Rev. Ferdinand Negrillos, Sch. P.
1917 -2010
Rev. Ferdinand Negrillos, Sch. P., a Spanish teacher at Devon Preparatory School for 25 years, died Saturday, January 2, 2010 at Regina Nursing Center in Norristown. He was 92 years old. He was a Piarist Father for 68 years.
Fr. Negrillos was born in Logrono, Spain on May 30, 1917. As a young man he was educated by the Piarist Fathers and later attended the Piarist Fathers’ Seminary in Spain where he studied philosophy and theology. After his ordination to the priesthood on June 7, 1941 he taught in secondary schools in Aragon, Spain for several years.
In the early 1950’s Fr. Negrillos was sent to New York City to serve in a Piarist Mission. In 1957 Devon Preparatory School’s first Headmaster, Rev. Stephen Senye, Sch.P., asked Fr. Negrillos to join Devon Prep’s faculty as a Spanish teacher. He continued to do so until he retired from classroom teaching in 1982.
Fr. Negrillos then served the school as the manager of the bookstore until 1996. To many of the young men attending Devon Prep at that time he was known as “Father Bookstore.”
For many years Fr. Negrillos also served as a weekend assistant at St. Ann’s Parish in Phoenixville.
According to Rev. James Shea, Sch.P., Devon Prep’s current Headmaster, “In the school’s history, Fr. Negrillos was the longest serving member of the Devon Prep Piarist community. He was a member of our community from 1957 until his death on Saturday, a span of more than 52 years.”
Clergy, friends, alumni and alumni parents are invited to call Tuesday evening, January 5, from 6:30 to 8:30 P.M., and Wednesday morning, January 6, from 9 AM to 10 AM, at St. Mary's Chapel on Devon Preparatory School’s campus at 363 North Valley Forge Road, Devon, PA.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, January 6 at 10 A.M. in Devon Prep’s gymnasium. Principal celebrant of the Mass will be Rev. Richard S. Wyzykiewicz, Sch.P., the superior of the Piarist Community at Devon Prep. Several Piarist Fathers from the United States Province will also concelebrate. Internment will be at Calvary Cemetery in West Conschocken.
In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the Piarist Fathers' Seminarian and Retiree Fund, 4605 Bayview Dr., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33308.