Rev. George L. Neych, CSV died suddenly on Sunday, June 11, 1989. Father Neych had undergone open heart surgery at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, Illinois on June 9th. He suffered cardiac arrest on Sunday evening and was pronounced dead at St. Francis Hospital. He was 64 years old.
George Neych was born in Hamtramck, Michigan on September 1, 1924, the son of Frank and Anne (Domurat) Neych. He entered the Viatorian novitiate in August of 1948 and pronounced his first vows on August 15, 1949. After receiving his B.A. Degree in philosophy from St. Ambrose College in 1950, George was assigned to teach at St. Philip High School in Chicago for one year. He then completed his theological studies at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. and was ordained to the priesthood on June 5, 1954. He subsequently received his Master’s Degree in Library Science from Rosary College in August, 1959 as well as a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Loyola University in June, 1974.
After ordination Father Neych taught for one year at St. Gregory High School in Chicago. In 1956 he was assigned to Cathedral Boys’ High School in Springfield as a teacher and librarian. This marked the beginning of a thirty-one year stay in the Springfield area, all of those years at Cathedral Boys’ High School and Griffin High School. George served as teacher, librarian, Assistant Principal and Local Director of the Viatorian community at Griffin in the course of those years. His love for Cathedral and Griffin was evident in the many hours he spent working for the school and students. In 1987 George responded to a need at St. Viator High School and agreed to move and become the librarian at the high school. For the past two years he had served in that capacity.
A visitation and wake service for Father Neych was held in the chapel of St. Viator High School on Tuesday, June 13, 1989 from 4:00 – 9:00 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. A Funeral Mass was celebrated in the chapel at St. Viator High School on Wednesday, June 14th at 11:00 a.m. Burial was with the Community at Queen of Heaven Cemetery at Hillside, Illinois.
Please include George in your prayers and gather together in local communities to remember him at Eucharist.
Taken from letter to the Viatorian Community on June 12, 1989 from the Provincial, Rev. Patrick W. Render, CSV