Gilsdorf, Reverend Daniel C.

Other Events:

• Religious Vows: Abt 1954
• Ordained: 11 Jun 1960
• Obituary: 8 May 2012; Appleton Post Crescent

Notes:

Obituary:
Gilsdorf, Fr. Daniel C. The Reverend Daniel C. Gilsdorf, age 77, entered eternal life on May 7, 2012 at St. Paul Hospice Care in Kaukauna. With faith in his Lord and savior he walked hand in hand with his friend, Jesus, through his struggle with lung cancer. Father Gilsdorf was born May 20, 1934 on a small farm in the Hilbert area to Othmar and Matilda (Gehl) Gilsdorf. He took his primary education at Sacred Heart School in Sherwood. In 1948 he entered Salvatorian Seminary, St. Nazianz where he took his high school and junior college classes. In 1954 he entered the philosophy house of St. Mary Seminary on Paca Street, Baltimore, MD where he entered the theology house of St. Mary Seminary and University in the Roland Park area of Baltimore where he received his four years of theological studies. Father Gilsdorf was ordained on June 11, 1960 at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Green Bay, by Bishop Stanislaus V. Bona. He was immediately given a temporary assignment to St. Anthony parish, Oconto Falls. In September of that same year he was appointed assistant pastor of Most Precious Blood parish, New London where he served until December, 1963, when he was assigned to Sacred Heart parish, Manitowoc as assistant pastor. In October, 1970, he was named temporary administrator of St. Joseph parish, Sturgeon Bay, and in December was named pastor of the parish. While there he oversaw the renovation of the parish church and social hall. He also oversaw the construction of a chapel at St. Joseph Cemetery and directed the construction of a Mausoleum at the cemetery where his body will be entombed. In October, 1986, he was named pastor of St. Therese Parish, Appleton. Again he oversaw the renovation of the parish church. He was instrumental in the formation of the Appleton Catholic educational System. In 2001 he invited and welcomed the Hispanic Community of the Fox Valley to St. Therese Parish. He took a leave of absence in 2002 and retired in 2004. Always aware that he was called to serve the wider church than just the parish, Father served on a number of committees. He was elected by his fellow priests and appointed by Bishop Wycislo to the first presbyteral council, then known as the priests' Senate. In that capacity he twice represented the Green Bay Council at the national conventions of the National Federation of Priests' Councils, first in San Diego, CA and then in Baltimore, MD. He was again elected by his fellow priests and appointed by Bishop Maida as Vicar of Vicariate VII. He was appointed by Bishop Banks to serve one term on the Priests' Personnel Board. He also served twenty-four years on the board of directors of the Leo Benevolent Association, twenty-three of them as secretary. He also served on a number of lesser committees. Father Gilsdorf was a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters, St. Aloysius court, Hilbert, and was a fourth degree member of the Knights of Columbus, Father Henry Pfeifer assembly, Sturgeon Bay. Father Dan was an avid fisherman and deer hunter, both with bow and arrow and gun. For more than forty years he was a member of the Omar Hunting Club, a camp consisting of all priests, located in the Manitowish Waters/Mercer area. He was a member of Whitetails Unlimited and Wisconsin Bow hunters. From his youth he was a stamp collector and was a member of the American Philatelic Society. He is survived by two brothers and a sister: Rev. Gordon Gilsdorf, St. Paul Home, Kaukauna, Richard (Lucy) Gilsdorf, Sheboygan, and Sister Marita Gilsdorf, ANG, Sherwood. He is further survived by fourteen nephews and nieces and many grand-nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents, by a brother, David, by two sisters-in-law, Jean (Richard) Gilsdorf and Bernetta (David) Gilsdorf, as well as a nephew, Tom Gilsdorf and a niece, Marian Gilsdorf. Reception of the body by the Regional Vicar, Reverend Richard Klingeisen, will take place at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at Sacred Heart Church in Sherwood. Visitation will continue until 8:00 p.m., with a Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m. led by Father Michael Betley and Father Kenneth Frozena. Visitation will continue on Thursday morning from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. The Funeral Liturgy, expressing our faith and our hope in the promised glory of the Lord's Resurrection, will take place on Thursday, May 10, 2012 at Sacred Heart Church in Sherwood at 11:00 a.m., with Bishop David Ricken, Celebrant, and Father Richard Allen, Homilist. Burial will be at 11:00 a.m. Friday at St. Joseph Cemetery, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established for the benefit of Appleton Catholic Education System and Xavier High School. The family would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. Misty Johnson, Dr. Kevin Mortara, and the staff at St. Paul Hospice for the compassionate care shown to Father Dan. Also a special thanks to the wonderful neighbors at Sherwood Forest.
Published in Appleton Post-Crescent from May 8 to May 9, 2012