St. Pat’s mourns loss of prominent parishioner

By Dean Shipley

Staff Writer

A vibrant member of the community was laid to rest on Thursday. William “Bill” Hanusik died Saturday, Nov.10. He was 79.

Hanusik, a retired seed merchant, involved himself in St. Patrick parish.

“He was always eager to bring a joy and excitement to parish life,” said Dan Hann, St. Patrick deacon.

Hann said Hanusik did that in a number of ways. Hann remarked about Hanusik’s speaking voice, calling it “excellent.”

He read Scripture during the Mass and was called on to read specifically at Midnight Mass in the celebration of Christmas.

“People would comment how he made the Scriptures come alive,” Hann said.

Outside of church Hanusik lent his voice to the Madison South High School football games and announced there for 14 years.

Hanusik took on recording parish history on video. Hann said he made video recordings of milestone events in the parish’s history, including the 125th and 140th anniversaries “to preserve our memories. We appreciate him doing that.”

Hann said for the parish’s centennial, Hanusik and his first wife, Marilyn, organized a St. Paddy’s court.

“They put someone in jail and had to pay St. Paddy’s Court to get them out of jail,” Hann said. “He had a creative and fun way of looking at things.”

Father Mark Ghiloni said Hanusik became an excellent cook and would provide meals for special occasions. He recalled when the bishop was scheduled to visit St. Patrick’s, Hanusik and his daughter, Jane, would prepare the meal.

“It was one thing I didn’t have to worry about,” Ghiloni said. Lamb chops or baked ham were two of Hanusik’s “signature” dishes.

Hanusik was inducted into the Farm Science Review Hall of Fame in 2004. The following is an excerpt of the release issued by the FSR upon Hanusik’s induction:

“William Hanusik of Springfield started exhibiting at the Farm Science Review as a District Sales Manager for Super-Crost Seed Company in 1963, the Review’s first year. He was the first exhibitor to sign a contract and did so for the first 15 years of the Review, first with Super-Crost and then with Madison Seed Company, which he started in 1968.

“We liked the people and got a lot of good advertising at the Review so we wanted to make sure we were there each year right from the start,” Hanusik said.

“William was always a constant contributor to farm operations at the Review,” said Gamble. Hanusik was not only an exhibitor; he also served on the Gwynne Conservation Area advisory committee.

Hanusik exhibited at the Review for 33 years until 1995 and then retired in 2000. “I always wanted to build our display to what the farmers wanted to see and that’s what the Review is about, giving and connecting all parts of the agriculture community together.”