The Rev. Robert Hirsch 1921-2009

HIRSCH, SCHMITT, ANGLIN, FASSSE

Posted By: J. N. (email)
Date: 3/24/2009 at 11:53:09

Telegraph Herald
Dubuque, Iowa
Tuesday, March 24, 2009

The Rev. Robert Hirsch

The Rev. Robert Hirsch, 87, of Dubuque, formerly of Calmar, Iowa, died Saturday, March 21, 2009, at Stonehill Care Center, following a long illness.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 25, at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, Calmar, with Archbishop Jerome Hanus, O.S.B. and the Rev. Donald Hawes as concelebrants. Burial will be in St. Aloysius Cemetery, Calmar. Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. today at the church, where the rosary will be recited at 4 p.m. and a scripture service will be at 7 p.m. The Schluter-Balik Funeral Home, French Chapel, Calmar, is in charge of arrangements.

Robert Matthew Jerome Hirsch was born on April 22, 1921, in Dubuque, son of Martin and Alma (Schmitt) Hirsch. He attended grade school and two years of high school at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Dubuque. He also spent two years at the Columbia Academy and then Loras College in Dubuque. He attended seminary at the Theological College of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He received the order of Doctorate in the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington

He was ordained to the priesthood on May 31, 1947, by the Most Rev. Henry P. Rohlman, in St. Raphael's Cathedral, Dubuque. His first Mass was celebrated on June 1, 1947, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Dubuque. Father served from 1947 to 1948 at St. Aloysius Church, Calmar, as assistant pastor; 1948 to 1953 at St. Francis Xavier Basilica Church, Dyersville, as assistant pastor at Xavier High School and as an instructor; 1953 to 1958 at Loras Academy, Dubuque, as assistant principal and instructor; 1958 to 1960, at Regis Central High School, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as principal; 1960 to 1970, at Don Bosco Central High School, Gilbertville, Iowa, as principal and executive-coordinator, and St. Francis Church, Barclay Township, as administrator; 1970 to 1971, at St. Mary's Church, Ackley, Iowa, and St. Paul's Church, Geneva, as administrator; 1971 to 1972, at St. Francis Church, Balltown, Iowa, as pastor, and Leo High School, Holy Cross, Iowa, as principal; 1973 to 1975, at St. Anthony's Church and Saint Gabriel's Church, Zearing, Iowa, as administrator; 1975 to 1982, St. Mary's Church, McGregor, and St. Pius Church, Cherry Mound, Iowa, as pastor; 1982 to 1983, at St. Patrick's Church, Cedar Rapids, as pastor; 1984 to 1997, at St. Aloysius Church, Calmar, as pastor and executive-coordinator, CFS Catholic Elementary.

Father retired in 1997 and resided in Calmar until his health forced him to enter the Stonehill Care Center in Dubuque on June 6, 2008. After retirement, he looked forward to visits from friends, reading, walking, music, playing chess and cards, prayer, short travels, cooking and bouts with the computer and Internet.

Surviving are a sister-in-law, Marcella Hirsch, of Dubuque; and nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Martin and Alma Hirsch; two sisters, Eileen Anglin and Bernadine Fasse; and three bothers, Joseph, Irvin and Vincent Hirsch.

"And now that all our bases are covered, we can go home."