Father John “Jack” Willett, 84, of Liguori died Aug. 15, 2020, in hospice care at St. Clement Redemptorist Mission Community in Liguori. Father Willett made his first profession of vows on Aug. 2, 1956, and professed perpetual vows on Sept. 2, 1959. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 29, 1961. During his 20 years in formation ministry he influenced generations of Redemptorist confreres. He served on the faculty and coached soccer and basketball at St. Joseph’s Preparatory College in Edgerton, Wis., from 1964-1975, and he mentored students at Holy Redeemer College in Waterford, Wis., from 1978-1984. In his later years, he was sent on a mission to Nigeria to serve as director of Redeemer House in Bodija, Ibadan from 1997-2001. He served for six years on the Mission Preaching team based in Grand Rapids, Mich. He served as pastor of St. Alphonsus Parish in Chicago, St Joseph Parish in Wichita, Kan., and administered Our Lady of Sorrows Parrish with Father Ed Morgan during his senior ministry years at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Redemptorist Parish in Kansas City. He retired from public ministry in 2014 and because of health issues, moved to St. Clement.
Born Oct. 18, 1935, in Sault Sainte Marie, Mich., he was the son of the late Ferdinand and Ellen (Donahue) Willett.
He is survived by a sister: Marleen (the late Timothy) Sullivan of Grand Rapids, Mich.; 25 nieces and nephews; 45 great-nieces and great-nephews; and 12 great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews.
He was preceded in death by a brother: Ted (the late Ruth) Willett.
Private funeral services will be held. Burial will be in Liguori Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Vinyard Funeral Home in Festus.