A funeral Mass for Father Gary Gebelein will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday, June 6, at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Oakville. Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. Thursday, June 5, at Kutis Funeral Home in Affton, and prior to the funeral Mass at St. Francis, starting at 10 a.m. Father Gebelein died May 26 at Mary Queen and Mother residence at Cardinal Ritter Senior Services in Shrewsbury. He was 77.
He was born on July 26, 1947, to Joseph and Lurita (Boever) Gebelein in St. Louis. He was baptized on Aug. 17, 1947, at St. John the Baptist Church. He attended Bishop DuBourg High School, the University of Missouri-Columbia, Cardinal Glennon College and Kenrick Seminary.
Father Gebelein was ordained to the priesthood on May 18, 1974, by Cardinal John J. Carberry at the St. Louis Cathedral. He served as associate pastor at St. David in Arnold (1974-78), St. Gabriel in St. Louis (1978-80), St. Joseph in Cottleville (1980-87) and St. Aloysius in Spanish Lake (1987-91). He was also appointed a member of the Clergy Conference Commission for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1979.
He was appointed pastor of St. Ferdinand Parish in Florissant in 1991. In 2002, he became pastor of St. Francis of Assisi in Oakville. He also served two terms as dean of the Southeast County Deanery. In 2013, he was named senior associate pastor of St. Francis of Assisi. He retired in 2014 to a private residence.
Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery.
