Date of death: 1/21/2018
Saint Meinrad Class: O 1957
Fr. Richard Loehrlein died January 21, 2018 at the Marianist Residence Community in San Antonio, TX. He was 87 years old and had lived Marianist religious life for 68 years. He was born in Fulda, IN. Fr. Richard met the Marianists at an early age and went to the Marianist Postulate at Mt. St. John in Dayton, OH as a sophomore. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the University of Dayton in 1952 and then taught in Marianists high schools – North Catholic, Pittsburgh, PA and Chaminade, Dayton, OH. He then went to the Seminary in Fribourg, Switzerland and was ordained in 1961 in Basel, Switzerland. He returned to the United States and taught for a year at Purcell H.S. in Cincinnati, OH. In 1964, he began his service at Mangu H.S. in Thika, Kenya. In 1970, he returned to the United States and served at a community college in Lansing, MI. In 1972, Fr. Richard was asked to serve in Ireland as chaplain. He has there until 1982 when he returned to the United States. After completing a Master degree in psychology and spirituality at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh in 1982, he was assigned to parish ministry in Albion and Portage, MI. In 1990, he returned to Africa to serve at Karonga Secondary School in Malawi and then at the Marianist Scholasticate in Nairobi, Kenya. He was there until he moved to the Marianist Residence Community in San Antonio, TX in 2013. From 1969 on, Fr. Richard was deeply influenced and involved with the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. He was convinced of the importance of the Marianist Family and was proud of his efforts in Malawi. Fr. Richard served wherever the Marianists asked him. Fr. Richard was proceeded in death by his parents, Edward and Beatrice (Koenig) Loehrlein; his brothers, Earl, Rev. Sy and James; and, his sisters, Malvina and Sr. Marcy Loehrlein, FMI. He is survived by his brother, Norbert Loehrlein (Martha) Evansville, IN; sister, Cyrilla Eickhoff (Linus) Evansville, IN; sister-in-law, Elisabeth Loehrlein, New Albany, IN; and numerous nieces and nephews.