A funeral Mass for Msgr. Raymond Orf was celebrated Jan. 8 at St. Theodore Church in Flint Hill. He died Jan 2 at age 93.
Born in Flint Hill, he attended St. Louis Preparatory Seminary and Kenrick Seminary. He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Louis by Cardinal Joseph E. Ritter in 1955 and served here until the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau was formed. At that time, he became part of the new diocese, serving there until his retirement.
In his 65 years of priesthood, Msgr. Orf served as assistant pastor of St. Joseph Parish in White Church, and St. Mary Parish in West Plains from 1955-57; assistant pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Willow Springs and serving mission parishes in Cabool and Houston from 1957-59; administrator of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Mansfield and St. Leo the Great Parish in Ava from 1959-1961; pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Advance and administrator of St. Anthony Parish in Glennon from 1961-65; pastor of Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Branson while also serving at Our Lady of the Cove Parish in Kimberling City and Our Lady of the Ozarks Parish in Forsyth from 1965-76; pastor of St. Augustine Parish in Kelso from 1976-90; pastor of St. Ann Parish in Carthage from 1990-94; pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish, in Lebanon from 1994-2002; and senior priest in residence at Immaculate Conception Church in Springfield from 2002-13. He then returned to St. Louis to be closer to his family in Flint Hill. Msgr. Orf lived at Regina Cleri home for retired priests until his health failed following complications of COVID-19.
He played several years in the Hard Road EMBA Baseball League for Flint Hill and also enjoyed playing golf. The Everybody Loves Raymond golf tournament was inaugurated in 2012, named in his honor and dedicated to raising money for St. Mary School in Joplin, Missouri, which was destroyed in a tornado. Springfield, Missouri, Mayor James O’Neal designated the day Msgr. Raymond V. Orf Day. In his retirement in St. Louis, Msgr. Orf helped celebrate Masses at Annunciation Church in Webster Groves and Little Flower Church in Richmond Heights.
Survivors include his sister, Sister Rose Rita Orf, CPPS. Burial was in St. Theodore Parish’s cemetery.
