Fr. William Ollendick, OFM

Franciscan Fr. William Ollendick, OFM, a native of Cincinnati and former Parochial Administrator at Holy Name Parish in Mt. Auburn, died unexpectedly on Dec. 20, 2019. He was 70 years old. Drawn to ordained ministry later in life, he also served as an Associate or Pastor at parishes in Metamora, Ill., Houma, La., Lafayette, La., and Southfield, Mich. “I’ve been in parishes all my life,” he once said. “You learn from each place you’ve been.”

One of five children of Robert and Mary Jane (Bender) Ollendick, he began formation with the Franciscan friars after graduating from Mt. Healthy High School, professing his first vows in 1970 and solemn vows in 1975. In his early years as a friar Fr. Ollendick was a cook in Cincinnati and a teacher at a grade school in New Orleans, La. Assignments in the Southwest took him to missions in Arizona and New Mexico for eight years. Starting in 1985 he spent seven years on the parish team at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Centerville, Ohio.

He then charted a course that would change his life. After completing the Lay Pastoral Ministry Program at the Athenaeum of Ohio, he obtained a BA in Pastoral Ministry at the College of Mt. St. Joseph and went on to the M.Div. program at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. His ordination to the priesthood on June 23, 2001, was a joyous day for Fr. Ollendick and his family.

A few years into priestly assignments he was diagnosed with a tumor on his spine, the start of a physical decline from which he would never fully recover. His last assignment before retirement, from 2014 to 2017, was with Holy Name Parish. Since then he had been living and assisting in sacramental ministry at St. Clement Friary in St. Bernard.

Fr. Ollendick was preceded in death by his father, Robert. He is survived by his mother, Mary Jane Ollendick, siblings Marian Ollendick, Robbie (Shoyna) Ollendick, Paul Ollendick, and Ralph (Pam) Ollendick, as well as nieces and nephews. The Reception of the Body and Visitation begins at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 24, at St. Clement Church, 4536 Vine St. in St. Bernard. A Mass of Christian Burial follows at 10:45 a.m. Interment will take place at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 26, at St. Mary Cemetery in St. Bernard. Memorials in the name of Fr. Ollendick may be sent to the Franciscans in care of FriarWorks, 1615 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH 45202.