A burial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, at St. Stanislaus Catholic Cemetery in Dorr for Andrew Peter Chrusciel, 77, of Alton, Mo., who died Wednesday, Sept. 9.Andy was born on a farm in Dorr on Sep. 25, 1937, and was raised there as the second youngest of ten children. He dedicated his life to peace and social justice, serving as a priest in the Grand Rapids diocese before moving to the Catholic Worker in Tivoli, NY. Life then led him to his homestead in Missouri where he farmed and helped raise his family.
He taught Spanish at West Plains High School for 14 years before retiring in 2008. Andy loved being in the country and working the land. He was a baseball fan from a young age and also followed Arkansas Razorbacks basketball and football in his later days.
He enjoyed word and card games and was a formidable Scrabble, Boggle, and Cribbage player. A quiet and introspective man with a dry sense of humor, he was a devoted and loving father to his children and a loyal and faithful friend.
Andy is survived by four sons, David Warner (Kristine Cortese), Brendan Warner, Gabriel Warner (Rachel Gomez), Timothy Chrusciel (Deepti Chrusciel); one daughter, Theresa Warner (Ryan Williams); and the children’s mother Edith Moore. He is also survived by two sisters, Sister Irene Chrusciel and Sister Cecilia Chrusciel; two sisters-in-law, Dorothy Chrusciel and Josephine Chrusciel; four grandchildren, Javan Whitney-Warner, Rye Cortese Warner, Nina Chrusciel, and Sonia Chrusciel; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Michael and Sophia Chrusciel; and siblings Ann Fifelski, Walter Chrusciel, Kay Catalino, Frank Chrusciel, Thomas Chrusciel, Sister Mariella Chrusciel, and Veronica Wise.
A reception will follow the burial service at St. Mary’s Visitation Hall, 4790 22nd Street, Byron Center. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Catholic Worker.
