John Gavin Obituary

God Bless you Fr. Jack,
I sure enjoyed my time spent visiting with Jack both in St. Louis and Lemont. Jack was my father's cousin. He had a sharp mind and was very helpful to me while researching the Gavin family history. He was never my priest,but he struck me as everything a good Irish priest should be. I only wish we hadn't lived so far way, so we could have know each other better. God bless Lila and the rest of your extended family. If I had known I would have made the Funeral Mass. I feel it was poetic that the last thing I did with you was sing Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral the Irish Lullaby. Rest easy, yours was a life well lived!

Agus go mbuailimid le chéile arís,
Go gcoinní Dia i mbos a láimhe thú

I was having dinner at the parish house at Immaculate Conception/St. Henry parish in St. Louis around 1985. Fr. Gavin, pastor, was concerned about a few stained glass windows in the church that had been broken by some neighborhood kids. He took the time to visit all the homes nearby, especially ones that had young teens.....and simply told them that the church was the House of God....you might be in big trouble with God if you're the ones throwing the rocks. Needless to say the window breaking stopped! He sure had a convincing manor about him!

May God Bless you Father. I will never forget you and all you did for me. A great man and coach.
It is my privilege to have known you.

Father jack is a person I will remember forever. He was a man that showed up at unexpected times in my life and my families. He was always in need at those times too.He had a calming effect on anyone he met. My gram, Alice Gavin used to watch him as a boy, they were cousins. We grew up hearing stories of Father Jack. He went on to marry my mom and dad, my sister, brother and me. Our family was saddened to miss his services because we were never informed of his passing. My parents bud and Alice visited him quite often at the Franciscan village. He was a wonderful man and will be greatly missed. You were a true angel on earth!!

Outside of my Dad, no other person on this earth had as much influence on me as Fr. Gavin. From being a student when he was principal to being a teacher under him, I have never forgotten all of the things he said to me and did for me. Although I have not seen him in quite a few years, I always see that smile on his face!
Father:
You were a saint a long time ago. Go with God and wherever you are, please pray for us.
Charlie Pall

Father Gaving was the best coach I ever played for. He was a true example of a man for all of us who knew him. He was the best example of what God wants us to be as a man. He was a true strong man with more faith than anyone I have ever know. He will be missed by all who knew him.

God bless you Fr. Gavin, great man, great Augustinian!!

Father Jack was a great principal and the very best kind of priest. He was always patient and respectful towards all of his students and led by example. He will be sorely missed and I know perpetual light will shine on him

Father Gavin was the kindest most loyal person ever our family loved him. He married our children, officiated at our funerals and was always there for us. Our sympathies to his family and extended family. All our love, bill and pat caulfield

What a kind,caring and holy priest Father Gavin was. The testimonials about him says it all. He leaves a great legacy, among, is together with the late father Joe Roelke M.S.F. saving of Notre Dame elementary school at St. Wenceslaus Parish. The school is now called St.Frances Cabrini Academy. Father, your legacy continues and your presence still felt.

Padre,

I will miss my visits with you when I come to Chcago to visit my daughter, son in law and grand-daughter. I miss your coming to my house for Christmas dinner and family gatherings in St. Louis.

You were a great inspiration to me for many years. You were a rock during many of my trials and tribulations.

Your guidance given to the Augustinian Academy Alumni made us better men. The Academy is a big part of our lives and having you in our lives continues to be a great honor.

One of our teachers said to you at one of our Christmas dinner; "Padre, the was a movie about Mark Twain. At the end of the movie Twain and Huckster Finn were walking down the levee discussing life. Well Father, I see the two of us walking down Meramec talking about the men we helped to make as we go to our final reward."

Heaven has just become a better place. Godspeed in your new life. We and especially I will miss our conversations and visits.

Vaya con Dios Padre, mi amigo!

Condolences to the family and friends. Please be comforted by the words of "the only true God" at Romans 8:35-39.

Fr. Gavin was the catalyst in 1987 for helping the Augustinian Academy Alumni association to get it's start. I still can remember our first meeting and and the Anheuser Busch all school reunion. The Mothers club luncheons that were held every 6 months even after Augie closed for more than 35 years. Fr Jack was always there and said Mass . Many of us tried to help Fr. Jack while he was at Immaculate Conception / St. Henry by donating time and money . Fr. Jack will never be forgotten. God Bless him for all he as done in his life as an Augustinian Priest. I know he was very proud of what we accomplished as an alumni association. I can also tell you first hand that the Augustinian Order(OSA) is well aware of how much we loved and respected Fr. Jack. I also will never forget Fr. Gavin saying mass at my mothers Funeral in 2004. God Bless and Rest in Peace

I loved working with Fr. Gavin at Franciscan Village where we had many laughs, tears, jokes and prayers. May God enjoy Fr. Gavin's personality like
I did down when he was on earth. Rest in Peace.

The world is clearly a dimmer place for the loss of Father Gavin's great warmth, cheerfulness, and pastoral illumination.
My family was so blessed to be a member of his parish at
Immaculate Conception - St Henry in St. Louis,Missouri. Father Gavin was a beautiful priest, dedicated worker in the field of evangelization, tireless leader of our struggling, tiny collection of families and a forbearing colleague to Father Lawlor. My family was privileged to have Fr. Gavin
and Fr. Lawlor as a frequent guests at our family gatherings. What a study in contrasts were our two aged priests! In matters of fundamental and crucial importance,
they were of one Spirit.
What a marvelous and unique love my four sons experienced with Fr. Gavin and the IC-SH community.
May his soul soar to heights so well earned.

Condolences to the family and friends. Please be comforted by God's words at Romans 8:35-39.

Your loss was felt by many, including our great God. He promises that we will have the hope to see them again. We all have the chance to live in peace, on earth, and live forever. Palms 37:9-11,29.

A good man, a dedicated priest. My memories of him serving as Principal of St. Augustine Seminary are still fresh. Rest in peace!

Im sorry for the death of Mr. Gavin, I hope you can get recovedfrom all this things that hurt you. You and your family as well as Mr. Gavin have the opportunity live forever in the earth and live forever and enjoy a real happy life. Isaiah 65:13. We are really sorry for the happening but god is seeing all the suffrage and he does care about you. Thank you
ED

Fr. Jack,
Joe Brennan said it well. You made a big impact on all of us who were under you care at St. Augustine Seminary. No doubt, with a bit of our help, you earned your place in heaven years ago.
As important as you were to us, your legacy will forever remain in my hometown of St. Louis. The Augustinian Academy family will always remember your fight to keep the school open. Your work at Immaculate Conception/St.Henry not only affected your parish but also the entire city. You were a perfect example to all of what Jesus has taught us regarding reaching out to the poor and the marginalized. A small Augustinian presence in the city made a big difference and you led the effort.
You have earned your time with God so enjoy it. Show them the big smile that you were famous for. We will keep hitting baseballs here until it is our time to join you. Thanks for everything

Jack and Karen: our thoughts and prayers are with you.

I know Fr. Gavin touched many lives, but we from St. Augustine's Seminary have a special place in our our hearts for him. As our teacher, coach, principal, confessor, and mentor he exuded a serene confidence and patience with the foibles of adolescent boys. Whether going out of his way to get us back from Saugatuck in time for afternoon prayers (it was a long walk!) or sharing his life stories (driving an old car out to Villanova that would only go up the hills in reverse or pulling the central support post out of the barn to make it a basketball court) he set a wonderful example as a man grounded in life and God.