May 20, 2003
Msgr. Arthur J. Tonne
Msgr. Tonne was born in Escanaba, Michigan, on July 4, 1904. On June 10, 1932 he was ordained a Franciscan priest at Holy Family Church in Oldenburg, IN by the Most Reverend Joseph Charatrand, Bishop of Indianapolis. After years of giving missions, retreats, and serving as a pastor he transferred to the Diocese of Wichita in 1951. As pastor he served in Little River for two years and at Pilsen until his retirement in 1991 when he moved to a home in Marion. The last year of his life was spent in a nursing home in Colorado. During his priesthood he wrote many books on stories and jokes that could be used in homilies. He also wrote "The Story of Chaplain Kapaun" which told the life story of Father Emil Kapaun from Pilsen. Msgr. Tonne was involved for many years on the local and state levels working on programs to benefit the aged. He helped form a deanery group of priests that met monthly for many years for a presentation on some aspect of priestly life and for a meal. He was named a Monsignor on September 15, 1960. Msgr.Tonn e died in Carbondale, Colorado on May 20, 2003 as the oldest priest of the diocese at ninety-eight years of age. Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted was principal celebrant of his funeral Mass and Father Paul Oborny preached the homily at Holy Family Parish, Pilsen. Msgr. Tonne was buried in the parish cemetery in Pilsen.