Reverend Father James Richard Nischan, 83, of Hallettsville died Tuesday afternoon, December 29th of Covid related complications in Victoria at the PAM Specialty Hospital Victoria North.

He was born May 29, 1937, in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Emmett Ree Nischan and Charlesetta Hardy.

He served in the U. S. Army and was honorably discharged on June 30, 1965.  He studied for the Catholic Priesthood at St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana, and the Angelicum in Rome.  He was ordained for the Diocese of Ponce, Puerto Rico on December 8, 1983.  In 1992 he moved to Schulenburg to live with Father Royce Hughes.  After Fr. Hughes died, Fr. Nischan move to Hallettsville and bought a home on La Grange St.  Later on he became a resident of Stevens Nursing Center and then Hallettsville Rehab and back to Stevens Nursing Center.

During his years of ministry in the Diocese of Victoria, he served mainly in the Bay City, Schulenburg and Hallettsville area helping the local priests as long as he could.  He was very knowledgeable and had a great love for the Blessed Mother.

He is survived by two nieces and a nephew.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings: one three year old sister, a 12 year old sister who was killed by a bus and sisters Becky and Dorothy and brothers Al, Joseph, and Bernard.

Condolences may be sent to Farther Nischan's family in c/o his nephew, Vernon Lee Riley, 804 Pearson Road, Joliet, Ill. 60435.

Funeral Mass Service (All attendees must wear masks): The Rosary will be recited Monday, January 4, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Hallettsville, and the Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with burial at Sacred Heart Cemetery in the Priests' Section.  The main celebrant will be Bishop David Fellhauer, Bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Victoria; and Msgr. John Peters, along with other priests of the Victoria Diocese will concelebrate.