Father William J. McNulty, 87, died Aug. 11. He was pastor emeritus of St. Patrick Parish, Lake Forest.

Father McNulty was born in Chicago and attended St. Angela, 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. Justin Martyr; St. Martha, Morton Grove; and Queen of All Saints Basilica Parish. He served as chaplain to Catholic Action Federations and was director of the archdiocesan Office for Marriage and Family Life and the Pastoral Services Department. Father McNulty served as associate pastor of St. Mary, Evanston, and pastor of St. Patrick Parish. The title of pastor emeritus was bestowed on him in 2004.

Father Larry Hennessey, who has spent the last 30 years at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary, would share coffee cake and coffee every Sunday with McNulty.

“He was very unpretentious,” Hennessey said. “There was a real humility about him, that he readily acknowledged. He loved to learn new things.”