Fr. McGrath in 1960.
The Fenwick Community has received word that Fr. Jordan McGrath, O.P., died peacefully Sunday morning at Resurrection Life Center, five weeks shy of his 87th birthday. "It seems to have been a very quick and peaceful death for him. Just a week ago Wednesday he was with us [St. Pius V] at community prayer and recreation," reports Prior Provincial, the Very Rev. James Marchionda, O.P.
Fr. McGrath taught math at Fenwick High School for more than a quarter-century. Present Math Dept. Chair and alumnus Roger Finnell '59, one of his early Friars' students, remembers him as a demanding teacher who knew the material exceptionally well "and who expected students to follow and complete all work on time on a tight schedule of homework assignments. He expected students to be sure to organize all of their work neatly and carefully, even taking off points if equal signs were not aligned in their work."
Mr. Finnell continues: "One of his best students, William Mayer '74, now a PhD. and college professor [PolySci at Northeastern University in Boston], thanked Fr. McGrath for the academic rigor that Father instilled and cited him as one of the most gifted, influential teachers by whom he was taught at Fenwick."
September 10, 1931 - August 5, 2018