Rev. Robert Wannemuehler

Reverend Robert J. Wannemuehler, a retired priest of the Diocese of Evansville, died Jan. 26 at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, at age 85. He was a long time chaplain at Deaconess Hospital, where he continued to visit patients in recent times, rolling along hospital halls in an electric scooter. Visitation will be held Friday, Jan. 28, from 2 to 8 p.m., at St. Philip Church, Posey County, where a vigil service will be held at 6 p.m., all times central. Visitation will also be held from 9:00 a.m. until service time on Saturday at St. Philip Church. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday, Jan. 29, at 11 a.m., at St. Philip Church, where Father Wannemuehler celebrated his first Mass in 1951. Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger and priests of the diocese will be the celebrants. Burial will be in the St. Philip Parish Cemetery. Father Wannemuehler, a native of Posey County, was the son of Joseph and Clotilda Weinzapfel Wannemuehler of St. Philip. He is survived by four sisters, Bernadette Paul of Evansville, Pauline (Greg) Gieldon of Milwaukee, Wisc., Joan Gibson of Henderson, Ky., and Martha (Robert) Baehl of Evansville; two brothers, Jim (Bonnie) Wannemuehler of St. Philip and Elmer (Cindy) Wannemuehler of Evansville and a sister-in-law, Florence Wannemuehler of St. Philip. Also surviving are many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Mildred Schmitt; his brother, Joseph Wannemuehler and brothers-in-law, Jerry Gibson, Marvin Paul and Robert Schmitt. After seminary studies at St. Meinrad, Father Wannemuehler was ordained a priest by Bishop Henry J. Grimmelsman, at Assumption Cathedral, on May 19, 1951. His first assignments as an assistant pastor were in Evansville, at St. Agnes Church and St. Anthony Church, and then at St. Joseph Church in Jasper. He visited hospital patients during these years, in Evansville and Jasper. His first pastorate was Blessed Sacrament Church in Oakland City, in 1960. Subsequently, he was named pastor of St. Joseph Church in Bramble and chaplain at Crane Naval Depot in 1964; then in 1966, pastor of St. Peter Church, Montgomery, and Catholic chaplain at Daviess County Hospital in Washington, Ind. In 1968, he returned to Evansville as Chaplain at Deaconess Hospital, with residence first at St. Anthony Church, and later at St. Joseph Church. He was associate pastor of St. Joseph Church in Vanderburgh County from 1974 until 1991, when he moved to St. Boniface Church in Evansville. During his years in Evansville, and after his retirement in 1996, Father Wannemuehler continued as a chaplain at Deaconess. The family would like to extend a special thanks to his caregivers, Vicky Smith and Helen Schaefer for their special care of Father Wannemuehler. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Philip Catholic Church or to the Priest's Retirement Fund.

Rev. Robert Wannemuehler

December 22, 1925 - January 26, 2011