Father Francis Voellmecke

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Rev. Francis ?Frank? W. Voellmecke

Rev.  Francis “Frank” W. Voellmecke, beloved son of the late Carl Sr. and Marie (Cappel) Voellmecke, passed away on May 15, 2022 at the age of 86.

He was the loving brother of the late Carl Jr. (Dolores) Voellmecke, Mary Clare (Sam) Thomas, Albert (Betty) Voellmecke, and Jo Ann (Bill) Kelley and cherished “Uncle Hank” to many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews and great-great nieces and nephews.

Fr. Frank was born October 6, 1935 in Cincinnati and grew up in Price Hill. At age 13 he began his studies at St. Gregory Seminary in Cincinnati (known today as Mount St. Mary’s Seminary). After completing high school and two years of college at St. Gregory, he continued his studies in Rome. He lived at the North American College and studied philosophy and theology at the Gregorian University. He was ordained in Rome on December 20, 1959.

His first years as a priest were spent on the west side of Cincinnati. From 1960-1969 he was associate pastor at Holy Family, St. Dominic and St. William. During these years he taught religion at Seton High School. In 1969 he was asked by the archdiocese to earn a doctoral degree in philosophy so that he might teach at the college level. Once he completed his degree at the University of Notre Dame, Fr. Frank would go on to be a part of the faculty at St. Gregory Seminary from 1973 to 1980, serving as rector the last six years, and the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio as vice rec-tor and professor of philosophy from 1980 to 1989. From 1989 to 1995 he was on loan to the Diocese of Salt Lake City, where he was pastor at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish & Newman Center in Logan.

When he returned to Cincinnati, he served as pastor at Old St. Mary’s Church. In 1998 he went back to teaching at his old campus, now Mount St. Mary’s Seminary. He retired in 2011 and moved to Our Lord Christ the King Church as retired priest in residence. Though he served in a variety of capacities throughout his career, Fr. Frank’s greatest joy was being a parish priest – parish life meant being a part of families’ lives.

Fr. Frank grew up as the youngest of five children. His sister, who was 4 years old at the time he was born, couldn’t pronounce Frank and it came out as “Ank,” so from then on, he was known to his family as Hank or Uncle Hank (and sometimes Uncle Hankie). His family was very important to him as he was to them. He was the celebrant at numerous family baptisms, marriages and funerals. Uncle Hank was the life of the party, often the last to leave the family gatherings. He brought joy to everyone around him.

His family would like to thank the sisters and staff of the Little Sisters of the Poor for the loving care and kindness provided to Fr. Frank and his visitors in his final days.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated May 24 at St. William Church in Cincinnati. Committal, St. Joseph Cincinnati Catholic Cemetery.

Donations can be made in Fr. Frank’s memory to the Athenaeum of Ohio, 6616 Beechmont Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45230 or online at Donate to Cincinnati Seminary - Athenaeum of Ohio at <https://athenaeum.edu/donate/