Obituary
Father Harold Datzman
Born: Earl Park, Indiana, November 7, 1938
Professed: July 11, 1959
Ordained: May 23, 1965
Died: June 24, 2023
Reverend Harold Datzman, O.S.B. monk and priest of St. Bede Abbey in Peru, IL, died on the evening of Saturday, June 24, 2023 at St. Francis Hospital, Peoria, from complications caused by congestive heart failure. He was 84.
Harold Louis Datzman was born November 7, 1938, the son of Louis and Mary (Strasburger) Datzman, in Earl Park, Indiana. After his primary school education, he came to Saint Bede as a boarding student by way of a neighbor who had graduated from Saint Bede some years before. In his senior year he determined to join the monastic community, having been strongly influenced by his prefect Fr. Henry Fritz.
Upon graduation from the Academy he studied at our junior college for two years, then entered the novitiate in 1958, making his first profession on July 11, 1959. He completed his college education at Saint John’s University, Collegeville Minnesota, then entered the theologate at Conception Abbey in Conception Missouri. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Franz in St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria on May 23, 1965. During the next few summers he did additional studies in Latin at Georgetown University, and received a Master’s degree in Religious Education from the University of Detroit.
Fr. Harold taught religion and Latin in the Academy from 1965 to 1992. In addition, he was a prefect in the boarding department from 1965 to 1977. Until his death he maintained contact with many of his former charges, who attested to his past and ongoing positive influence on their lives.
Although he could be fairly strict as a prefect and teacher, Fr. Harold was also capable of some surprising behavior. Once he took a group of boarding students to a ZZ Top concert in Chicago, cramming nine of them into the monastery station wagon for the trip. His performances in the Homecoming Variety show are legendary, which included Elvis impersonations and singing the Sesame Street “Rubber Duckie” song while sitting in a bathtub. Because he gave the boarding students haircuts, he was given the nickname “Chopper.”
In 1977, Fr. Harold was appointed assistant pastor at St. Joseph’s in Peru, Illinois, a post he held until 1984, when he was recalled to the abbey by Abbot Marion to serve as prior. In 1987, he was made administrator of Holy Trinity in Cherry and St. Patrick’s in Arlington, and was sent to St. Thomas More in Dalzell the following year. During his time there the church was torn down and a new one constructed, which was dedicated in 1990. In 1994, he was appointed to St. Benedict’s in Ladd and St. Gertrude’s in Seatonville.
Fr. Harold’s final pastoral assignment was to return to St. Joseph’s in Peru as pastor in 2005, where he served until his retirement to the abbey in 2017. While at St. Joseph’s he was much loved for being active in the school and diligent in his care for the sick. During this time he also led several pilgrimages to religious destinations in Italy, France, Spain and Germany. Throughout his pastoral service he was also active in Cursillo and in prison ministry.
In his final years at the abbey, Fr. Harold grew progressively less mobile and had several falls, until it was necessary for him to be transferred to St. Joseph’s Nursing Home (now Lacon Rehab and Nursing) in Lacon Illinois, where he continued to enjoy regular visits from confreres, former students, and his beloved sisters, as well as keeping track of the Chicago Bulls, Cubs and Bears.
Fr. Harold is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by four sisters, Beverly Ross, Barbara Garing, Rosemary Bobo, and Ellen (Philip) McGraw, all of Indiana, and by his monastic brethren. At the time of his death Father Harold was in the 84th year of age, the 64th year of his religious profession, and the 58th year of his priesthood.
We are grateful for the suffrages you will offer for our deceased confrere, and we promise faithful remembrance of your deceased.
Abbot Michael Calhoun, O.S.B. and community