Rev. Philip H. Dagneau, SM, friend and educator of Atlanta boys for over 40 years, died Sunday morning at the age of 87.

Father Dagneau was born in Chatham, Ontario, Canada on April 6, 1884. After living in San Francisco until 1900, he traveled to Washington, D.C., there attending the Marist minor seminary. He has since received B.A., M.A., and M.S. degrees from the universities of Utah, California, and Georgia.

Even before his years in Atlanta, Father Dagneau was a friend of the student. Ordained by Cardinal Gibbons in Baltimore in 1909, the young priest taught four years at All Hallows' College in Salt Lake City.

He next joined the faculty of Jefferson College, fifty miles north of New Orleans along the Mississippi River. He labored as missionary to the "Cajuns," visiting their humid bayou towns and villages on weekends for fourteen years.

Father Dagneau's arrival in Atlanta in 1927 was once referred to as a "renaissance" for Marist. He was principal for 25 years, steering the school through the Great Depression, and later, the war years.

For Atlanta youth in general he served as vice-president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools from 1944-48.

Since the Catholic Church in Marietta had no resident fathers at that time, Father Dagneau served as the church's pastor for 11 years, commuting from Marist by whatever means possible. He was chaplain at Ft. McPherson from 1927-32.

Perhaps the greatest evidence of Father Dagneau's dedication to education is his final 20 years as a teacher. Two decades ago, he could have retired, yet being no longer principal, he continued instructing French and Latin daily up to last week.

Fifty-eight years of Father Dagneau's life were dedicated to the young, but even more years to his priestly duties. He celebrated his Diamond Jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood on June 8, 1969. Father Dagneau spent much time in the Marist chapel, offering daily Mass or assisting the other priests at the Masses.

Finally, Father Dagneau had another, yet smaller, dedication. In good weather of spring or summer, he was often tending to a small garden at the new Marist residency on Ashford-Dunwoody Road.

The patriarch of Marist suffered a massive heart attach last week, seemed to be responding to treatment at Northside Hospital, but died Sunday morning.

Rosary for Father Dagneau was said Monday evening, 8 p.m., at Our Lady of the Assumption Church. The Celebration of the Office of the Dead on Tuesday morning was followed by a concelebration of the Mass at 10 a.m., also at Assumption.

Concelebrants included Father Dagneau's friends, successors, and even his students.

The concelebrants were the Most Reverend Thomas A. Donnellan, DD, Archbishop of Atlanta; the Very Reverend Joseph W. Buckley, SM, Provincial of the Society of Mary (Marist); Reverend Monsignor John F. McDonough, pastor of Holy Spirit Church; Reverend Monsignor John D. Stapleton, rector of the Cathedral of Christ the King.

Also as concelebrants were Reverend James M. Cummings, SM, assistant pastor of Saint Joseph Church, Marietta; Reverend Vincent P. Brennan, SM, principal of Immaculata Seminary, Lafayette, LA; Reverend Lawrence R. Schmuhl, SM, administrator of Marist; and Reverend Jerry E. Hardy, assistant chancellor of the Archdiocese of Atlanta.