Rev. Robert “Bob” G. Mair, pastor emeritus of St. Catherine Labouré Catholic Church in Glenview, who spent decades serving parishes across Chicago’s North Shore in Wilmette, Skokie and Evanston, has died. He was 86.
Rev. Isaac Lara, a fellow pastor at St. Catherine Labouré and close friend of Mair, confirmed to the Pioneer Press that Mair died on Sunday March 29, nearly three weeks after he moved into a nursing home to receive more intensive care.
Lara said Mair was “well loved” within the community, describing him as a “great preacher” with sermons so compelling, “people used to come just to listen to them.”
“He was always very kind and in a sense, he was a great witness, a great mentor. As a retired priest, he was a great mentor to me,” Lara said.
After serving the St. Catherine Labouré community for nearly nine years, Mair retired in 2009 and was bestowed the formal title of pastor emeritus.
But Mair remained an active member of the Catholic community up until his death, visiting St. Catherine Labouré frequently on both weekdays and weekends to celebrate mass with parishioners.
“He had a group of parishioners who [he] used to go to coffee with pretty much every day, a couple times a week,” Lara added. “He was always around.”
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The third of 11 children, Mair was born in 1939 in Chicago and attended St. Justin the Martyr School on the South Side, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein.
Ordained into the priesthood in April 1965, Mair served as associate pastor at St. Nicholas Parish in Evanston from 1965 to 1971, St. Joseph Parish in Wilmette from 1971 to 1977 and St. Peter Parish in Skokie from 1977 to 1985.
He moved back to the city in 1985 to serve as an associate pastor and later pastor at St. Mary of the Lake on North Sheridan Road.
Mair arrived at St. Catherine Labouré in Glenview in 2000, where he continued to serve out his role as pastor until his retirement in 2009, supporting students at the affiliated St. Catherine Labouré elementary and middle school.
After nearly 60 years of operation, the school closed last May, Lara said, due to declining enrollment numbers.
Continuing a life dedicated to religious service in the North Shore community, Mair also served on the Priest Placement Board and the Priest Retirement and Mutual Aid Association.
Rev. William E. Vanecko, a former classmate of Mair’s, reflected on his memory fondly, describing him as a “good pastor and athlete.”
“He was a big fan of golf,” Vanecko relayed in a message to the Archdiocese of Chicago.
“I heard from many parishioners that he was always there to help and always there to celebrate the sacraments,” Lara told the Pioneer Press.
“Sunday masses, Sunday services, daily services, funerals, many baptisms,” Lara continued, “So many parishioners from other places were coming to see him here.”
Funeral services will be held at St. Catherine Labouré Church at 3535 Thornwood Avenue in Glenview, with a visitation period on Thursday, April 9 from 3 to 7 p.m. followed by a prayer service beginning at 7 p.m. and on Friday, April 10 from 10 to 11 a.m.
A funeral Mass is set to be held on Friday, April 10 at 11 a.m.
Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, will preside over the service and Rev. William Vanecko will provide the homily.Mair is survived by a number of nieces and nephews.