Fr. Michael Daniel Crosby, O.F.M.

Fr. Michael Daniel Crosby, O.F.M., a Franciscan friar and priest, passed away, at the age of 90, on Wednesday evening, January 21, 2026, at St. Mary’s Nursing Home, in Felician Village, Manitowoc, WI.

Michael was born on December 6, 1935, and lived his first years at St. Mary Infant Asylum in Buffalo, New York, where he was baptized on December 31, 1935.   His adoptive parents, Cleveland William Crosby and Agnes Loretta Delaney, raised him in the Catholic faith, confirmed him at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church on May 31, 1948, in Lackawanna, a suburb of Buffalo, New York, and supported him through his early years of education.

Discerning a call to Franciscan religious life, he received his first years of formation at St. Joseph High School Seminary in Westmont, IL.  He was received into the Franciscan novitiate on June 21, 1956, at Teutopolis, IL, and was given the religious name, “DeSales”.  He made his first Franciscan vows at Teutopolis on June 22, 1957, and continued his Franciscan college formation in philosophy at Our Lady of Angels in Cleveland, OH, making his solemn vows there on June 22, 1960.  Returning to Teutopolis, IL, he completed four years of theology at St. Joseph Seminary, and was ordained there, on January 19, 1964 by Bishop Henry A. Pinger, a bishop of the Sacred Heart Province serving in the Chinese missions.

Fr. DeSales changed his name, after Vatican II, back to his baptismal name: “Michael”. With his ordination completed, he prepared himself for future ministry with two more years of studies at Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, earning a Master of Arts degree in English Literature.  For the next 11 years, he was stationed at Quincy College in Quincy, IL, teaching in the English department, as well as serving as an academic dean, and as a formation director at the college seminary.  Music and acting were gifts Fr. Michael brought to the college and area community, singing in musical groups, acting in the local community theatre, and in college theatre productions. 

After Quincy, over the next 20 years, he served in parish ministry in New Lenox, IL,  Cleveland, OH, Petoskey, MI, St. Louis, MO, and St. Peter’s in the Chicago Loop.  

In his last 15 years of ministry, Fr. Michael first completed a sabbatical year at Washington Theological Union in Silver Spring, MD, enrolling in a spiritual formation program. He was appointed the director of the Office of Friar Formation, serving as director of development for the friars, overseeing study and sabbatical programs, retreats, workshops, house chapters and provincial assemblies. He completed a year-long certificate program for spiritual direction at St. Louis University’s Acquinas Institute and utilized those skills, both in the diocese of Honolulu, Hawaii, and in St. Louis, MO on the staff of the St. Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute.  In his final years in St. Louis, he engaged in a preaching ministry and was the director of Il Ritiro, while also supporting the needs of local parishes.

In 2015, Fr. Michael retired to the community at St. Clare’s in Alton, IL; then, in 2020, needing more care, he moved to Blessed Giles Friary in Manitowoc, WI, and then to St. Mary’s Nursing Home in Felician Village.   It was there he passed away in the late evening of January 21st, under the care of the staffs of St. Mary’s and the Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice from Sheboygan Falls, WI. 

Fr. Michael was preceded in death by his parents, Cleveland and Agnes Crosby, other relatives and friends, as well as his Franciscan brothers.  He is survived by numerous cousins and his many brothers in the Our Lady of Guadalupe Franciscan Province headquartered in Atlanta, GA.

The friars would like to express their appreciation for the care Fr. Michael received these last years of his life from the staff and caregivers at Blessed Giles Friary in Manitowoc, as well as the staffs at St. Mary’s Nursing Home and the Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice.

Funeral services for Fr. Michael Crosby will be held at 10:00 am, on Monday, February 2, 2026, in the chapel at Blessed Giles Friary, 1820 Grand Avenue, in Manitowoc, WI.   At a later date, there will be a private internment of his cremains in the friars’ plot at Calvary Cemetery in Manitowoc. 

In your kindness, please consider making a donation in memory of Fr. Michael Crosby, O.F.M., for the continued care of our retired Franciscan brothers and priests.  Any donation will be appreciated. Please send your charitable donation to the Franciscan Friars of Missouri, for the benefit of Blessed Giles Friary, 3140 Meramec Street, St. Louis, MO 63118.   Attn:  Finance Office.   May God bless you for your generosity and your prayers.

The Lakeshore Family Funeral Homes, Pfeffer location, Manitowoc, WI, is assisting the friars with funeral arrangements.  Online condolences may be expressed by visiting: https://www.lakeshorefamilyfuneralhomes.com/pfeffer-funeral-home-obituaries. 

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