William Brendan Tarrier, O.P.

William Brendan Tarrier, O.P.

Born: April 1, 1920

Professed: Sept. 29, l944

Ordained: June 5, l947

Died: February 13, 2005

Although most of Fr. Brendan Tarrier’s priestly ministry was parochial, his very first assignment was as a professor at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he was much beloved by his students.

The beginning of his pastoral apostolate was at Sacred Heart Parish in Jersey City, and it was there that his preaching abilities and sensitive concern for the parishioners led to his success among them as his reputation grew.  Eventually Father Tarrier served there both as Prior of the Dominican community and Pastor of the parish.

Later he was invited to exercise his parochial skills in several parishes in the Diocese of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and once again his loyal and pastoral concern was appreciated. Father Tarrier was particularly effective in dealing with troubled people as a result of his own struggles from time to time.  His sensitive outreach to those in need rendered him a particularly effective parochial minister and earned him a well-deserved reputation as an understanding counselor.

As age and illness took their gradual toll, Father Tarrier was welcomed by the Dominican Sisters of Our Lady of the Springs in Columbus, Ohio, into their Mohun Health Care Center where he spent the remaining years of his life with several others of his Dominican brothers who were also resident there.  It was there, surrounded by his Dominican family, that he quietly and peacefully went to his eternal reward on February 13, 2005.

V. Rev. Raymond Daley, O.P., Vicar Provincial, was celebrant at the Mass of Christian Burial which was concelebrated by many of his Dominican brothers in the Chapel at Mohun Hall, and burial took place in the Dominican Friars’ cemetery at St. Joseph Church in Somerset, OH, not far from where his life had begun 85 years earlier.

Aquinas CollegeDiocese of KalamazooDominican Friars' CemeteryProfessor