Elgin pastor, school superintendent remembered as compassionate teacher

The Rev. Edward J. Seisser, superintendent of St. Edward Central Catholic School in Elgin, was remembered Monday as a compassionate man who had a passion for teaching and reaching out to young people through sports.

Seisser, 57, who also was lead pastor at St. Catherine of Siena Church in West Dundee, died Sunday night, said the Rev. Matthew DeBlock, principal of St. Edward and associate pastor at St. Catherine's.

“He was a wonderful listener,” DeBlock said. “He had great care for all of the people around him, especially the young people at the high school. He had a deep desire to share the faith with them, and to help them to experience a relationship with Christ.”

Seisser died of a heart-related issue, said his sister, Annie Belcher, of Elgin.

“He was a private person, quiet,” she said. “But once he became a priest and he had more of a public life, he was very comfortable with that. He had very good pastoring skills. He was very good one-on-one because he was so compassionate. He was a great listener.”

Seisser grew up in Elgin as a devout child who first mentioned wanting to become a priest in high school, Belcher said.

He graduated from Elgin High School and attended Eastern Illinois University, and later taught grade school and coached basketball while also taking a variety of college classes over the years, she said. He was among the first girls' basketball coaches in the area in the 1980s, and a big supporter of sports at St. Edward High School.

“He loved to learn and he loved to teach,” Belcher said. “Education was always a big part of his life.”

He embraced his vocation after working in food services at Bishop Lane Retreat Services, part of the Diocese of Rockford, and was ordained at age 40 in 1998, she said.

Seisser taught theology and history at St. Edward High School, where he also coached basketball, DeBlock said. He later served as president of the council of administration and was appointed superintendent/principal from 2006 to 2009 and president of the St. Edward Education Foundation from 2012 to 2014, according to the school's website. He was again appointed superintended July 1, 2014, DeBlock said.

Seisser loved to read, especially books about military history, DeBlock said. “He was an armchair general. That was his main passion,” DeBlock said, adding Seisser had visited Gettysburg National Park and went on a historical tour of Washington, D.C., a couple of years ago.

Seisser also served as parochial vicar for St. John Neumann Parish in St. Charles and pastor of St. Mary Parish in Elgin, according to the school's website. He received the Loyal Order of St. Edward award in 2012.

He is survived by his mother, Shirley Seisser; siblings Annie Belcher, Mary Ellen Nelson, Greg Seisser and Gilbert Seisser; nieces Ingrid Nelson, Chelsea Belcher and Isabel Belcher; and nephews Adam Seisser, Matthew Seisser, Lucas Belcher and Aidan Belcher.

Funeral services are 11 a.m. Friday at St. Catherine of Siena, 845 W. Main St., West Dundee.