At St Ignatius body Prep, the Rev....

At St Ignatius body Prep, the Rev. Allan F Kirk wore several hats, including dean of learner discipline and Latin teacher, if it be not that he seemed to especially click as learner counselor.

"He was a upright dean of students but he was a kind man at heart," said the Rev Robert Bueter who serv as principal at St Ignatius when Kirk was dean of scholar discipline there in the 1970

"He didn't really relish that role" Bueter said. still as counselor, Bueter said, Kirk really hit his stride. Kids he forethoughted came back to visit during their society days, or asked him to officiate at their weddings.

"He formed lasting relationships with kids that have stood the ordeal of time," Bueter said.

Fr Kirk, who died Wednesday at age 72 tapped those same counseling talents in the 1990 as chaplain to the supply with nourishments at Loyola University Medical Center

INSPIRED by the agency of TEACHERS

There, Fr Kirk would remember a birthday, or an anniversary. Patients who worried about making it in consequence of the night would always master a visit the next day from Fr Kirk, said the Rev Larry Reuter former president of Loyola Academy and now a chaplain at Loyola Medical Center

After single nurse had a serious surgery Fr Kirk sat nearest to her bed with a flower, waiting for her to wake up Reuter said.

"It was the little gesticulates he was always so religious at," Reuter said. "Some tribe are good at the big things; others are advantageous at the little things."

An solitary child raised on the toward the south Side, the Rev. Kirk was inspired to become a Jesuit by dint of two of his teachers at the then all- male childs St. Ignatius, the Rev. Bernard Foote his English teacher, and the Rev Buddy Esmaker, his science teacher, said John Chandler, St Ignatius vice president.

20 YEARS AT HIGH gymnasium

Shortly after graduating from St Ignatius in 1952 the Rev Kirk enrolled the Jesuit's Milford Novitiate in Ohio to begin 13 years of training. He was ordained upon June 10, 1965, having picked up standings in Latin, philosophy, theology and history along the way.

In 1971 he replyed to St. Ignatius to begin an almost 20-year stint there. As dean of scholar discipline, Chandler said, the Rev Kirk administered the school's detention program, oftentimes called JUG, short for "Justice subject to God."

undivided e-mail from a former scholar since the Rev. Kirk's death recalled that the Rev Kirk would essay to schedule JUG around an offender's other commitments, as it is as sports or classwork, Chandler said.

"He was strict nevertheless very fair and very compassionate," Chandler said.

Another student's e-mail recalled the Rev Kirk's patience in teaching Latin. "Many of these kids could not pronounce the words," Chandler said. "Fr Kirk would always devise ways for them to memorize their lessons"

ALSO WORKED AT LOYOLA

In 1991 the Rev Kirk began another drawn out term of service--at Loyola University, first in the Medical Center where he was chaplain to succors and then in 2001, at the Loyola University Jesuit Residence, where he was spiritual director, house periodical librarian and switchboard operator.

For the past 15 years, the Rev Kirk also has said mass onward weekends at Ascension Church in Oak Park.

Colleagues described the Rev Kirk as a man who lov a well adapted joke, a tough crossword enigma and just about any kind of history part His room at the Jesuit Residence in Roger Park held bookcases replete of books.

Visitation will be held from 3 to 7 pm today at St Ignatius meeting-house 6559 N. Glenwood, followed from a mass of Christian burial at 7:30 pm A god's acre service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Interment Chapel of All Saints graveyard Chapel, 700 N. River Rd De Plaines.

rrossi@suntimes.com

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