Father Dennis R. O’Grady

Bishop Martin Amos, retired bishop of Davenport, Iowa, was the main celebrant at the July 7 funeral Mass at St. Joseph Church in Strongsville for Father Dennis R. O’Grady. Father O’Grady, 92, died on June 30. He was ordained to the priesthood for service to the Diocese of Cleveland on May 20, 1961, by Bishop Floyd Begin. Father O’Grady served as parochial vicar of St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Akron, St. Michael Parish, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish and Blessed Sacrament Parish, all in Cleveland. Father O’Grady had a special ministry to the Hispanic community in Cleveland. He formed the diocesan pastoral team for the Spanish-speaking community. While at St. Michael Parish, he was charged with establishing a Chapel of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament to serve the Hispanic community of Blessed Sacrament and St. Boniface parishes. On Dec. 19, 1980, he was appointed pastor of St. Michael Parish, Cleveland, where he served until retiring on Jan. 5, 2003, when he was named pastor emeritus of St. Michael Parish. Interment was at Holy Cross Cemetery, Brook Park.

Father Robert J. Kropac

Bishop Edward Malesic celebrated a memorial Mass for Father Robert J. Kropac on Aug. 12 at St. Wendelin Church in Cleveland. Father Kropac, 70, died on July 5. On May 16, 1982, in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Cleveland, Bishop James Griffin ordained him to the priesthood for service to the Diocese of Cleveland. Father Kropac served as parochial vicar at Holy Trinity Parish, Bedford and St. Gabriel Parish, Concord, and he was a pastoral member of St. Mary Magdalene Parish in Willowick. During this assignment, he was a member of the diocesan Music Commission and served as liaison between the diocesan Pastoral Liturgy Commission and the diocesan Liturgy Office staff. He was appointed to a five-year term as director of the Diocesan Worship Commission on July 1, 1986, and he served as director of the diocesan Office for Pastoral Liturgy from 1990-1995. He also served as master of ceremonies for Bishop James Lyke. On June 1, 1995, Father Kropac was named pastor of St. Henry Parish, Cleveland. He was appointed pastor of St. Wendelin Parish, Cleveland on July 16, 2012. In addition, he served as pastor of St. Peter Parish, Cleveland from July 30, 2012 to Oct. 13, 2019. He was appointed administrator of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Cleveland on Feb. 20, 2023. Burial was private.

Father Mark J. Peyton

Bishop Edward Malesic was the main celebrant for Father Mark J. Peyton’s July 30 funeral Mass in St. Francis de Sales Church in Parma. Father Peyton, 75 and a senior priest-retired, died on July 21. Bishop James Hickey ordained him to the priesthood for service in the Diocese of Cleveland on June 11, 1977, in the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. He served as parochial vicar of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Cuyahoga Falls, St. Jude Parish in Elyria and St. Vitus Parish in Cleveland. Father Peyton also served as chaplain to Lake Catholic High School in Mentor, as chaplain for the Knights of Columbus Elyria Council 744 and as chaplain for the Catholic Committee on Scouting. On June 23, 1987, he was appointed pastor of St. Procop Parish in Cleveland. Father Peyton was appointed pastor of St. Gregory the Great Parish in South Euclid on May 6, 2002. He was appointed pastor of Assumption of Mary Parish in Brook Park on July 1, 2004. And on Aug. 31, 2009, Father Peyton was appointed pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Parma, where he served until his retirement on Sept. 15, 2025. Interment was at Holy Cross Cemetery in Brook Park.

Eileen Von Alt

The funeral Mass for Eileen F. Von Alt was celebrated on Aug. 12 in the Holy Spirit Chapel at Jennings in Garfield Heights. Von Alt, 95, died Aug. 5. She served the Diocese of Cleveland for 51 years before retiring in 2017. Von Alt was the longtime personal secretary to the late Bishop Anthony Pilla and the late Bishop Richard Lennon. She also served as secretary for Toledo Bishop Daniel Thomas when he was the diocesan administrator after Bishop Lennon’s retirement in December 2016. Before moving to the bishop’s office, she worked at St. John College. Survivors include a nephew, Michael Von Alt; a cousin, Carol Ann States, and close friend Palmira Juras. She was predeceased by a brother, Robert Von Alt (Sandra), a sister, Mary Louise Sexton (Arthur) and a niece, Lisa Ann Byoune. Von Alt was a longtime member of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Cleveland’s West Park neighborhood. Interment was at Holy Cross Cemetery, Brook Park.