Brother Roch (Maurice) Pfeifer Ofm

Br. Roch (Maurice) Pfeifer, OFM, 88, died on Monday, October 23, 2017, at Manitowoc Health and Rehab Center in Manitowoc, WI.

Maurice was born February 12, 1929, in Humphrey, NE, to Rochus and Caroline (Foltz) Pfeifer. He graduated from St. Francis High School in the class of 1947. He left to join the Franciscans of the Sacred Heart Province on September 3, 1948, and was invested as a Franciscan Tertiary on December 8th. On July 4, 1951, he was received into the First Order as a novice and was given the religious name, Roch. Professing his first vows a year later, he was sent to St. Joseph Seminary in Westmont, IL, to work on the seminary farm. During his years there, he professed his solemn vows on July 5, 1955. Br. Roch remained at the seminary until June of 1982. From 1982 to 1991, he was stationed at Alverna Retreat Center in Indianapolis, IN. In 1991, he was transferred to St. Thomas Friary in Memphis, TN, ministering at St. Mary and St. Augustine Parishes. In the summer of 2002, Br. Roch was transferred to Little Flower Parish in Monroe, LA, and worked there until his retirement in 2015. While there, he celebrated 60 years as a Franciscan Friar in 2008. In June of 2015, Br. Roch was transferred to the Franciscan retirement community at Blessed Giles Friary in Manitowoc, WI.

Br. Rochs annual return to Humphrey for his summer vacation prompted many Pfeifer picnics. His visits were always an anticipated event for the family with lots of visiting and reminiscing.

He is survived by his sister, Thelma Veik, of Madison, NE, his brother and sister-in-law, Alvin and Margret Pfeifer of Omaha, his sister-in-law, Mary Alice Pfeifer of Humphrey, and his brother-in-law, Eugene Labenz of Humphrey, along with 23 nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters: Sr. Helen Ann Pfeifer, OSF, Florence Pfeifer, Eileen Labenz and Bernadine Boesch, his twin brother, Melvin, his brother and sister-in-law, William and Edna Pfeifer, brother-in-law Jerry Boesch, and brother-in-law, Art Veik.


Memorials are suggested to Blessed Giles Friary, 1820 Grand Avenue, Manitowoc, WI, 54220, to assist in the care of the senior friars of the Sacred Heart Province.