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Re: Eulogy for Brother Michael Grace
- Subject: Re: Eulogy for Brother Michael Grace
- From: "J. Frank Cook" <jfcook@FACSTAFF.WISC.EDU>
- Date: Fri, 10 May 2002 05:39:13 -0500
- Comments: cc: Nicholas.Burckel@Marquette.edu, frmother@aol.com, Lin Seagren <seagrli@mail.stoughton.k12.wi.us>, lin@vr.net, Kate Fetterman <jkfetter@itis.com>, Michael Armstrong <frmother@aol.com>, Frank Cook <jfcook@macc.wisc.edu>, Mary Ann Cook <macook@merr.com>, Pat Pollock <prp@chorus.net>, Pat Pollock <p.pollock@webcrafters-inc.com>, Donna Mackey <mamaroo44@aol.com>, Ronald Thorson <thorsr@dwd.state.wi.us>, Kate Fetterman <jkfetter@chorus.net>, Linda Newman <newman@education.wisc.edu>, Lisa Saunders <lis@yahoo.com>, Tracy Thompson <tra_tho@msn.com>, MortsPal@aol.com, Della_K_Jordan@Wellmont.org, nancyfhill@peoplepc.com, Hill.edwi@uwlax.edu, madctee@itis.com, cam115mad@aol.com, jmsamuels@facstaff.wisc.edu, sander@itis.com, lseagren@home.com, JDTHMLLR@aol.com, jdagans@itis.com, rkoskela@chorus.net, rikkersd@surgery.wisc.edu, macook@merr.com, bwkarst@aol.com, mgadzik@yahoo.com, esteinhf@chorus.net, debarber@uwalumni.com, Savagelw@yahoo.com, kara.wenzel@juno.com, jfetterman@graceec.org, Barnhill@entomology.wisc.edu, steve@thetallguy.com, jill@bungalowpros.com, PHarris@IVCF.ORG, jfetterman@graceec.org, rosej@vilas.uwex.edu, SRMUELLE@acadexcel.com, vash@graceec.org, skeeterharris@erols.com, macook@merr.com, chuckelston@tds.net
- Reply-to: "J. Frank Cook" <jfcook@FACSTAFF.WISC.EDU>
- Sender: Archives & Archivists <ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU>
Folks,
It was a good funeral for a good man. I wish that the only other
funeral I ever have to go to would be mine. Not likely. But
there were moments of joy and even humor and I want to share a couple of
them with you:
Brother Michael planned his own funeral and chose two scripture
passages: (1) from Daniel (12:1-3) which speaks of his saint's name
"Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people" and
(2) from Luke (4:16-20) in which Jesus reads a passage of scripture in
the synagogue "and he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the
attendant...." Preachers have concentrated on what Jesus read
and spoke about, but Brother Michael wanted us also to see the attendant
as the synagogue's archivist!
Patrick did a wonderful job in his eulogy, especially when urging Loyola
University to continue the good work this good man so nobly
advanced. It was a sad occasion last night but it was also a time
of joy to remember a man who loved his archives and his God.
Peace,
Frank
At 10:44 AM 5/9/02 -0500, Janet C. Olson wrote:
As was reported with sorrow a few days ago,
Brother Michael Grace, University Archivist at Loyola University Chicago,
died suddenly this week. Many of Brother Michael Grace's archival
colleagues attended the visitation and mass Wednesday evening.
Patrick Quinn (Northwestern University Archives) represented the archival
community with the following eulogy.
Eulogy for Brother Michael Grace:
I speak this evening not only as a friend and colleague of Brother
Michael Grace for over two decades, but also as a member of the archival
community in Chicago, a community of which Brother Michael was an
integral part for so many years. I first met Brother Michael in
1980, when he was a student in my course on archival administration in
the Graduate School of Library and Information science of Dominican
University, then Rosary College. Ever since that time he called me
his mentor who taught him the archival ropes, an honor which I always
gently downplayed but actually took much delight in. Indeed, it was
with great pride that I watched Brother Michael build the Loyola
University Archives virtually from scratch into an archival program truly
befitting the university in which it has played such a vital role.
Over the years Brother Michael in turn mentored a corps of young student
assistants who have themselves gone on to careers of distinction.
Brother
Michael flourished as a member of the national, regional, and local
archival communities, becoming a highly regarded member of these
communities. One cannot in the brief time allotted here recount his
many and significant contributions to the archival profession, but few
who knew him will forget his faithful work on behalf of the Midwest
Archives Conference, his service on local arrangements committees for MAC
and the Society of American Archivists, his tireless efforts in compiling
the Chicago Area Archivists? very well received directory,
Archival and Manuscript Repositories in Metropolitan Chicago and the
Calumet Region of Northwest Indiana, his warm, generous, and genial
hosting of the annual Chicago Area Archivists? holiday party held at
Loyola for many years, his cheerful presence at the annual CAA summer
picnics held in my backyard in Evanston, and the wise counsel he extended
to other religious archivists in the United States.
Brother
Michael was devoted to the archives of his University; he loved the study
of history, and reveled in the joy of books, a joy to which his fellow
members of the Caxton Club will surely attest. Less than a month
ago I drove Brother Michael to and from the studios of WGN in the Tribune
Tower where we both, along with Bill Maher, the Archivist of the
University of Illinois, appeared on the Milt Rosenberg program,
?Extension 720.? Brother Michael was thrilled to be on Milt?s radio
program, during which he told the audience about the treasures held by
the Loyola University Archives.
Following the radio program, Bill Maher, Mary Janzen, and I took Brother
Michael across the street under Michigan Avenue to the famed Billy Goat
Tavern, which, strangely enough as a Chicago-born native son, Brother
Michael had never been to before. As we consumed our cheeseburgers
and several drafts of dark beer, he expressed his delight at this new
experience.
On the drive back to Loyola, Brother Michael spoke of his desire to visit
Ireland, England, and Rome one more time. Alas, these journeys will
not be taken, but all those who loved, admired and respected Brother
Michael, including those of us who had the good fortune to have been
present at the recent Jubilee celebrating his
50th year as a member of the Society of
Jesus, are comforted in knowing that he died while still actively engaged
in the stewardship of Loyola?s documentary heritage, an endeavor that he
dearly cherished. Indeed, there can be no more fitting tribute to
the life of Brother Michael Grace than for this great university to
continue to sustain and nourish its University Archives, which Brother
Michael devoted so much of his life to building.
Our colleague, Frank Cook, when informed of Brother Michael?s death
expressed his sadness at the news, saying very simply that ?Brother
Michael was a good man.? And indeed he was. And with his
passing we are all the lesser. May he rest in peace.
Patrick M. Quinn
University Archivist
Northwestern University
May 8, 2002