Doran, William J.

Jesuit Father William J. Doran, 87, died Jan. 31, 2011, in Wauwatosa, Wis. Born in Omaha, Neb. on Sept. 23, 1923, he was a Nebraska native and lifelong educator, who served as principal and education administrator for more than a quarter century.

He was a graduate of Creighton Prep Jesuit High School attended Creighton University and entered the Society of Jesus in 1943 and studied theology at St. Mary’s (Kans.) College. He earned his bachelor’s in Latin, Greek and philosophy  in 1947 and taught Latin and English at St. Louis University High from 1949-52 and completed his master’s in theology at St. Louis University.

He was ordained a priest at Gesu Church in Milwaukee in 1955, and pronounced Final Vows on Feb. 2, 1977.

From 1956-57, he was assistant principal at Campion Jesuit High School in Prairie du Chien, Wis. After a year for tertianship he returned to Campion as principal, a post he held until 1968.

In 1968 he moved to Marquette University High School in Milwaukee, first as principal and then as president. From 1985-89 he served as vice president. After a sabbatical year, he returned to MUHS as assistant to the president.

He moved to Creighton Prep High School in Omaha in 1991 to occupy the parallel position of assistant to the president. The following year he served as associate pastor at Gesu Church in Milwaukee, but in 1994 he returned to Creighton Prep to resume his duties as assistant principal.

Due to failing health, he was missioned to pray for the Church and Society at St. Camillus Jesuit community in Wauwatosa, Wis., in August of 2010, where he died.