Deacon Donulus E. Mathieu Sr., 79, a retired staff member of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board who went on to build a second career as a deacon in the Roman Catholic church, died Monday, Jan. 1, in his Winfield home. Mr. Mathieu was born in Chicago and grew up on the West Side. He spent 30 years with the government agency, retiring from the personnel department as chief of employee and staff relationships. Not content with retirement, he took up religious studies and was named a permanent deacon, assigned briefly to St. Irene Church in Warrenville, and later to St. John the Baptist Church in Winfield, where he spent two decades. “He was a deeply religious and spiritual man and had things turned out differently, likely would have become a priest,” said his son Donulus Jr. Mr. Mathieu served with the Army during World War II and saw combat in the Philippines, where he was awarded the Purple Heart for permanent injuries to his back. He also came home with six Bronze Stars. Mr. Mathieu was a member of St. Vincent DePaul Society, committed to its mission of helping the needy. He also was a third-degree Knights of Columbus. “He was a gentle man with a deep feelings,” his son said. “He especially enjoyed visiting the shut-ins, the ill and elderly people who had difficulty getting out.” Mr. Mathieu also is survived by three other sons, Thomas, Aloysius and Lawrence; two daughters, Dorene Perez and Mary Mathieu; 11 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Frances Brent and Mary Reiter. Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and from 9 a.m. until mass at 11 a.m. Thursday in St. John the Baptist Church, 233 Church St., Winfield.
