Our brother
Harvey
Herbert Toonen was born in
Green Bay
, on November 25, 1916. After
graduating from
St.
Norbert High and his freshman year at the college, he joined the Order in 1935.
While in simple vows, he became a member of the Southeast Catholic
faculty in 1938, professing solemn vows in 1940.
In
1942
Harvey
was transferred to Archmere, where in addition to teaching Spanish, he
functioned as athletic director from 1944 until 1950.
Summers were spent at the
University
of
Wisconsin
where he earned an M.A. in Spanish in 1948.
In 1950 he joined the Central Catholic faculty and when that school
became Premontre in 1955, he was appointed librarian. To qualify for that
position he took night courses in Library Science at the U.W. Extension in
Oshkosh
.
In
1960,
Harvey
was appointed principal of Premontre, a position he held for 9 years in
conjunction with being prior of St. Michael Priory, the adjoining faculty house.
Taking
a break from administration,
Harvey
spent 1969 perfecting his Spanish at the
University
of
Valencia
in
Spain
and in 1970, returned to teach at the college.
From 1973 until
1979
Harvey
did pastoral ministry at St. Cecelia Parish in
Clearwater
,
Florida
while living at “Sunshine Priory” in Seminole.
He returned to assist at
Old St.
Joseph Parish at the college in 1980 and St. Willebrord in
Green Bay
. In 1985 he was appointed the
Associate Director of Formation at Padres Norbertinos in
Lima
,
Peru
, a position he held for two years.
In
1986
Harvey
began ministering to the Hispanic people of the Green Bay
Diocese where he helped build a sense of community among the many Hispanics who
had moved into the area. Presiding
at Mass, visiting the immigrants, developing personal ties and trust, meeting
educational and sacramental needs became hallmarks of his dedication to this
outreach ministry.
Harvey
was a very congenial man, deeply committed to the Order and its ministries. He
was a fun-loving, cheerful man with a heart open to everyone.
Along with fishing, hunting and golf, Classical and Western music held a
special place among his many interests, as did gardening and the fresh produce
he grew that delighted everyone at common table.
In
his final year, ever faithful to his religious convictions,
Harvey
wheeled himself to choral prayer daily, oxygen mask in tow, until his death of
heart failure Monday, November 8th, 2004 at the age of 87.
