Detroit -- Although Fr. Michael Kazer’s death from a fatal stroke at the age of just 57 came as a surprise, it was not surprising that one of his last acts was the comforting of an accident victim, said a long-time friend.

“He was truly a priest with a pastor’s heart through and through,” said Fr. Brian Chabala, pastor of St. Fabian Parish in Farmington Hills and a friend of Fr. Kazer since they were young seminarians nearly 40 years ago.

Fr. Kazer, pastor of St. Edith Parish, Livonia, died Sept. 7 at University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor. He had become disoriented after attending to the victim of a crash involving a motorcycle and a larger vehicle the night before, and was taken to St. Mary Mercy Hospital in Livonia, then transferred to Ann Arbor. His funeral Mass was today at St. Edith Church.

Fr. Chabala said Fr. Kazer’s service as a chaplain to the Livonia Police and to the Wayne County Association of Chiefs of Police was an example of his way of reaching out, just as was his learning of American sign language for communicating with people who had lost their hearing or his prior service to as chaplains to police departments in Warren, Royal Oak and Detroit.

“He was a very, very caring priest, who constantly reached out to others,” Fr. Chabala said.

Born March 25, 1953 in Royal Oak, Michael Thomas Kazer earned a bachelor’s degree from Sacred Heart Seminary, Detroit, and a Master of Divinity degree from St. John’s Provincial Seminary in Plymouth Township, and did further post-graduate studies at Marianella Institute in Dublin, Ireland.

He was ordained May 31, 1980 at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, Detroit, and celebrated his first Mass at Our lady of Sorrows Church, Farmington, where he had served as a transitional deacon.

He served as associate pastor of St. Mary Parish in Royal Oak (1980-83), during which time he also served as an auditor with the archdiocesan Metropolitan Tribunal.

Fr. Kazer was associate pastor of St. Raymond, Detroit (1983-85); then director of St. John Deaf Center in Warren (1985-92), during which time he also served as associate pastor of St. Edmund Parish, Warren (1985-88) and chaplain to De La Salle Collegiate High School, Warren (1988-92).

He was pastor of St. Anne Parish, Warren (1992–2005), during part of which time he was also vicar of the “old” Warren-Center Line Vicariate (1993-96).

Fr. Kazer became pastor of St. Edith Parish, Livonia, in 2005. In 2000, he was the recipient of the Cardinal Mooney Award.

He is survived by a brother, Thomas, and a nephew, Tom.

Condolences may be sent to his brother and nephew, in care of St. Edith Parish, 15089 Newburgh Road, Livonia 48154.