Father Dick Cherry, SJ, RIP

I received news yesterday that Fr. Dick Cherry, SJ, had passed away. He was a fellow Toledoan serving in the Eastern Africa Province. Here's the official obituary:

Fr. Richard W. Cherry, SJ
April 3, 1937, to
April 2, 2013

Let us pray in thanksgiving for the life of our brother, Fr. Richard W. Cherry, S.J. (AOR), who died at 6:55 pm (EDT) on Tuesday, April 2, 2013, at Colombiere Center in Clarkston, Michigan.  May he rest in peace.

Fr. Dick Cherry, SJ

Dick was born on April 3, 1937 in Toledo, Ohio. He entered the Society of Jesus on September 1, 1955 at Milford, Ohio. He was ordained on March 18, 1969 in Poona, India, and took final vows on August 15, 1977. As a Jesuit, Dick earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Latin, Licentiate Degrees in Philosophy and Theology, and Master’s Degrees in Mathematics and Physics.

Dick’s Juniorate Studies were at Milford (1957-1960) and his Philosophy Studies were at West Baden College in southern Indiana (1960-1962). Dick did his Regency at University of Detroit High School, Detroit, Michigan (1962-1965).  With a view to his working as a missionary in India, Dick was assigned to study Theology at the Papal Athenaeum in Poona (1966-1970) and was ordained in Patna on March 18, 1969. Dick subsequently taught science at various Jesuit high schools in the Patna Province: New Delhi (1970-72), Jaipur (1974-82), and Patna (1982-85).

Dick was first assigned to Eastern Africa in 1985 to teach at Loyola Secondary School in Wau (in its first incarnation) where he taught until Loyola had to be closed in 1987 due to the civil war. Dick continued to teach in Wau, usually as the only Jesuit there, at St. Mary’s Senior Secondary Seminary and at John Paul II Intermediate School.

Dick moved to Adjumani to work as Assistant Project Director for JRS (1992-1994). He  moved to Dar es Salaam and taught science at Loyola Secondary School (1995-2006) and also served as Superior of the Jesuit Community (2000-2004). Dick returned to Wau in 2006 to be involved with preparing for the reopening of Loyola Secondary School. He was Acting Superior (2006-2007) and taught when the school reopened in 2008. In 2012 Dick was missioned to supervise the laboratories and teach at St. Peter Claver Secondary School in Dodoma, but he fell sick before he was able to take this mission.  He went to Colombiere Center in Clarkston, MI, to deal with health needs.

Suffrages: As we remember with gratitude all that God has done through his life of service to God and God’s people, we are reminded of our privilege and obligation to offer Masses and prayers for his eternal repose.  All members of the Chicago-Detroit Province and those applied to it are to offer one Mass intention for Dick.  Members of the Colombiere Jesuit Community will offer one additional Mass intention.  All will wish to remember Dick in their prayers and Masses.

Wake:
Friday, April 5, 2013
4:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Prayer Service 7:30 p.m.
Colombiere Center
9075 Big Lake Road
Clarkston, MI  48346-1015

Funeral:
Saturday, April 6, 2013
10:45 a.m.
Colombiere Center
9075 Big Lake Road
Clarkston, MI  48346-1015

Burial Service:
Immediately following the funeral

 What the obituary does not capture is what an amazing impact he had. Dick Cherry was the best physics teacher in Tanzania, bar none. He took a different approach than other teachers -- his principal concern was not his teaching but his students' learning. And he designed his teaching with their learning in mind. That doesn't sound so radical, but believe me it is about as radical was it gets!

I met countless graduates of Loyola High School, Dar es Salaam, who could not stop talking about the difference he made in their lives.

Beyond that, one must admire him for his willingness to put himself in one of the most dangerous missions, where the lives of missionaries are under threat.

Well done, good and faithful servant!

Folks who would like to make a memorial contribution in his honor -- to either Loyola High School, Wau, or to Saint Peter Claver High School, which was his last assignment (which he could not take up because of his health), please use the link in the upper right of this page.