Aug. 27, 2012
Father Robert F. Pepe
Father Pepe was born on Nov. 12, 1924, in New York City and grew up in Buffalo, N.Y. He began his studies for the priesthood as a high school freshman at St. Bernard’s Seminary in Rochester, N.Y. He continued at Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis, Mo., and was ordained to the priesthood on May 30, 1950, for the Diocese of Wichita. Father Pepe served as pastor in the following parishes: St. Rose of Lima, Columbus; Immaculate Conception, West Mineral; Holy Savior, Wichita; St. Joseph, Andale; and St. John, Iola. He retired from parish ministry in 1996 and was living at the Catholic Care Center in Wichita at the time of his death. In retirement he lived for several years in a small cabin at Grand Lake in Oklahoma. During that period he celebrated Mass every weekend at St. Frances Church in Langley, Okla. He is buried at Ascension Cemetery.