A funeral Mass for Father Robert Argent was celebrated Sept. 20 at St. Matthias Church in Lemay. Father Argent died Sept. 15 at age 93.
Father Argent was born Aug. 25, 1929, in St. Louis to Samuel and Elizabeth (Moeller) Argent. He was baptized at St. Stephen Protomartyr Church and attended Cathedral Latin School, St. Louis Prep Seminary and Kenrick Seminary. He was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Joseph E. Ritter on March 26, 1955.
His first assignment was at St. Jerome in Bissell Hills (1955-57). After that, he served as assistant pastor at St. Gabriel the Archangel in St. Louis (1957-61), St. Paul in Fenton (1961-66), St. Justin Martyr in Sunset Hills (1966-70) and Annunciation in Webster Groves (1970-71).
In 1971, he was named administrator of Annunciation, and in 1972, he became administrator and later pastor of St. Matthias in Lemay. He also served as pastor at All Saints in St. Peters (1981-87) and St. Gertrude in Krakow (1987-92).
In 1992, he became a senior priest in residence at Resurrection of Our Lord in St. Louis; he remained there after retirement from 2004-06.
Father Argent also served as a teacher and administrator at Bishop DuBourg High School.
Father Argent moved to Regina Cleri home for retired priests in 2006. In 2021, he moved to Mother of Perpetual Help residence and later Mary, Queen and Mother Center at Cardinal Ritter Senior Services.
