ARLINGTON HEIGHTS — Father Kenneth E. Yarno, CSV, died June 8 in Arlington Heights. He was 84.
He was born on March 4, 1932 in Watseka, the son of Edward and Dorothy (Garing) Yarno. He is preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Melvin of Kankakee and Russell of Fort Walton Beach, Fla. He is survived by his sister, Pauline Newquist of Colliersville, Tenn., and nephews Michael Newquist and Bruce Yarno.
Father Yarno entered the Clerics of St. Viator in 1950 after graduating from St. Patrick High School in Kankakee, where Viatorians were his teachers. He pronounced his first vows on Aug. 15, 1951 and final vows on Aug. 15, 1954. After his studies at the Viatorian Seminary, he was ordained a priest on May 17, 1959 in Chicago by Bishop William O’Brien.
He earned a bachelor’s in philosophy from St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa, and his master’s in industrial arts from Bradley Un i v e r s i t y i n Peoria. He completed work for a certificate in educational administration at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, which led to a long career as an administrator.
From 1962 to 1968 he was assigned as director of vocations for the Clerics of St. Viator. During this time, he served for two years as chairman of the National Association of Religious Vocation Directors. Father Yarno ministered as teacher and assistant principal at St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights from 1968 to 1973. He became principal of Bishop McNamara High School, Kankakee, in 1973 and served for 10 years. In 1983 he was installed as pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Kankakee. From 1985 to 1987, he served as pastor of St. Viator Church, Chicago.
During the years 1987 to 1994 he was associate pastor and then pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Springfield. While in Springfield, he was a member of the Presbyteral Council from 1989 to 1993.
From 1994 until his retirement in 2009, he was pastor and later sacramental minister at St. George Parish in St. George. Once retired, he lived in residence at Maternity BVM Parish in Bourbonnais until 2010. He then moved to the retirement residence at the Viatorian Province Center, Arlington Heights, before moving to Addolorata Villa in Wheeling in 2013.
A visitation and funeral Mass was held on June 15 at the Viatorian Province Center, Arlington Heights. Interment was at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside.