Deacon Philip Ordonio III, 51, of Edina, ordained in 2016, to be laid to rest
Deacon Philip Ordonio III, 51, a permanent deacon who assisted the pastor of St. Joseph parish of Edina, died on Jan. 23 at his home.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27, in St. Joseph Church, 509 N. Main St. in Edina, with Father Colin Franklin presiding.
Burial will be in the St. Joseph Cemetery.
Deacon Ordonio was born on Dec. 19, 1966, in Kirksville, a son of Philip Jr. and Marsha Rae Ordonio.
He was raised in Greentop, Missouri, and attended Mary Immaculate Catholic School in Kirksville, Missouri, for eight years and graduated from St. Thomas Seminary in Hannibal.
On August 19, 1995, in Kirksville he was united in marriage to Ellen Marie Kessler.
He held a degree in fine arts from Quincy University in Quincy, Illinois.
He entered discernment and formation for the permanent diaconate in 2012.
On April 30, 2016, in the Cathedral of St. Joseph, Bishop Emeritus John R. Gaydos ordained him a deacon.
Weeks before his ordination, Deacon Ordonio recalled always having felt called to serve God and bring others to Him.
He said that for him, being a deacon was a great opportunity “to bring the people to Christ through evangelization and catechesis, both in our local parishes and in the world.”
Surviving are his wife, Ellen; two daughters, Corrina Ordonio of Kirksville and Cecilia Ordonio of Edina; his parents of Greentop; a sister, Katrina and David Hill of Kirksville; and many other relatives.
Expressions of sympathy in memory of Deacon Ordonio may be left to the family for his daughters. They can be mailed to Doss Funeral Home, 208 N. Fourth St., Edina, MO 63537.
