A Mass of Christian Burial was held on July 25 at St. Anthony Church in Butler, N.J., for Franciscan Brother Patrick E. Fereday, who died on July 20 after a long illness. He was 70 years old.
Brother Fereday was a professed Franciscan friar for 34 years. He headed the maintenance department at St. Anthony Friary in Butler for the past 30 years. He was known as a woodworking artisan who also crafted stained glass.
His encyclopedic knowledge of the physical plant of St. Anthony Friary led him to compile a book of documents to guide future maintenance leaders.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, Brother Fereday collaborated with the late Jim “Butch” Struble, the custodian of St. Anthony Church, on projects that benefited both institutions. Major building projects at St. Anthony Friary unfolded under Brother Fereday’s watchful eyes.
A 2006-2007 renovation of living quarters involved floors three through five. The 2020-2021 addition of a large-capacity elevator, encased in a new tower on the north side, enhanced safety and security. In recent years, the relocation and expansion of the St. Anthony Parish Food Pantry showcased his talent in converting the former St. Anthony School library into a facility serving the needy citizens of surrounding counties.
A native of Waterloo, Iowa, Brother Fereday earned a theology degree from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, before entering the Franciscan friars. He displayed his enthusiasm for the University of Iowa Hawkeye Football by wearing an “IOWA”-emblazoned winter jacket.
Brother Fereday often took his dog, a dark gray Miniature Schnauzer mix named “Ella,” on errands around town. Tropical fish in tanks brightened his friary basement workshop.
His Franciscan confreres survive Brother Fereday in Our Lady of Guadalupe Province. He is also survived by his brother, Thomas, and sister-in-law, Sharon Fereday, of Waterloo, Iowa. Also survived by his nephews and their spouses: Christopher (Megan) Fereday, Charles (the late Angela Lefler) Fereday, and Andrew (Ann Marie) Fereday, all of Iowa.
Burial for Brother Fereday was held in Mount Calvary Cemetery in Butler, N.J., after his Mass of Christian Burial.
