Father William E. Duggan

Father William E. Duggan, a Berkeley native who served as a priest at parishes around the San Francisco Bay Area, died March 19 in Sonoma at the age of 81.

He attended St. Augustine School in Oakland before beginning his studies for the priesthood at St. Joseph’s College in Mountain View in 1941. He later attended St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park and was ordained to the priesthood in 1953.

He briefly served as associate pastor at St. Louis Bertrand Church in Oakland (1957—1959). He also served as associate pastor or pastor at parishes in San Francisco, Campbell and Mountain View.

After studying canon law for two years at Catholic University of America in the mid-1980s, he returned to the San Francisco archdiocese as a judge and adjutant judicial vicar. After retiring from active ministry in 1997, he continued to assist the archdiocesan tribunal.

The funeral Mass was held on March 24 at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in San Francisco. Burial was at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Oakland. A memorial Mass was held at Nazareth House in San Rafael on March 26.
 

Brother Michael Quinn, FSC

Christian Brother Michael Quinn, president of St. Mary’s College in Moraga in the 1960s, died March 15 in Napa. He was 86 years of age.

Brother Quinn became the 25th president of the college after the sudden death of Christian Brother Albert Plotz in a car accident. During his tenure (1962-69) he led the campus’ centennial celebration and oversaw the completion of most of the campus plan drawn up by his predecessor, including the construction of St. Albert Library.

“Brother Michael was a bold leader called for in a time of significant leadership challenges, during troubling times in society and on campuses across the country,” said John Parziale, who served as dean of students during Brother Quinn’s presidency. “He was caring, supportive, and helpful to staff, faculty, and students while maintaining a keen sense of humor. In short, respected and beloved.”

Born in Oakland, Brother Quinn attended high school in Long Beach before entering the novitiate in 1942. He joined the Brothers in what was considered an unusual path at that time – he entered St. Mary’s College in Moraga as a lay student and decided to join the order two years later. He taught at Cathedral High School in Los Angeles and was a teacher and director of the Brothers’ Juniorate at Mont La Salle before serving at St. Mary’s.

At St. Mary’s College, Brother Quinn also served as dean of the school of science, chair of the graduate and undergraduate psychology departments, and was the auxiliary visitor of the San Francisco District. He retired to the Holy Family Community at Mont La Salle in 1997.

Survivors include his brother and sister-in-law, Myles and Phyllis, and his nephew, John, and his wife, Benita.

The funeral Mass was held March 19 in St. Mary’s College Chapel in Moraga. Burial took place the following day at Mont La Salle in Napa.

An endowment scholarship, which provides scholarship funds to future St. Mary’s students, honors Brother Quinn’s contributions to the college. Donations may be made to the Brother Michael Quinn Scholarship Fund, St. Mary’s College Development Office, P.O. Box 4300, Moraga, CA 94575, attention Bill McLeod. For more information, (925) 631-4787.

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