He was described as a generous person with a “good heart.”

He acknowledged that he loved meeting new people. On July 4, the Rev. Lawrence J. Malcolm, pastor of St. Gerald Church in Oak Lawn, died unexpectedly, according to the Chicago Archdiocese, which added he would have turned 75 in less than three weeks.

He had been pastor at the church since 2008.

Born in Chicago on July 22, 1944, Malcolm attended Immaculate Conception Catholic School and Quigley Preparatory Seminary, both in Chicago, according to the archdiocese.

Malcolm earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1966 and his master’s in theology in 1968. He later earned a post-graduate degree at Loyola University in Chicago, archdiocese officials said in a news release.

He was ordained on May 13, 1970, according to the archdiocese.

Malcolm had served as associate pastor at St. Bede the Venerable, 82nd Street and Kostner Avenue, and as associate pastor at St. Daniel the Prophet, 53rd Street and Natoma Avenue, both on Chicago’s Southwest Side and was appointed pastor of St. Daniel in 1993, according to the archdiocese. He served at St. Daniel until his appointment to St. Gerald.

In an August 2011 interview with the Daily Southtown, Malcolm said he realized at a young age that he wanted to enter the ministry and began attending Quigley Seminary at the age of 14.

Malcolm told the paper that there were 440 other students at the time he started at Quigley.

“I finished 12 years later with 32 guys being ordained. Most of the guys found out (the priesthood) was not the life for them, but they gave it a shot. But I thought this was what God wanted me to do,” he said.

One of his fellow students at Quigley, the Rev. Louis J. Cameli, cardinal’s delegate for Formation and Mission, described Malcolm as “a very generous person with a good heart who always reached out and welcomed everyone, especially those in need,” according to the news release from the archdiocese.

Malcolm told the Southtown that meeting people was the best part of his role.

“I have the privilege of meeting wonderful people day in and day out,” he said.

A funeral mass for Malcolm will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Gerald, 9310 S. 55th Court.