Dr. Ralph M. McInerny

Much beloved husband, father, philosopher, and author - Dr. Ralph M.
McInerny, 80, residing at Holy Cross Village in Notre Dame, IN, died at 6:24 a.m.
Friday, January 29, 2010 at Our Lady of Peace Hospital, Mishawaka, IN.

On January 3, 1953, in Minneapolis, he married his devoted Connie, the
former Constance Kunert, who preceded him in death on May 18, 2002, and with
whom he raised a family of seven children.
Preceding him in death were a son, Michael, and a brother, Austin.

Ralph McInerny was born February 24, 1929 in Minneapolis, MN, the son
of Austin and Vivian (Rush) McInerny. After service in the Marine Corps
(1946-47), he eventually earned degrees from St. Paul Seminary, the University
of Minnesota, and finally a doctoral degree from Laval University in
Quebec. After teaching one year at
Creighton University, he arrived at the University of Notre Dame in 1955, where
he served as a member of the philosophy department for the next fifty-three
years before retiring in 2009. From 1978
Dr. McInerny held Notre Dame's Michael P. Grace Chair in Medieval Studies, and
was the director of Notre Dame's Jacques Maritain Center from 1978 to 2006.

A world-renowned expert in the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas, Dr.
McInerny was author of two dozen scholarly books and many more dozens of
scholarly essays. In his spare time, he
penned over fifty novels, including the acclaimed Father Dowling mystery
series. He also founded, edited, and
wrote for Crisis, a journal of lay
Catholic opinion, as well as developed a variety of other apostolic projects in
service to the Church. He was also a
published poet. Among the many honors he
received, he was a fellow of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas, the
recipient of the Bouchercon Lifetime Achievement Award for mystery writing, and
a member of President George W. Bush's Committee on the Arts and Humanities.

His devotion to his Catholic faith and the Catholic intellectual life
was an inspiration to countless students, colleagues, and faithful throughout
the world. His legendary wit, his charm,
and the joyful confidence with which he pursued every aspect of his multi-faceted
calling made him an extraordinary husband, father, teacher, writer, and friend.

Dr. McInerny is survived by four
daughters, Cathleen (Michael) Brownell of North Barrington, IL, Mary (Tom)
Hosford of Baltimore, MD, Anne (Chris) Policinski of Wayzata, MN, and Beth
(Paul) Hark of Inver Grove Heights, MN; two sons, David (Nancy) McInerny of
Overland Park, KS and Daniel (Amy) McInerny of Waco, TX; and seventeen
grandchildren. Also surviving are two
sisters, Mary Margaret Williams of Springfield, MA and Teresa (Michael)
Coloumbe of Lacrosse, WI; as well as five brothers, Roger (Lou) McInerny of
Minneapolis, MN, Raymond (Jean) McInerny of New Berlin, WI, Dennis Q. McInerny of
Lincoln, NE, Maurice (Diane) McInerny of Minneapolis, MN and Stephen (Margaret)
McInerny of Minneapolis, MN.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 9:30 a.m. Monday, February 1,
2010 at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Notre Dame, IN. Burial will follow at Cedar Grove Cemetery,
Notre Dame. Friends may visit with the
family from 2:00 - 6:00 p.m. Sunday, January 31, 2010 at the Palmer Funeral
Home - Hickey Chapel, 17131 Cleveland Road, South Bend, where a Rosary will be
said at 2:00 p.m. with a Wake Service to follow at 4:00 p.m.

Expressions of sympathy on behalf of Dr. McInerny may be offered to the
Women's Care Center, 360 N. Notre Dame Avenue, South Bend, IN 46617. Online condolences may be offered to the McInerny
family at www.palmerfuneralhomes.com.

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