Father Linus LaVelle

LAVELLE

Posted By: Janette Lager (email)
Date: 11/27/2005 at 23:17:31

OBITUARY Ames Daily Tribune 24 Nov 1969 Rites Wednesday for Fr. Linus Joseph LaVelle
The Rev. Fr. Linus Joseph LaVelle, 69, pastor of St. James Catholic Church, LeMars, died Saturday at a Sioux City hospital after an illness of several months. Office of the Dead will begin at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. James Church, LeMars. The Solemn Mass will be celebrated by the Most Rev. Joseph Meuller, bishop of the Sioux City Diocese. Auxiliary Bishop Frank Greteman will preach the homily. Officers of the Mass will be the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Frank Schultes, archpriest, and the Rt. Rev. Msgrs Leo McEvoy and Cleo Ivis, deacons of honor. The Rev. Clarence Farrely will be deacon and the Rev. Paul Arts, subdeacon. After the Mass, the body will be taken to Stevens Memorial Chapel for a White service Tuesday at 8 p.m. There will be a Mass at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Cecilia’s Catholic Church with the Rev. Fr. Joseph Sullivan officiating. Burial will be in Ames Municipal Cemetery. Fr. LaVelle was born Feb 25, 1900 at Campus, Ill. He attended elementary school in Odell, Ill., and at Boone. He did high school and college work at Lora Academy at Dubuque. Fr. LaVelle studied theology at Suipician Seminary in Washington and did post graduate work at Catholic University, Washington where he received his MA degree in education. He was ordained to the priesthood by the late Rev. Edmund Heelan June 11, 1927 in the Sioux City Cathedral of the Epiphany. He served as assistant pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Fort Dodge from 1927 to 1932, then was named pastor of St. Jean Baptiste Church in Sioux City. After serving at that church 13 years he was appointed pastor of St. James Church at LeMars, on Nov 7, 1945. The Rev. Fr. LaVelle was the first director of the Catholic Social Club and the co-founder of Gehlen High School in LeMars. Surviving him are two brothers, T. Emmett LaVelle, 1803 Burnett Ave and V.A. LaVelle of Fort Dodge and 15 nieces and nephews.