A priest who dedicated his life to a Fairfield school is being remembered Tuesday as a man who impacted many lives.

Notre Dame High School officials say Father Bill Sangiovanni died Monday morning after a long battle with a brain illness.

Sangiovanni was born in Brooklyn and attended Fairfield University. He worked with Rep. Stewart McKinney and joined the priesthood in his 30s.

He then started at Notre Dame as a chaplain, and walked its halls for almost 40 years as the school's longest-serving principal and president.

Current President Chris Cipriano says Sangiovanni hired him, married he and his wife and baptized their two children.

"He helped to make this school the place that it is," says Cipriano.

The school says they will dedicate a scholarship in Father Bill's name. There will be a wake at Notre Dame Friday and a funeral at St. Thomas in Fairfield Saturday.