Catholic Diocese of Spokane, Washington

From the

Official News Magazine of the Diocese of Spokane

(From the Dec. 4, 2003 edition of the Inland Register)

Jesuit Father John R. Thatcher was 87 years old when he died late last month. He had been a member of the Society of Jesus since 1934 and a priest since June 16, 1947.

Father Thatcher died Nov. 19. The funeral Mass was celebrated Nov. 24 at Jesuit House chapel, Gonzaga University.

He was born in Butte, Mont., in 1916 and entered the novitiate in Sheridan, Ore., in 1934. He studied philosophy at Mount St. Michael’s in Spokane and theology at Alma College in California.

He taught at Bellarmine Preparatory High School in Tacoma, Wash., and at Gonzaga Prep before beginning his long-time parish ministry in Portland and, in Spokane, at St. Aloysius Parish.

After retiring from parish work he continued in pastoral ministry at the Jesuits’ Regis Community until his death. (IR file photo, 1983)