Father Bruce LeFebvre 1947-2005

LEFEBVRE, BYRNE

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 5/1/2009 at 00:06:37

Father Bruce LeFebvre
July 17, 1947-Dec. 16, 2005

Rev. Father Bruce LeFebvre, age 58 of Mapleton, Iowa died Friday, December 16, 2005 in Sioux City, Iowa.

Services were held 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 20 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Mapleton with Msgr. Roger Joseph Augustine, V.G. and Msgr. Mark Duchaine concelebrating the Mass, as well as other priests of the Sioux City diocese. Burial was in St. Mary's Cemetery, Mapleton. Jeanne Theobald was the organist for the service and Sharyl Bruning was the cantor. Lectors were Catherine LeFebvre, Mari Haddock and Melissa Lampe. A rosary by the Knights of Columbus was held at 2:00 p.m. Monday and a Vigil Wake Service was at 7:00 p.m. at the Armstrong Funeral Home in Mapleton.

For thirty-two years, Fr. Bruce Anthony LeFebvre served the people of Northwestern Iowa as a priest of the Diocese of Sioux City. He loved being a priest and dedicated his life to caring for his parishioners.

Fr. Bruce was born on July 17, 1947, to Vincent W. and Margaret Mary (Byrne) LeFebvre of Mapleton, IA. He attended elementary school at St. Mary's School in Mapleton,. He finished his secondary education at Maple Valley High School in Mapleton, graduating with the Class of '65. He attended Loras College in Dubuque, IA, before studying Theology at St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, MN. He was ordained into the priesthood on June 5, 1973, at St. Mary's Church in Mapleton by the Most Reverend Frank H. Greteman. He graduated from Creighton University in 1977 with a Masters degree in Counseling.

His first assignment was as a temporary assistant at the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City. He was assistant pastor at Holy Spirit Parish in Carroll until 1974 when he became assistant pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Dedham. He was also on the faculty at Kuemper High School at that time. In 1978 he transferred to St. Mary's Parish in Alton and joined the staff at Spalding High School in Granville. In 1983 he spent a year as assistant pastor at Assumption Parish in Emmetsburg. He then became the administrator at St. Brigid Parish in Grand Junction and St. John's in Paton. He joined the staff at St. Mary's High School in Storm Lake in 1984 and became pastor at St. Joseph's in Sioux Rapids. In 1987 he was assigned to St. Columbkille Parish in Varina. He served as chaplain at the Mental Health Institute in Cherokee in 1989; while there he became sacramental minister at St. John the Baptist Parish in Quimby. He transferred to Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines where he was the chaplain. In 1991 he became the pastor at St. John's Parish in Gilmore City and St. Margaret's in Rolfe. His final assignment was as pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in West Bend and of St. Mary's in Mallard.

Fr. Bruce is loved by: two brothers, David and his wife, Paula of Carmel, NY, and Rodger and his wife, Sherri of Rapid City, SD; a sister, Ruth Ann of Phoenix, AZ; and many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Fr. Bruce was preceded in death by his parents.

Pallbearers were Thomas LeFebvre, Roger LeFebvre, Terry Siebersma, Tom LeFebvre, Dan LeFebvre and Kenny LeFebvre.

Arrangements were made under the direction of the Armstrong Funeral Home of Mapleton.