Meet the deacon who was sheriff

From the Kane County Chronicle  in Illinois:

The Kenneth Ramsey most people know is a tough guy.

He was a lawman for 35 years, first in Batavia, then as a sheriff’s deputy, eventually serving as sheriff of Kane County from 1994 to 2006.

Ramsey also was a soldier, with 41 years in the U.S. Army and having served in Vietnam. He spent 10 years at the Pentagon and 10 years teaching at the U.S. Army Intelligence School. Ramsey was in training for Desert Storm when the operation ended, he said.

In retirement, the lifelong Batavia resident began a third career, that of deacon at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Batavia. He was ordained through the Diocese of Rockford on Sept. 27 after six years of instruction and preparation. As a deacon, he can marry, bury and give blessings.

Now at 66, instead of sleeping late, he assists at 6:30 a.m. Mass every weekday, as well as on Saturday and twice on Sunday. On Tuesday nights, he teaches a class for adults who are converting to Catholocism. On Wednesday nights, he teaches religious education to eighth-graders.

Although deacons in the Chicago and Joliet dioceses are allowed to wear the clerical collar, the diocese deacons do not. Ramsey said he follows a national trend of deacons wearing gray because priests wear black. His shirt has a deacon’s cross on it, a cross draped with a red sash.

Through the Holy Cross St. Michael Ministry of Compassionate Care, Ramsey also helps plan funeral services, does prayers for funerals and visits those who are homebound, sick and dying.

“I have experienced unusually high amounts of death and destruction in my life, having been both a soldier and a policeman,” Ramsey said. “I have experience with a lot of death and destruction and people at the worst time of their life – when their loved ones are dying, when they are dying. I just feel that is where I am called to serve God, with the sick and the dying.”

Ramsey’s wife of 43 years, Peg, said she is excited for him in this role.

“It’s not a new profession; it’s a calling from God,” she said. “He served the public. He served his country. This is a continuation of service, to serve God and the community at Holy Cross. It’s a gift he discerned he had, to serve in this capacity.”

Read more.