Obituary of John Lee Urban

"God of mercy and love, grant your servant and priest a glorious place at your heavenly banquet, for you made him here on earth a faithful minister of your word and sacrament." Reverend Father John Lee Urban Reverend Father John Lee Urban entered eternal life peacefully on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 at the age of 84, at his home in Johnson Creek, Wisconsin. He was born on July 17, 1933 in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, and is predeceased by his parents, John and Florence [O'Connor] Urban; his sister Kathleen; his brother Joseph, and brother-in-law Mario DiDomenico. After attending St. John the Baptist Parish School and Jefferson High School in Jefferson, Wisconsin, Father Urban entered Queen of Apostles College, Madison. He studied Philosophy at St. Francis Seminary, Milwaukee, where he graduated. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop William P. O'Connor May 30, 1959 at St. Raphael Cathedral, Madison. Father Urban began serving in the Diocese of Madison as Parochial Vicar of St. Clement Parish, Lancaster; St. Bernard Parish, Middleton, and Our Lady of Assumption Parish, Beloit. He was Parochial Administrator at St. Thomas Parish, Montfort; St. John Nepomucene Parish, Castle Rock with mission of St. Lawrence O'Toole Parish, Mt. Hope, and Parochial Administrator at SS. Anthony and Philip Parish, Highland. Fr. Urban was Pastor of St. Mary Parish, Fennimore; Our Lady of Assumption Parish, Beloit; St. Olaf Parish, De Forest; St. Clement Parish, Lancaster, and Immaculate Conception Parish, Boscobel, linked with St. John Nepomucene Parish, Castle Rock, from which he retired in 2003. During his years of service to the Diocese of Madison, Father Urban served as the area Vocation Director; a Priest Counselor of the Catholic Welfare Bureau; Advocate and Procurator ad litem for the Marriage Tribunal, and member of both the DSA Board and St. Raphael Board. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 324 East North St., Jefferson, on the Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist, Wednesday, December 27, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. Most Reverend Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison, will celebrate the Holy Mass with Reverend Gary Krahenbuhl as homilist. Visitation at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church will be held on Tuesday, December 26th from 4:00 to 8:00 pm, with a Rosary Service beginning at 7:45 pm, and on Wednesday, December 27th from 10:00 am until the start of Holy Mass. The Rite of Committal will be held at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Cemetery, Johnson Creek immediately following the Mass, with Reverend Thomas Coyle, Pastor, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Jefferson, presiding. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. Father John is survived by his family; Sisters Patricia DiDomenico of Scottsdale AZ, Mary (Michel) Kennedy of Lebanon TN, Bridgid (Edward) Kasper of Shepherdsville, KY, Brothers James (Anita) Urban of Jacksonville FL, Michael (Rena) Urban of Johnson Creek WI. Many nieces and nephews and dear friends; Alan and Margaret Foley of Jefferson. He also volunteered at St. Vincent de Paul. John enjoyed spending time in nature and every summer looked forward to his canoe trips down the Grant and Wisconsin rivers where he would spend the night on a sandbar with a small campfire under the stars. Fr. John enjoyed travelling and was a wonderful story teller. He loved to cook and always planted a garden every year with beans, tomatoes, potatoes, swiss chard, beats, and many other delicious vegetables. He canned and froze as many of them as he could and the rest he shared with family and friends. One of his greatest passions was to go morel hunting in the spring but he never revealed any of his secret spots to anybody. The windows of his rectories were always adorned with many of the morels hanging up to dry. He also loved his dog Tarsisius and his cat Tigger. His happiest times were spent surrounded by his many friends and acquittances with a good bottle of wine. He enjoyed classical music and was an avid reader and historian. Visit www.schneidermichaelisfuneralhome.com to leave a condolence or light a candle in his memory.