Fr. Gerald A. Hillesheim dies at age 60

Rev. Gerald A. Hillesheim, age 60, died Friday, March 14, 2003.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Friday, March 21, 2003 at 11:00 a.m. at the Church of St. Mary in Sleepy Eye. Burial was at Japanese Martyrs Cemetery, Leavenworth.

Father Hillesheim was born June 30, 1942 in Sleepy Eye, MN. He was ordained to the priesthood at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New Ulm, MN on March 9, 1968 by Bishop Alphonse J. Schladweiler.

His first assignment was at Holy Trinity in Winsted, serving as Associate Pastor. Assignments as Pastor included the parishes of St. George in West Newton with teaching responsibilities at Cathedral High School in New Ulm; St. Eloi in Ghent; Ss. Cyril & Methodius in Taunton; St. Edward in Minneota; St. Andrew in Fairfax; Sacred Heart in Franklin; and St. Willibrord in Gibbon.

Fr. Hillesheim celebrated his 25th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood in March, 1993

In February, Fr. Hillesheim became ill with a reoccurrence of cancer and was hospitalized at Methodist Hospital in Rochester.