December 8, 1971
Father Neil Diver
Father Diver was born in Chicago on August 1, 1916 and was ordained for the Diocese of Wichita at St. John’s Cathedral in Milwaukee on November 30th, 1943. Before becoming pastor at Oswego and Chetopa, he was an assistant at Holy Name Parish in Coffeyville, a chaplain in the Army, and an assistant at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Pittsburg. Other assignments for Father Diver were to Council Grove and Skiddy; South Mound and Erie; Derby; Burns and Spring Branch; Scammon and Weir; Andover; and Franklin and Capaldo. After a brief period as chaplain at Mercy Hospital in Fort Scott, he became pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Fredonia on January 22, 1971 until his death from an apparent heart attack that same year on the eighth of December. Over fifty priests joined Bishop Maloney in celebrating Father Diver’s funeral at Sacred Heart Parish, Fredonia, on December 11, 1971. Father Diver was buried in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in River Grove, IL.