Father Francis G. Scanlan, 87, died Oct. 19. He was a former associate pastor of St. Damian Parish, Oak Forest, and a retired lieutenant colonel and Army chaplain of the Illinois National Guard.

Born in Chicago, Father Scanlan attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1961.

He was assistant pastor of St. Eugene, St. Mel-Holy Ghost and Incarnation, Palos Heights. He was associate pastor of St. Andrew and St. Bede the Venerable, and retired as associate pastor of St. Damian in 2005. Father Scanlan also served as a U.S. Army chaplain for the Illinois National Guard for nearly 30 years, from 1966 to 1995.

Frieda Bertello, director of the Healing Ministry at St. Damian Parish, knew Father Scanlan since he started at St. Damian.

“He was able to relate to any age group, probably because of his wisdom and experience and his ability to be young in spirit,” Bertello said. “His homilies were brief, but always on point, and he usually squeezed in a humorous line or two. The parishioners loved it.”

Bertello added, “Father Jerry treated everyone with kindness and respect, and you usually left with a joke or a laugh. We expect there will be more laughter in heaven now that he’s home with the Lord.”