Rev. John W. Kosmal, 71, a former chaplain of Stateville Penitentiary and resident at several Chicago-area parishes, died Aug. 18 in St. Patrick’s Residence in Naperville.
Born in Galesburg, Rev. Kosmal studied at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, but left the seminary and served in the Army for two years during the Korean conflict.
He later studied at St. Procopius Seminary in Lisle and was ordained May 3, 1956, in the Cathedral of St. Raymond in Joliet.
After being ordained, he became associate pastor at St. Mary Parish in West Chicago and later served at parishes including St. Petronille Church in Glen Ellyn, St. Luke Parish in Carol Stream and Immaculate Conception Parish in Elmhurst.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Rev. Kosmal was chaplain of Guardian Angel Home in Joliet and Stateville Penitentiary.
“He always took more stressful jobs,” said his sister, Zoe Pingatore. “He wanted to help all the people all the time.”
Rev. Kosmal also worked as a counselor at Elmhurst College.
Besides Pingatore, Rev. Kosmal is survived by three brothers and one other sister.
A memorial mass will be said at 11 a.m.Sept. 6, in St. Patrick’s Residence, 1400 Brookdale Rd., Naperville.
