Priest Obituaries

Fr. Phillip E. Schmitt, 91, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died Friday, December 31, 2021. His body was donated to the UI Deeded Body Program. Funeral Mass will take place at 10 a.m. Monday, January 17, 2022, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. Archbishop Michael O. Jackels will officiate. Masks are recommended. A livestream of the funeral mass will be available at service time at https://www.youtube.com/c/ImmaculateConceptionCatholicChurch. Read his full obituary: https://www.murdochfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Phillip-Schmitt/#!/Obituary

Father Melvin Hemann died December 14, 2021 in Florida. He donated his body to science. A memorial Mass will be held some time in January 2022 at St. Patrick Parish in Cedar Falls.   

 Father Hemann, the son of Bernard and Olive (Halbach) Hemann, was born Oct. 15, 1928, in Stacyville. He graduated from Loras College in Dubuque and completed his theological studies at Mount St. Bernard Seminary, also in Dubuque.

He was ordained Jan. 31, 1959, by Archbishop Leo Binz at the Cathedral of St. Raphael in Dubuque.

He served as associate pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Protivin and Holy Cross Parish in Schley, 1959; St. Patrick Parish in Cedar Rapids, 1959-60; St. Peter Parish in New Haven, 1960; St. Benedict Parish in Decorah, 1960-65; and St. Thomas Aquinas Parish and Catholic Student Center in Ames, 1965-72.

He served in team ministry in Mason City, 1972-76, and in Charles City and Roseville, 1976-77. He served as pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Chelsea, 1977-81. He was pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Preston, 1981-91, while also serving as pastor of St. Peter Parish in Sabula and Sacred Heart Parish in Green Island, 1987-91. He was dean of the Bellevue Deanery, 1987-91.

He served as director of the Family Life Office, 1991-98, while also serving as pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Rickardsville, 1991-98, and SS. Peter & Paul Parish in Sherrill and St. Francis Parish in Balltown, 1993-98. He was executive secretary of the Balltown-Sherrill Consolidated School, 1993-98.

He retired in 1998 in Cedar Falls. For nine years, he volunteered as chaplain at American Martyrs Retreat House and, as most retired priests, assisted as needed in area ­parishes.

In 1998, he also fulfilled a lifelong dream when he completed the construction of an RV 6 airplane.  At the time, he was national chaplain of Marriage Retorno and the 200-mph plane offered him a means of travel to present weekends throughout the United States. In his free time, he served as a flight instructor and charter pilot at the Waterloo airport. He was also active for many years in the National Association of Priest Pilots. In 2019, Father Hemann celebrated sixty years of priesthood. Three years before this, he moved to Palm Coast, Florida, where he assisted at local parishes and with flight instruction at a local airport.

Father (Monsignor) John Hemann died on Saturday, October 9, 2021. Visitation will be on Thursday, 14 October 2021, at Sacred Heart Parish in Osage from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The Funeral Mass will be on Friday, October 15, 2021, at Sacred Heart Parish in Osage at 10:30 a.m. A link to his obituary will be included here when it becomes available. For more on Msgr. John Hemann's life and minstry, read an article published to mark the 60th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood: https://www.thewitnessonline.org/vocations/three-clergy-celebrating-60-years-of-priesthood/

Father Joseph J. Slepicka, 92, of Clear Lake and formerly of Mason City, died Friday, September 17, 2021 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City. Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 am Friday, September 24, 2021 at Epiphany Parish - Holy Family Catholic Church, 722 N Adams Ave., Mason City. A livestream will be available on the Epiphany Parish Facebook page. Burial will follow in Elmwood - St Joseph Cemetery, Mason City. Visitation with public viewing will be held Thursday evening, September 23, at Epiphany Parish - Holy Family Catholic Church from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm. For more information on Father Slepicka's life and ministry, visit: https://www.colonialchapels.com/obituaries/Joseph-Slepicka/#!/Obituary

Father Harry Koelker died August 6, 2021. Visitation for Father Koelker was held from 2 to 8 p.m., Monday, August 9, 2021 at Reiff Funeral Home, Dyersville, where a prayer service was held at 7 p.m. with Father Carl Ries presiding. Visitation was held after 8:30 a.m. until serivces. The Mass of the Resurrection was held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Petersburg, with Archbishop Michael Jackels Presiding. The Homilist was Father Tony Kruse. Concelebrating will be several clergy from the Dubuque Archdiocese. Burial was held at the parish cemetery. For more information on his life and ministry, visit https://globegazette.com/news/local/obituaries/father-harry-koelker/article_7bfeeafa-983e-56a0-8bde-ae1cfc14bf27.html

ather Tom Braak, 87 of Marshalltown, IA passed away Friday, May 7, 2021. Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m., Friday, May 14, 2021 at St. Francis of Assisi - St. Henry Catholic Church in Marshalltown. Visitation will be 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with a 7:00 p.m. Vigil Service, Thursday, May 13, 2021 at St. Francis of Assisi - St. Henry Catholic Church. Father Tom Braak's Mass of Christian Burial will be live streamed at the following link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G3I1QLSZbg. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. Francis of Assisi Parrish. Arrangements are entrusted to Anderson Funeral Homes in Marshalltown. Online condolences may be sent to www.andersonfhs.com. To read Father Braak's obituary, visit https://www.andersonfhs.com/obituary/583848/Father-Tom--Braak---05/07/2021/

Father John James O’Connor, 88 a priest of the Archdiocese of Dubuque passed away Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021 at Stonehill Care Center. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, April 10, 2021 at Wahlert Catholic High School with Most Rev. Michael Jackels officiating and with Rev. Msgr. Lyle Wilgenbusch as homilist. Visitation for Father O'Connor will be from 4:00 pm. to 7:00 p.m. Friday, April 9, 2021 at Wahlert Catholic High School, 2005 Kane Street where there will be a wake service at 4:00 p.m. with Father Anthony Kruse officiating.  Visitation will also be after 9:00 a.m. until time of services Saturday. Burial will follow the Mass at Saint John Cemetery, Placid For more information and to learn about Father O'Connor's life, visit: https://www.leonardfuneralhome.com/obituary/RevJohn-OConnor

Rev. Richard G. Gaul, 78, of Guttenberg, formerly of Luxemburg, passed away Friday, March 19, 2021, at Stonehill Care Center, Dubuque. Visitation was held 2:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. Friday, March 26, 2021, at Kramer Funeral Home in Dyersville where a prayer service was held at 6:00 p.m. Visitation continued Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Holy Trinity Church prior to funeral services.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 27, 2021 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Luxemburg with burial in the church cemetery.  Archbishop Michael Jackels will officiate, Rev. Francis Fried and Rev. Noah Diehm will concelebrate along with priests of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. 
For more information, visit https://kramerfuneral.com/tribute/details/2238/Richard-Gaul/obituary.html#tribute-start

Reverend John R. Tilp, 78, of Dubuque, died Thursday morning, January 21, 2021, at Stonehill Care Center in Dubuque from Parkinsons with Lewy Body.

Visitation will be from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm Sunday, January 24, 2021, at Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home & Cremation Service 3860 Asbury Road. Please respect our current social distancing requirements. If you are not feeling well or are unable to attend, we encourage you to visit www.hskfhcares.com to send a message to Father John's family.

The Mass of Christian Burial for Father John will be 11:00 am Monday, January 25, 2021, at Holy Spirit Parish - Sacred Heart Catholic Church con-celebrated by Archbishop Michael Jackels and Father John Gossman and priests of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery in Dubuque. The mass will be live streamed on Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home's Facebook page and will also be available to view later at https://www.hskfhcares.com/. For more information, visit https://www.hskfhcares.com/obituaries/Reverend-John-R-Tilp?obId=19745263#/obituaryInfo

The Rev. Carl J. Manternach, 91, of Dubuque, formerly of Monticello, passed away Friday, January 8, 2021, at Stonehill Franciscan Services. A private Mass of Christian burial will be live-streamed on Sacred Heart Catholic Church Facebook page at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, January 12, 2021. Archbishop Michael Jackels will officiate and Rev. Paul Baldwin will concelebrate along with priests of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. Burial will be at Sacred Heart Cemetery. For more information, visit  https://kramerfuneral.com/tribute/details/2216/Rev-Carl-Manternach/obituary.html#tribute-start

Lloyd Edward Reuter, 91 years old, of Gilbertville, IA,  died of natural causes, Wednesday, December 9, 2020, at his home.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. - Tuesday, December 15, 2020, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Gilbertville, with celebrant, Most Rev. Michael O. Jackels; concelebrants, Rev. Henry P. Huber and Rev. Jeffrey A. Dole; assisted by Mr. Kevin Hagarty. For more information, visit http://www.white-mthope.com/component/content/article/2-obituaries/1251-rev-lloyd-e-reuter.html

Rev. Lloyd Paul Ouderkirk, age 87, of Dubuque, passed away at 12:48 a.m., on Sunday, November 29, 2020, at Stonehill Care Center. To celebrate Father Paul’s life, family and friends may visit from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m., on Thursday, December 3, 2020, at St. John the Baptist Church, 241 Peosta Street, Peosta, Iowa. To honor Fr. Paul’s life, funeral services will be held immediately following visitation at 11:00 a.m., on Thursday at St. John the Baptist Church. Burial will be in St. John the Baptist Cemetery in Centralia, Iowa. For more information, visit https://www.behrfuneralhome.com/obituary/rev-lloyd-paul-ouderkirk/