Obituary: Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin: Joseph BEYER ************************************************************************ Submitted by Michael Petrie, December 2005 © All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************ Fond du Lac Commonwealth Reporter, Saturday October 5, 1944 FATHER BEYER IS STRICKEN; RITES ARE ANNOUNCED Funeral Services will be Held in Mt. Calvary for Johnsburg Priest The Rev. Joseph Beyer, 63, a native of Mt. Calvary and pastor of St. John’s church at Johnsburg for several years, prior to his retirement a few years ago, died at 6:30 p.m. Friday at St. Agnes hospital where he had been a patient since Oct. 7, 1941. Born June 16, 1881, a son of Thomas and Gertrude Petrie Beyer, the Rev. Fr. Beyer attended Holy Cross parochial school at Mt. Calvary. Deciding to enter the priesthood, he enrolled at St. Lawrence college in 1895, completing his classical course there before going to St. Francis seminary to study theology. After a year at the latter institution his health failed and he was advised to transfer to St. John’s seminary at Collegeville, Minn. Ordained in 1905 Ordained to the priesthood in June, 1905, he celebrated his first mass in his home parish church. His first assignment was that of assistant to the Rev. Fr. Bernard at Johnsburg. Later he received a regular appointment as curate at Beaver Dam. He served for seven years as pastor of Lost Lake church, which he built up and was then transferred to St. Michael’s near Kewaskum, serving there for 23 years. In November, 1934, he was appointed by Archbishop Samuel A. Stritch to succeed the Rev. Fr. Toeller as pastor at Johnsburg. During that pastorate he directed a centennial celebration for the parish in 1941. He had served several terms as president of St. Lawrence College Alumni association. Surviving Fr. Beyer is a brother, Peter Beyer of Mt. Calvary. Another brother, Anton Beyer, Milwaukee, died five years ago. Rites Planned The body will be at the home of his boyhood in Mt. Calvary from Sunday noon until Monday evening when it will be taken to Holy Cross church. Funeral services will be held there at 11 a.m. Tuesday, preceded by the recitation of the office of the dead by many priests. The Rt. Rev. Msgr. Sebastian Bernard of Milwaukee will celebrate the mass. Assisting him will be the Rev. Felix Sippel of Stoughton and the Rev. Vincent Schneider. The sermon will be preached by the Rev. Fr. Grasser of St. Joseph’s parish, Milwaukee. Archbishop Moses E. Kiley of Milwaukee will give the absolution, prior to the removal of the body to Holy Cross cemetery for burial. Fond du Lac Commonwealth Reporter, Thursday August 10, 1944, p. 26 DIGNITARIES AT FINAL RITES FOR FORMER PASTOR Most Rev. Moses E. Kiley Gives Absolution at Burial of Father Beyer Funeral services for the Rev. Joseph Beyer, 63, pastor of St. John’s church at Johnsburg until his recent retirement because of ill health, who died Friday at St. Agnes hospital, were held at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Holy Cross church Mt. Calvary, where he was baptized and worshipped as a boy. Burial was in the church cemetery. With students of St. Lawrence college providing an escort, the body of the Rev. Fr. Beyer was removed to the church at 7:30 p.m.. Monday, met by the Rt. Rev. Msgr., E.J. Rodenkirch of St. Peter and by the Rev. Fr. Herriges of Fond du Lac. Bishop’s Blessing The Most Rev. Moses E. Kiley, archbishop of the Milwaukee diocese, accompanied to Mt. Calvary by the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Atkielski, chancellor, gave the final blessing. The mass was celebrated by the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Sebastian Bernard, assisted by the Rev. Felix Sippel and the Very Rev. Cyprian Abler, O.F.M.Cap. Father Malachy was master of ceremonies. Students of St. Lawrence college served. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Lawrence Merten, O.F.M.Cap. The priests’ choir, stationed in the sanctuary, sang at the funeral services, under the direction of the Rev. Raymond Zeyen, professor of music at the St. Francis seminary. Members of the choir were the Revs. R. Kastner, George Knackert, Cyril Volz, Raymond Fox, Robert Schweizer, Oscar Winninghof, Raynor Hausmann, John Stehle, Leo Zirbes, Louis Wedle, William Hennen and Joseph Bittle. Present in the sanctuary as assistants to Archbishop Kiley were the very Rev. Omler, C.PP.S. of Fond du Lac, and the Rev. Louis Biersach, O.M.Cap. The Rt. Rev. and Very Rev. Msgr. Dentinger, Murphy, Lederer, Atkielski and Rodenkirch were seated in the sanctuary. Pallbearers were the Rev. Capuchin Fathers; Myles, Roland, Lawrence, Ephrem, Jude, and Allan. Many Priests Present Other priests included the Rev. Frs. Gruenewald, Zohlen, Knauer, Wilwers, Pierron, Bertram, Walter, Klopoetke, Biwer, Bruecker, Phillip Wagner, LaBuwi, Groff, Velte, Riordan, Reichel, Jentges, Eilers, Chunteuch, Huemmers, July, Charles Myers, A.M. Klink, J. Langenfeld, James Huepper, Glass, Goebel, Jerriges, Kohler, Thomas, Stoffel, Jacobs, Zingsheim, Schiffler, Sippel, Sustcheck, Rudolph Kramer, Green, Omler, Herod Gariepy, O.M.I., the Very Rev. Cyprian Abler, Philip Steffes, and Theodore Roemer and the Revs. Paul, George, Raphael, Louis, Lawrence, Urban, Ephrem, Jude, Myles, Allan, Roland, Malachy, Vianney, Gerald, Leo. Relatives present included Mr. and Mrs. J. Beyer and son, Joseph, Mrs. E.P. Beyer and family, Madison; Mrs. Anton Beyer, Miss Adele Beyer, Mr. and Mrs. Gene Beyer, Mr. and Mrs. M.J. Hohner and family, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Beyer, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Beyer and Mrs. S.H. Taylor, Milwaukee and Jake Wagner, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Wenzler of Fond du Lac and Adolph Kommers, a classmate of Fr. Beyer, from Antigo. West Bend News, Thurs. August 10, 1944, p. 1 FORMER PASTOR AT ST. MICHAELS DIES Following a prolonged illness, death came Friday evening, Aug. 4, to the Rev. Joseph Beyer, 63, who for 23 years was pastor of St. Michaels church near Kewaskum. He died at St. Agnes hospital, Fond du Lac, where he had been a patient since Oct. 7, 1941. Funeral services were held Tuesday morning at Holy Cross church in Mt. Calvary where in June, 1905, Rev. Beyer celebrated his first mass following his ordination. He was assistant pastor at Johnsburg and from there was transferred to Beaver Dam as pastor. He served for seven years as pastor of Lost Lake church, which he built up and was then sent to St. Michaels. Surviving Fr. Beyer is a brother, Peter, of Mt. Calvary. Kewaskum Statesman, Friday August 11, 1944, p. 1 REV. JOSEPH BEYER, FORMER PASTOR AT ST. MICHAELS DIES Received with deep sorrow throughout this community was the news on Saturday of the death of the Rev. Joseph F. Beyer, 63, beloved retired priest, who formerly was pastor of St. Michael’s congregation at St. Michaels near Kewaskum, for 23 years. Fr. Beyer died Friday evening, Aug. 4, at 6:30 o’clock in St. Agnes hospital, Fond du Lac, where he had been a patient since Oct. 7, 1941. he died in the presence of Rev. Lawrence Merten, West Bend, a number of Sisters of St. Agnes and his brother, Peter. Father Beyer was born June 16, 1881, at Mt. Calvary, a son of Thomas and Gertrude Petrie Beyer. There were four sons and three daughters in that family and all of them attended Holy Cross parochial school at Mt. Calvary except one of the sons, who died early in childhood. Joseph’s parents were very happy when he decided to study for the priesthood. Arrangements were made for him to attend St. Lawrence college, within sight of his home and he enrolled there in 1895. After completing his entire classical course there in seven years he went to St. Francis seminary to study theology. After a year at the latter institution his health failed and he was advised to transfer to St. John’s seminary at Collegeville, Minn. Rev. Beyer was ordained to the priesthood in June, 1905, and returned to his home parish to celebrate his first mass. His parents, relatives and the Capuchin FAthers who had educated him at the college were indeed happy to have him read his first mass in Holy Cross parish. His first assignment was that of assistant to the Rev. Fr. Bernard at Johnsburg. Later he received a regular appointment as curate at Beaver Dam and then served as pastor of Lost Lake church for seven years. He built up this church and was then transferred to St. Michaels, where he spent 23 years of his priestly career. In November, 1934, he was appointed by Archbishop Samuel A. Stritch to succeed the Rev. Fr. Toeller as pastor at Johnsburg and he continued to serve as priest at that parish until his illness forced him to retire several years ago. During his pastorate at Johnsburg he directed a centennial celebration for the parish in 1941. He had served several terms as president of St. Lawrence College Alumni association. Father Beyer realized the privileges, responsibilities and dignity of the holy priesthood. While in our midst he worked zealously both at St. Michael's parish and the mission of St. John of God. He took a tremendous interest in the social events. Fr. Beyer brought about the building of the parish hall in which many pleasant hours were spent and the jubilee celebration at St. Michaels was a real event, which is a memory to all members of the parish. The people loved and revered him and found it hard to part with him when he was transferred to Johnsburg. During his three years of confinement in the hospital he was up at times and then again he had to remain in bed for months. He bore his suffering as it came, cheerfully and without murmuring. Surviving is a brother, Peter Beyer of Mt. Calvary. Another brother, Anton, Milwaukee, died five years ago. The bells rang out joyfully at Fr. Beyer’s birth for the parishioners of Holy Cross church were then having their annual Corpus Christi procession - and the bells tolled the “De Profundis” when his dead body was brought back to his home town Friday evening. His body lay in state at the old Beyer homestead from Sunday noon until Monday evening when it was removed to Holy Cross church with students of St. Lawrence college providing an escort. The body was met by the Rt. Rev. Msgr. E.J. Rodenkirch of St. Peter and the Rev. Fr. Berriges of Fond du Lac. The solemn funeral mass was sung at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Holy Cross church. The Office of the Dead was said by the many priests who had come from far and near to say farewell to their fellow-laborer. The mass was celebrated by the Rt. Rev. Msgr. Sebastian Bernard, Milwaukee, a close friend of the deceased, assisted by the Rev. Felix Sippel, Stoughton, schoolmate of Fr. Beyer, as deacon, and the Very Rev. Cyprian Abler, O.F.M. Cap., Rev. Vincent Schneider of St. Michaels, now stationed in Milwaukee, was sub- deacon and FAther Malachy was master of ceremonies. Students of St. Lawrence college served. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Lawrence Merten, O.F.M. Cap of West Bend. The Most Rev. Moses E. Kiley, archbishop of the Milwaukee archdiocese, gave the final blessing. A number of priests assisted Archbishop Kiley in the sanctuary. The priests’ choir sang under the direction of the Rev. Raymond Zwyen, professor of music at St. Francis seminary. Among the members of the choir was the Rev. R.J. Kastner, priest pastor at St. Michaels. Six Capuchin Fathers were pallbearers and they carried the body to Holy Cross cemetery for burial, where Fr. Beyer had arranged to be buried - at his home. Many priest from this community were among those at the last rites, including Rev. F.C. La Buwi, pastor of Holy Trinity church here. additional comments: Joseph Beyer, son of Gertrude Petri