There are many things to love about life at McCormick Assisted Living: the warm atmosphere, the visits to the hair salon and the lively Bingo games, to name a few. To those who reside in and visit McCormick, however, few qualities of life at McCormick are as special as getting to spend time with Father Willie.
Father Willie Van De Loo, who lives and leads daily mass at McCormick Assisted Living, recently celebrated his 95th birthday and 70th jubilee of the priesthood at McCormick, surrounded by loving friends including staff members, residents and family members of McCormick. Even Bishop David Ricken was there to celebrate.
Father Willie was born in Hollandtown in 1930 where he was raised in a Catholic farming family. He was ordained into the priesthood in 1955 and, since then, impacted countless lives through his many years as a parish priest, teacher, spiritual director and vicar, among other roles. Father Willie remains active in his retirement, attending functions throughout the Diocese of Green Bay and continuing to spread his message of faith and hope, always with a dash of good humor.
