The late Heinz Baader (History Emeritus), 1932-2019

Remembering Lives of Service

In a season of loss, the abbey and college communities bid farewell to five men who contributed to the educations of thousands of students.

The Rev. John Bostwick ’68 (Theology & Religious Studies), died Oct. 21, 2018, at the age of 72. Bostwick served as house superior at St. Joseph Priory on campus and as master of novices. He taught in several Norbertine high schools before joining the faculty at St. Norbert College, where he taught for 25 years. Bostwick is survived by his Norbertine confrères, his brother and stepbrothers.

The Rev. Sal Cuccia ’63 (pictured left) died Nov. 17, 2018, at the age of 78. A faculty member at Archmere Academy in Philadelpia for two decades, he then served at St. Norbert College Parish 2000-15. He served as house superior at St. Norbert Abbey since 2007. Cuccia is survived by his Norbertine confrères and two sisters.

The Rev. Bartholomew Agar ’55 (Music, Emeritus) died Feb. 2, 2019, at the age of 87. Agar was a faculty member at St. Norbert High School on campus 1955-58 and at St. John Neumann High School in Philadelphia. He joined the music faculty at SNC in 1973 and taught at the college for 10 years, also serving as organist, accompanist and choir director. Agar is survived by the Norbertine community, two half-brothers and a half-sister.

The Rev. Vincent Joseph De Leers ’39 (Chemistry, Emeritus) died Feb. 7, 2019, at the age of 100. De Leers served in the United States Army 1940-42. In 1943, he joined the faculty of St. Norbert High School and later spent three years at St. John Neumann High School. He served as dean of St. Norbert College 1957-67. De Leers was the first American Norbertine to reach 100 years of age, and would become the college’s oldest alum and its last surviving alum of the 1930s. De Leers is survived by the Norbertine community and his daughters from an earlier marriage. 

Heinz Baader (History, Emeritus) died Feb. 16, 2019, at the age of 87. Baader (above), a native of Germany, arrived in the United States as a Fulbright Scholar and earned his Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley. He arrived at St. Norbert in 1965 and served on the faculty for 32 years, until his retirement in 1997. Baader is survived by his wife, Margaret. 

March 17, 2019