Father Jerome H. Hibner died Nov. 19 at Memorial Hospital in Belleville. He was 77.

He was born Dec. 25, 1937 in Lodz, Poland. His parents were Jerome and Anna Bednarek Hibner.

He was ordained July 5, 1964  in Zdunska Wola, Poland by Bishop Jan Zaremba as a member of the Sons of Divine Providence religious community, whose seminary in Zdunska Wola he had attended.

Father Hibner was an associate pastor in Warsaw before beginning his ministry in the Belleville diocese in 1971. After a short residency at St. Barbara Parish in Scheller serving the mission parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Posen, he was named the administrator of the Posen parish. He continued as the administrator, pastor or in team ministry there, including at times St. Charles Parish in DuBois until his appointment as pastor of St. Ann Parish in Nashville in 1981, where he served until 1987.

In 1987 Father Hibner began a team ministry at St. Michael Parish in Radom and St. Barbara Parish in Scheller, continuing as the pastor of the parishes after 1992 and 1994 respectively. During these assignments he was incardinated in the Belleville

diocese (officially becoming a Belleville diocesan priest Aug. 15, 1991).

After suffering a stroke in 2001 he retired and for many years was a resident of Hincke-Sense Home for Retired Priests in Belleville.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Surviving are a sister, Maria Weszczak; two nephews, Cuba Weszczak and Marek Weszczak; and a niece, Eva Piesyk, all residing in Poland.

Bishop Stanley Schlarman was chief celebrant and homilist at a Mass of Christian Burial Nov. 24 at St. Michael Church in Radom with burial following in Posen.