Rev. Thaddeus Marion Kozikowski


Father Thad Kozikowski died peacefully on January 14, 2010 in Lewistown, MT of natural causes. He was a retired Roman Catholic priest of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings.

Thaddeus Marion Kozikowski was born on March 30, 1947 in Cleveland, Ohio to Stanley Kozikowski and Hattie (Tomaszewski) Kozikowski.

Thad attended elementary and high school in Cleveland. He started college in 1965 at the University of West Virginia and in 1968 entered the novitiate of the Paulist Fathers in Oak Ridge, New Jersey. In May of 1971, Thad received his undergraduate degree from Saint Paul’s College of Catholic University of America. Thad continued his post graduate work at Catholic Theological Union in Washington, D.C. and made his final profession as a Paulist Father in 1973. He was ordained a priest at Saint Paul the Apostle Church in New York on May 17, 1975. That same year he was assigned to minister in Colorado.

In 1979, Thad left the Paulist Fathers and ceased to function as a priest and moved to Arizona. In 1985 he moved to Montana and became employed as the Director of Religious Education at Sacred Heart Church in Glendive, Montana. In February of 1989 Thad was incardinated into the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings and resumed functioning as a priest. In June of that same year Thad was named the Diocesan Associate Director of Religious Education for Eastern Montana. He held that position until July of 1996.

In July of 1991, Thad was assigned to Saint Francis Xavier in Circle, Montana and served there until 1994 when he was named Pastor of Saint Raphael’s in Glasgow with the attached missions of Saint Albert’s in Hinsdale, Our Lady of the Lake in Fort Peck and Queen of Angels in Nashua.

Thad’s health began to decline and in 2005 was granted retirement status as a priest. He has resided at the Montana Mental Health Nursing Care Center in Lewistown since September of 2006.

Thad was bright, witty and perpetually filled with enormous energy. He liked to fish, cook and entertain friends. He was very proud of his Polish heritage.

Thad’s passion in life was to educate others in the deep faith he had in Christ and the Catholic Church. He taught in many different and varied programs sponsored by the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings, notably the Tempus and Kairos programs.

Thad was preceeded in death by his parents and in May of 2009, a sister, Bernice (Kozikowski) Finohr of Parma, Ohio. An uncle, Dr. Edward Edwards of Lighthouse Point, Florida also preceded him in death.

He is survived by his brother-in-law Ron Finohr of Parma, Ohio and an aunt, Virginia Edwards of Lighthouse Point, Florida.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, January, 21 at Noon at Saint Patrick’s Co-Cathedral in Billings. Vigil for the deceased will be on Wednesday, January 20 at 5:00pm, also at Saint Patrick’s Committal will be at Holy Cross Cemetery

Memorials may be made in Thad’s name to the “Clerical Benefit Association” (for the retired priests of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings), PO Box 1399, Great Falls, MT 59403


Remembrances

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I was greatly saddened to hear of Father Thad's passing.  I remember him as an inspiration in his joy of being a priest, and in  his Christly behavior.  He loved being a priest and teaching.  I still use many of his illustrations or teachings - they were so memorable.  I will remember him always - he was and is Kadosh.

 

Regards

ShaRonne Hanson


My name is Ron Kessler. I live in Cleveland and have been the closest person to Tadj and his family that they had.

I know this may be late, but I didn't know this site existed until now. Thad and his sister , Bernice were very close for almost 30 years. Bernice and I did everything together and went everywhere together and when Thad, (Tadj), came in to town we all filled the time as best we could, traveling, fishing, and just sitting around on the porch talking. Tadj led me to many books, writings, theology, etc. that I still use to this day, and his thoughts and knowledge of the Catholic faith was an enormous inspiration to me. I was saddened by his death, especially how it occurred right after Bernice's. Tadj and Bernice are missed very much and I only wished we lived closer to each other to be able to see each other more often. God Bless him and Bernice and I pray constantly for them.