MADISON — Msgr. William A. DeBock, 86, a pastor emeritus in the Diocese of Madison, died on Saturday, Feb. 6, in Madison.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Tuesday, Feb. 9, at 11 a.m. at St. James Parish, 1128 St. James Ct., Madison. Bishop Robert C. Morlino will be the main celebrant, with Msgr. Thomas Baxter, pastor, as homilist.
Visitation will be at St. James Parish from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 8, with a Scripture Service at 8 p.m. There will also be a visitation at St. James Parish from 10 a.m. until the time of the Mass on February 9. Burial will be at Mt. Thabor Cemetery, 2222 Shopiere Rd. in Beloit, following the funeral luncheon at St. James Parish.
Monsignor DeBock was born in Beloit on October 25, 1923, the son of Joseph K. DeBock and Celeste Maria Dupon, both immigrants from East Flanders, Belgium.
He attended Brother Dutton School in Beloit, St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee, and the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
He was ordained by Bishop William P. O’Connor for the Diocese of Madison on May 28, 1949, and made a monsignor on June 14, 1999.
Monsignor DeBock served as associate pastor at St. Mary Parish, Platteville; St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish, Portage; St. John the Baptist Parish, Waunakee; and Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Madison.
He became the first resident pastor of St. Olaf Parish in De Forest in 1956 and served there with the mission at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Poynette until 1967. He was pastor in 1967 to 1968 at Holy Redeemer Parish in Madison, and then for 23 years at St. James Parish in Madison. He was pastor at St. Joseph Parish in East Bristol from 1991 until his retirement in 1999.
He served as director of the Family Life Conference, notary and defender of the bond on the Matrimonial Tribunal, and was a member of the Presbyteral Council, Priest Personnel Board, and College of Consultors of the Diocese of Madison. He also served on the St. Raphael Board and was dean of the Madison and East Dane Deaneries.