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Rev. William Bernard Scheid

Also Rev. Bernard Scheid · Rev. W. Bernard Scheid · Rev. William B. Scheid

Draft — sources verified, prose evolving

TypePerson
Borncirca 1913
Died1997-04-26
ErasModern era
On this page
Person
Born
circa 1913
Died
1997-04-26
Work
Pastor, St. Kevin's Church, Chicago
Eras
Modern era
Concepts
religioncommunity

Summary

Rev. William Bernard Scheid (circa 1913 – 26 April 1997) was a Roman Catholic priest, born and raised on Beaver Island, who served for decades as pastor of St. Kevin’s Church on Chicago’s South Side. The Beaver Beacon records him across five decades — from his father’s 1955 Chicago obituary to a funeral he returned to the island to conduct in 1985 — chiefly as a nephew and cousin who traveled from Chicago to officiate at the weddings and funerals of an interlinked island family, the Gallaghers, and as the host of an annual Chicago fundraising party for Beaver Island’s Holy Cross Church that ran for at least three decades.

Family

Scheid’s father was William “Billy” Scheid, described in an October 1955 Beacon obituary as “one time resident of the Island,” who died that month in Chicago; the same notice names two siblings, Dr. Morrell Scheid and Roberta (Mrs. Dick Rhue) of Colorado Springs, Colorado.1 A May 1976 Beacon item marking Scheid’s fortieth anniversary in the priesthood instead names “brother, Dr. John” among those present; the two records are carried here without being reconciled (see Evidence and limits).2 Scheid’s aunt and godmother was Martha Gallagher Zalusky of Ludington, repeatedly named in the Beacon as “her nephew and God Child” and, by 1976, “the only aunt he has left.”32

Scheid’s tie to the island’s Gallagher family runs through several generations and branches. The Beacon’s first identification of him is genealogical: when William John Gallagher, “a life long resident of Beaver Island,” was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery on October 24, 1960, the Solemn Mass was served by “two nephews of the deceased, the Rev. Victor Gallagher, of Reed City and the Rev. William B. Scheid of Chicago,” as celebrant and deacon respectively.4 A May 1956 obituary independently names Scheid “a nephew” officiating, with Fr. Victor Gallagher, at the funeral of James H. Gallagher, husband of “doc. Kittie Gallagher.”5 In March 1971 Scheid, again styled “her nephew,” celebrated the Requiem Mass for Mary Elizabeth Gallagher (née Duffy), William John Gallagher’s widow, who had come to Beaver Island from Aranmore, Ireland in 1904 and married Gallagher in November 1912.6 In August 1974 the Beacon corrected a prior obituary to state that “Msgr. Victor Gallagher and Fr. Bernard Scheid, Norman’s cousins, officiated” at Norman Gallagher’s funeral, not the priest originally credited.7

Priesthood and the Chicago Party

On April 8, 1961, Scheid marked twenty-five years in the priesthood with a Solemn High Mass at Holy Rosary Church in Chicago, placing his ordination at approximately 1936; the Beacon’s report states plainly that he “was born and raised on Beaver Island” and that the reception, held in the church basement, drew “many former Beaver Islanders and friends.”8 A Lowell Ledger notice from July 2, 1936 supports the same ordination window from an independent source: it describes the recently ordained Father Bernard Scheid returning to bless the priest who had baptized him on Beaver Island twenty-three years earlier, supporting a birth year of approximately 1913 without fixing an exact date.9 Fifteen years later, on April 24, 1976, Scheid celebrated his fortieth anniversary in the priesthood with a Solemn High Mass at St. Kevin’s, “10513 So. Torrence Avenue, Chicago,” attended by three assisting priests and family members who brought forward the Gifts.2

By February 1968 the Beacon was advertising the “Annual St. Patrick’s Party,” then in “the 14th year for the event” — placing its founding around 1954–55 — as a benefit for Holy Cross Church held at “St. Kevin’s Church Hall,” with the notice signed “Rev. Bernard Scheid, Pastor.”10 The same signed notice recurs in Beacon issues found across at least 1968–1979, establishing St. Kevin’s as his long-term parish assignment and the annual Chicago party as a sustained fundraising partnership with the island parish, distinct from the separate “Chicago Beaver Island Club” gatherings recorded on Chicago’s own article.10

Scheid officiated at further island-connected weddings and funerals through the 1970s and 1980s, in Chicago and beyond. On September 28, 1974, he celebrated the Nuptial Mass of Peggy Malloy and Charles Caffey.11 That August, he and Msgr. Victor Gallagher — both “cousins of the bride” — performed the double-ring wedding of Margaret Shumsky, Martha Zalusky’s granddaughter, to Dennis Grant in Ludington.12 In September 1976 he officiated the Crawford–Lockton wedding at Queen of Apostles Church in Riverdale, Illinois.13 In January 1979 he presided at the funeral of Thomas Diehl, husband of the former Kathryn Left of Beaver Island, at St. Catherine’s Church in Milwaukee.14 The latest dated instance found of his ministry is June 1985, when he returned to the island itself to officiate the funeral of William Jack Left, a former Beaver Island resident who died in Park Ridge, Illinois, held at Holy Cross Church with burial in Holy Cross Cemetery.15

Evidence and limits

The 1960 funeral notice gives the full “William B.” form and the family relationship; other notices give the “W. Bernard” and “Bernard” forms used locally. Two Beacon items disagree on the identity of one Scheid sibling: a 1955 obituary of the father names “Dr. Morrell Scheid,” while a 1976 anniversary item instead names “brother, Dr. John”; a 1973 Mail Bag entry separately names a “Doctor & Mrs. John M. Scheid” of Chicago among family guests at a Zalusky birthday party. Whether these describe one brother under different names, or two different people, is not stated by any source read for this article, and no merge is asserted here. No source read for this article gives an exact ordination or birth date, or states where Scheid was living or serving at his death. The Archdiocese of Chicago’s clergy death calendar supplies the April 26, 1997 death date under the full “William Bernard Scheid” form, bridged to the Beaver Island notices by the matching name and by decades of independently reported Chicago-area priestly service anchored at the same St. Kevin’s address.

An 1908–1910 “On This Date” retrospective column reprinted in later Beacon issues names a “W. A. Scheid” or “Billy Scheid,” bookkeeper for the Beaver Island Lumber Company, visiting his parents at Manistee. The name, era, and “Billy” form are consistent with the priest’s father, but no source read for this article states outright that the lumber-company bookkeeper and the priest’s father are the same man, and no connection is asserted here beyond noting the coincidence (see Open questions).

Open questions

  • Are “Dr. Morrell Scheid” (1955) and “brother, Dr. John” (1976) the same person, and does the 1973 “Doctor & Mrs. John M. Scheid” entry name him a third time under a fuller form?
  • Is the “W. A. Scheid”/“Billy Scheid” named as a Beaver Island Lumber Company bookkeeper in 1908–1910 retrospectives the same William “Billy” Scheid recorded as the priest’s father in 1955?
  • What became of the Chicago Party after the 1979 notices found here — did it continue past Scheid’s active pastorate, and when did his tenure at St. Kevin’s end?

See also

Footnotes

  1. Beaver Beacon, October 1955, obituary of William (Billy) Scheid. ↩

  2. Beaver Beacon, May 1976, “From the Mail Bag.” ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  3. Beaver Beacon, July 1975, “From the Mail Bag.” ↩

  4. Beaver Beacon, November 1960, “Holy Cross Church News.” ↩

  5. Beaver Beacon, May 1956, obituary of James H. Gallagher. ↩

  6. Beaver Beacon, March 1971, obituary of Mary Elizabeth Gallagher. ↩

  7. Beaver Beacon, August 1974, Museum notes and obituary correction. ↩

  8. Beaver Beacon, May 1961, “Rev. W. Bernard Scheid.” ↩

  9. Lowell Ledger, July 2, 1936, local news column. ↩

  10. Beaver Beacon, February 1968, “Party Time” and Chicago Party notice. ↩ ↩2

  11. Beaver Beacon, December 1974, “Weddings.” ↩

  12. Beaver Beacon, September 1974, “Weddings: Shumsky - Grant.” ↩

  13. Beaver Beacon, October 1976, “Weddings: Crawford - Lockton.” ↩

  14. Beaver Beacon, January 1979, obituary of Thomas Diehl. ↩

  15. Beaver Beacon, July 1985, obituary of William Jack Left. ↩

Sources

  1. Names Rev. Bernard Scheid as celebrating the Nuptial Mass at Peggy Malloy and Charles Caffey’s September 28, 1974 wedding. It does not identify his parish or supply a clerical record.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1974-12_Beaver-Beacon
  2. The held nine-page issue scan is paired with the OCR source and confirms the published notice or report; it does not expand the source-specific identity, event, or outcome claims.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1974-12_Beaver-Beacon
  3. Identifies W. Bernard Scheid as born and raised on Beaver Island while reporting his silver priesthood anniversary.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1961-05_Beaver-Beacon
  4. The held seven-page issue scan is paired with the OCR source and confirms the published notice or report; it does not expand the source-specific identity, event, or outcome claims.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1961-05_Beaver-Beacon
  5. Names Rev. William B. Scheid of Chicago as deacon at William John Gallagher’s funeral, linking the full given name to the local Bernard Scheid notices.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1960-11_Beaver-Beacon
  6. The held three-page issue scan is paired with the OCR source and confirms the published notice or report; it does not expand the source-specific identity, event, or outcome claims.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · scans · beaver_beacon · issues · 1960-11_Beaver-Beacon
  7. Reports that the recently ordained Rev. Fr. Bernard Scheid administered a priestly blessing to the priest who had baptized him on Beaver Island 23 years earlier. Along with the local full-name bridge, it supports a circa-1913 birth timing but not an exact birth date.
  8. The Archdiocese of Chicago death calendar lists Rev. William Bernard Scheid as dying April 26, 1997. The full name is directly bridged by the 1960 Beaver Beacon notice and the ongoing Chicago parish references.
  9. Reports the death that month, in Chicago, of "Mr. William (Billy) Scheid, one time resident of the Island," naming him "the father of Father Bernard Scheid, Dr. Morrell Scheid and (Roberta) Mrs. Dick Rhue of Colorado Springs, Col." Establishes the priest's father and two named siblings; gives no birth or death date for the father beyond "this month." The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1955-10_Beaver-Beacon
  10. Reports that funeral services for James H. Gallagher, 72, husband of "doc. Kittie Gallagher," were conducted by "his son Fr. Victor, a nephew Fr. Scheid of Chicago and Fr. Neubecker," naming Scheid as a Gallagher-family nephew independent of the 1960 William John Gallagher funeral notice. The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1956-05_Beaver-Beacon
  11. Announces the Annual St. Patrick's Party, "the 14th year for the event," a Holy Cross Church benefit to be held at "St. Kevin's Church Hall, 10513 Torrence Avenue, Chicago, Ill.," signed "Rev. Bernard Scheid, Pastor." Establishes his parish (St. Kevin's) and gives the fundraiser an implied founding year of about 1954-55; the same signature line recurs in Beacon Chicago Party notices at least through 1979 (issues checked: 1969-02, 1970-01, 1970-02, 1971-02, 1972-02, 1975-02, 1976-01, 1977-02, 1979-01).
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1968-02_Beaver-Beacon
  12. Reports that the Requiem Mass for Mary Elizabeth Gallagher (nee Duffy, born Aranmore, Ireland, 12 April 1887; came to Beaver Island 1904; married William John Gallagher November 1912; he died 22 October 1962) was "celebrated by her nephew, Rev. Father Bernard Scheid, of St. Kevin's Church in Chicago, Ill."
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1971-03_Beaver-Beacon
  13. Corrects the previous month's obituary of Norman Gallagher: "Msgr. Victor Gallagher and Fr. Bernard Scheid, Norman's cousins, officiated, not Fr. Graf as stated."
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1974-08_Beaver-Beacon
  14. Reports the 16 August 1974 wedding of Margaret Shumsky, great-granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Gallagher, Sr., and granddaughter of Martha Zalusky, to Dennis Grant at St. Simon Catholic Church, Ludington: "the double-ring ceremony was performed by the Rev. Bernard Scheid of Chicago and the Rev. Msgr. Victor Gallagher of Traverse City, both cousins of the bride." The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1974-09_Beaver-Beacon
  15. Reports that at Martha Gallagher Zalusky's 82nd-birthday gathering on 28 June, "her nephew and God Child Rev. Fr. Bernard Scheid of Chicago, came and said Mass for her," alongside seven friends "from Rev. R. Scheid's Parish, all from Chicago." Establishes Zalusky as both his aunt and his godmother. The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1975-07_Beaver-Beacon
  16. Reports that "Rev. Fr. Bernard Scheid, 10513 So. Torrence Avenue, Chicago, Illinois celebrated his 40th Anniversary in the Priesthood on April 24th" with a Solemn High Mass and three assisting priests; "his Aunt Martha, sister Roberta, brother, Dr. John and wife took the Gifts up to him." Names Martha Zalusky as "the only aunt he has left" and "also his God-Mother." The brother is here called "Dr. John," against the 1955 obituary's "Dr. Morrell Scheid"; both are carried without reconciling them (see Evidence and limits). The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1976-05_Beaver-Beacon
  17. Reports the 25 September wedding of Patricia Ann Lockton and Patrick Joseph Crawford at Queen of Apostles Church, Riverdale, Illinois, "officiated" by "the Rev. Fr. Bernard Scheid." The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1976-10_Beaver-Beacon
  18. Reports that funeral services for Thomas Diehl, husband of the former Kathryn Left of Beaver Island, were held at St. Catherine's Church in Milwaukee "with Father Bernard Scheid of Chicago officiating." The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1979-01_Beaver-Beacon
  19. Reports that William Jack Left, 55, a former Beaver Island resident who died 17 June 1985, was buried from Holy Cross Church, Beaver Island, on 21 June, with "the Rev. Bernard Scheid of Chicago" officiating -- the latest dated instance found of Scheid returning to the island itself to officiate a funeral. The holding institution's portal restricts automated access; the archive holds a copy of this issue and can provide it on request.
    data1 · beaver-island-archive · beaver_beacon · 1985-07_Beaver-Beacon

Added 1 August 2026 · revised 5 August 2026. Recent changes

Cite this article

Beaver Island Archive, “Rev. William Bernard Scheid”, https://beaverislandarchive.org/people/william-bernard-scheid/, accessed [date], citing Beaver Beacon, December 1974, “Weddings.” (and 18 further sources listed on the page).

Last revised 2026-08-05. Fill in [date] with the date you read it — this page is static and cannot know that.

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