Notre Dame theology professor emeritus William Storey died Thursday at the age of 90 after a brief illness, according to a report in the South Bend Tribune.
Storey came to Notre Dame in 1967 to teach in the then-new doctoral program in liturgical studies, and in 1968 he developed an undergraduate program for majors in theology, the report stated. He retired in 1985 but directed doctoral students in liturgy until 1988.
Before coming to Notre Dame, Storey taught in the department of history at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Penn., where he specialized in Medieval History and served as department chair for six years. The report stated that he was an activist in interracial affairs concerned with the Vietnam War and the beginning of the Catholic Pentecostal Movement.
His former wife Elaine Curry, with whom he had seven children, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild, preceded Storey in death. After a 1977 divorce, he spent the rest of his life with his partner Philip Howland Schatz, the report stated.
Following his retirement, Storey became part owner of Erasmus Books in South Bend with Schatz, according to the report, and continued his career publishing a series of prayer books.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday at 6 p.m. at St. Hedwig Catholic Church in South Bend. Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. that day in the church with a dinner following the Mass.
Donations made in Storey’s memory may be sent to Church World Service in Elkhart or St. Margaret’s House in South Bend.
