November 2, 1963

Father Francis Heyer

Father Heyer was born on August 16, 1916 in St. Louis, MO and studied for the priesthood at St. Henry’s Preparatory Seminary in Belleville, IL; St. Louis Preparatory Seminary in St. Louis, MO; and Immaculate Conception Seminary in Conception, MO. Bishop Charles LeBond of the Diocese of St. Joseph, MO ordained him for the Diocese of Wichita at Conception Seminary on September 23, 1944. Bishop Winkelmann assigned Father Heyer to Immaculate Conception Convent in Great Bend as chaplain and later to All Saints Parish in Wichita as assistant. As pastor he served in Burns, Florence, Galena and Baxter Springs, Franklin and Capaldo, and Little River. After a sick leave in 1959 he was an assistant at All Saints Parish in Wichita and St. Mary’s Parish in Derby. His last assignment as pastor was to St. Patrick’s Parish in Fulton until he died from injuries suffered in a car accident in Nevada, MO on November 2, 1963. Bishop Carroll celebrated his funeral Mass and Father Joseph Nolan preached the sermon at St. Patrick’s Parish in Fulton. Father Heyer was buried in Kirkwood, MO.