Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré
Necrologium
INDIVIDUAL
OBITUARY
Rev.
Laurence Anthony Mayer, O.Praem.
Laurence Anthony
Mayer, O. Praem., age 76, a member of the Norbertine Community of St. Norbert
Abbey, De Pere, WI, and a Norbertine priest, passed into God’s eternal kingdom
on November 23, 2007.
Our brother, Larry,
was born on September 6, 1931, in
McGregor
,
Iowa
, to Anton and
Pearl
(DuCharme) Mayer. His home parish
was St. John Nepomucene, Prairie
du Chien
,
WI
.
Larry graduated
from Prairie du Chien High School in 1950; received a B.A. degree in English
from
St.
Norbert College, De Pere, in June 1959; studied liturgy at the Liturgisches
Institute in Trier, Germany and did post graduate work at Notre Dame University
receiving an M.A. in Liturgical Studies in 1978.
On August 28, 1960,
Larry entered St. Norbert Abbey where he was vested as a novice; professed
Simple Vows on August 28, 1962; Solemn Vows on August 28, 1965 and was ordained
to the Priesthood on September 1, 1965.
Our brother, Larry,
served as a faculty member at
Archmere
Academy
,
Claymont
,
DE
, and
Premontre
High School
,
Green Bay
,
WI
. He served as a member of the
Formation Team at St. Norbert Abbey, De Pere, WI, Santa Maria de la Vid Priory,
Albuquerque, NM and Holy Spirit House of Studies, Chicago IL
and he was the abbey liturgist and cantor from 1969 until 1985.
During the summers
of 1971 to 1973, Larry participated in a Special Study Project, Arcosanti, under
the internationally known environmentalist/architect Paolo Soleri in
Scottsdale
,
Arizona
, where he further developed his love of nature and artistic skills.
Through skillful planning as Grounds Keeper of the abbey property, he
executed all of the landscape projects, which make up the natural environment of
St. Norbert Abbey today. He was also
responsible for the landscaping at Our Lady of Daylesford abbey in
Paoli
,
PA
and
Santa Maria
de la Vid Priory in
Albuquerque
,
NM
. The various houses of the Order
and individual confreres hold many of his artistic creations.
Larry is survived
by the Norbertine Community; three brothers, Bernard, Maurice, and John; two
sisters, Mildred Sanders and Judith Krug; nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in
death by his parents and one brother, Francis.