Father John (Jack) Ferdinand Willett, CSSR, who influenced generations of Redemptorist missionaries during the 20 years he was involved in formation ministry, died on Aug. 15, 2020, at St. Clement Redemptorist Mission Community in Liguori. He was 84.
A private funeral service took place at St. Clement Redemptorist Chapel on Aug. 22.
John Ferdinand Willett was born on Oct. 18, 1935, to Ferdinand and Ellen (Donahue) Willett in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan. He entered the Redemptorist formation program at St. Joseph Preparatory College in Kirkwood and professed temporary vows as a Redemptorist on Aug. 2, 1956. He made his final profession Sept. 2, 1959, and was ordained to the priesthood on June 29, 1961, at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.
Newly ordained Father Willett served at St. Gerard Majella Parish in Kirkwood and earned an English degree from Saint Louis University before entering formation ministry in 1964. He joined the faculty of St. Joseph’s Preparatory College in Edgerton, Wisconsin, and was appointed assistant to the director of students. Father Willett taught English and guidance, and coached soccer and basketball. Before his assignment ended in 1975, he had earned a master’s in education/guidance and counseling from Saint Louis University.
Father Willett continued mentoring students at Holy Redeemer College in Waterford, Wisconsin, from 1978-84. He served as director of athletics and prefect of students, and a professor of English, religion and guidance. He maintained lifelong friendships with students, and officiated at many weddings of those who left the Redemptorist formation program. Twenty years later, Father Willett was missioned to Nigeria to oversee the Redemptorist formation program. After a year of enculturation serving at a parish, he was appointed director of Redeemer House in Bodija, Ibadan (1997-2001).
Father Willett also served for six years on the mission preaching team based in Grand Rapids, Michigan (1990-96), and devoted more than two decades to parish ministry. He served as pastor of St. Alphonsus Parish in Chicago (1975-78 and 1984-90) and St. Joseph Parish in Wichita, Kansas (2001-05) before he joined the Redemptorist community at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Redemptorist Parish in Kansas City, Missouri, in 2005. During his tenure, he helped administer Our Lady of Sorrows Parish.
Health issues necessitated his retirement and move to St. Clement’s in Liguori in 2014. Burial was in the Redemptorist Cemetery in Liguori.
