Robert Quinn.
Sermon by the Rev. Robert Joynt.
Absolution at Casket by the Most Reverend Edmond Heelan, Bishop of the Diocese of Sioux City.
Six of the above priests, Dailey, Knippe, Lynch, Montag; Quinn and Joynt were chaplains in the service during World War II.
Interment was in the Catholic cemetery here with a detail from the local American Legion post in charge of the military ceremonies.
Ladies of the parish served dinner to the clergy and to near relatives at Annunciation school following the burial ceremonies.
Willard Christy, seventh in a family of ten brothers and sisters, was born on a farm north of Coon Rapids, the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Christy.
He grew up on the farm, graduated from Coon Rapids high school with the class of '28. He worked for the Jensen creamery for a while and then farmed for a couple of years.
Deciding to study for the priesthood he entered Trinity college at Sioux City and graduated there in 1935. He then entered St. Paul Seminary at St. Paul, Minn., completed his studies arid vvas ordained at Sioux City May 31, 1939. Four days later he read his first mass at Annunciation church here.
For a year he served as assistant pastor at Jefferson, was assistant at St. Lawrence church at Carroll for a
month and then served four years as assistant pastor at Cherokee.
While at Cherokee he offered his services as a chaplain in the Army and early in 1944 began his basic training at Harvard university.
Following this he served in several camps on the Pacific coast, going overseas for service in the South Pacific and in Japan in May of that year. After three years of active duty with the 81st Infantry, part of the time with the army of occupation in Japan, he returned to the United States last February just too late to get home in time for his mother's funeral.
After a leave of absence during which he visited relatives and friends here, he returned to the west coast and later assumed his duties at Camp Cooke. He was returning from Fiesta week pageant at Santa Barbara when the fatal accident occurred.
Father Christy is survived by nine brothers and sisters - Gerald and Josephine Christy of Coon Rapids; Donald of Bagley; Paul and Maurice of Portland, Oregon; Mrs. Clay Matthews and Mrs. Eddie Edmund, Bob and Walter all of Oakland, Calif.
He leaves other relatives and a host of friends here.
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