Many of you from St. Luke's here in Fairfax will remember Father Bill Chant. He was an older priest and was in the first class of men to be ordained to the Deaconate in VT & then when his wife died, he entered the seminary and was ordained to the Priesthood.
His homilies can always be remembered as he did a dialog of himself talking to God, with God asking him certain questions and him answering. I believe he may have substituted for Father Feltz when Father Feltz had Guard Weekends, but can't remember for sure. His photo below may bring back some memories that I don't have:
NORTHFIELD - The Rev. William Sutliff Chant, 81, passed away during the early morning hours of Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010, at his home in Northfield Falls. He was born Sept. 20, 1929, in Jamestown, N.Y., the son of F. Raemond and Grace (Wadsworth) Chant of Randolph, N.Y.
He was predeceased by his loving wife, Patricia Brady Chant, in 1978, and by his brother, Ward W. Chant.
Bill graduated from public schools in Randolph, N.Y., and from St. Bonaventure College in Olean, N.Y. He served in the U.S. Army during the World War II era.
He married Patricia Brady on Aug. 8, 1953, in Jamestown, N.Y.
He was a high school math teacher in his hometown, and worked for the FBI as a cryptologist before joining IBM, working as a programming engineer at locations in Kingston, N.Y., Boulder, Colo., and retiring from the Essex Junction facility. Following his ordination as a deacon in the Catholic Church and his retirement from IBM, he attended seminary at Mount St. Mary's College, Emmitsburg, Md., and was ordained a priest, serving in the Diocese of Burlington at parishes in Burlington, Brattleboro, Richford and Williamstown.
Following retirement as an active priest, he traveled the length and breadth of Vermont, filling in at parishes as a relief priest. Some of his greatest joy was found behind the wheel of his car, driving tens of thousands of miles each year, both in his priestly duties and for his own enjoyment and discovery. He held a pilot's license for most of his life, giving it up following a plane crash in southeast Pennsylvania during the 1980s.
Bill is survived by his longtime companion, Elizabeth Lower, and her family. He also leaves a brother, Robert. R. Chant of St. Peters, Mo.; four sons, Stephen J. Chant of Colchester, Paul W. Chant of Chocorua, N.H., Daniel P. Chant of South Burlington and Timothy J. Chant of Warwick, R.I.; three daughters, Catherine M. Chant of Northfield, Barbara C. Colton of Hingham, Mass., and Elizabeth M. Chant of Colchester. He also is survived by 12 grandchildren, Ariel, Luke, Libby, Margaret, Sarah, Emily, Thomas, Jacqueline, Jessica, Ethan, Brady and Drew, and one great-granddaughter, Hannah.
A memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18, at Our Lady of the Snows Church in Waitsfield.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to COTS (Committee on Temporary Shelter), P.O. Box 1616, Burlington, VT 05402.
