Rev. Thomas J. Alkire

1936 - 2021

(MAY 26, 2021; Darien, IL) The Province of the Most Pure Heart of Mary (PCM), Order of Carmelites, mourns the death of the Reverend Thomas Alkire, O.Carm., who died at the age of 84 on May 26, 2021. Visitation for the Reverend Thomas Alkire, O. Carm., will be held at the National Shrine of St. Thérèse, 8433 Bailey Road, Darien, IL, 60561, at 6PM on Wednesday, June 2, 2021, followed by Mass of Christian Burial beginning at 7PM. Interment will be at 10AM on Thursday, June 3, 2021, at Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery, 2755 W 111th, Chicago, IL, 60655. Thomas was born to (the late) Donald Vincent Alkire and (the late) Rose Madge (Mazon) Alkire on July 8, 1936, in Chicago, Illinois. His given name at baptism was Thomas Jerome Alkire. Thomas attended St. Clara Parish School, St. Xavier High School, and Mount Carmel High School in Chicago, IL. He took simple vows with the Carmelites in 1956, attended Mount Carmel College in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, and earned a bachelors degree in philosophy in 1959 from St. Bonaventure University in Olean, NY. Thomas also professed solemn vows in 1959 and was then ordained at Whitefriars Hall in Washington, D.C., by Bishop Philip, M. Hanna on February 9, 1963. He went on to earn a masters degrees in History (St. Bonaventure University, 1965) and Pastoral Theology (Methodist Pastoral Center, 1989). Rev. Thomas' first ministry was as a teacher at DeSales High School in Lousiville, KY, from 1963 to 1964. He went on to serve at Joliet Catholic High School in Joliet, IL, Carmelite Junior Seminary in Hamilton, MA, and Mount Carmel High School in Chicago, IL. In 1969, Rev. Thomas moved to Correo San Miquel, Santiago, to serve as delegate for the Third Order from 1969. He moved back to Chicago, IL, in 1973 to serve as hospital chaplain for the Little Company of Mary Hospital and perform parish work as St. Clara Parish. Over the next several years he served at Mother of God Charismatic Community in Bethesda, MA, St. John Berchmans in Chicago, IL, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Houston, TX, and St. Gertrude Parish in Stockton, CA, and the Chicago Theological Union in Chicago, IL. In 2000 he moved to Torreon, Coahuila, to serve at Transfiguracion Parish and then back to California, from 2005 to 2014, at St. Raphael Parish in Los Angeles. In October of 2014, Rev. Thomas retired to St. Titus Brandsma Priory in Darien, IL. In 2017 he relocated to Missouri for additional care and finally, in 2021 to Pacific Care Center nursing facility in Pacific, MO, where he remained until his death. May he rest in peace. Donations in honor of the Reverend Thomas Alkire, O.Carm., may be made to: The Society of Mount Carmel, 1317 North Frontage Road, Darien, Illinois, 60561. For further information on the Reverend Thomas Alkire, O.Carm., or the Order of Carmelites, please contact Carmelite Media at (630) 971-0724 or visit the Carmelite website at www.carmelnet.org.