Delbert Schmelzer

MADISON - Reverend Monsignor Delbert LeRoy Schmelzer entered eternal life on Saturday, July 2, 2016 at the age of 86, at St. Mary Hospital, Madison. He was born on January 4, 1930 in Avoca, Wisconsin the son of Roy and Baptista (Dolan) Schmelzer. After attending Drybone Public Elementary School, Highland, and Salvatorian High School Seminary, St. Nazianz, Wisconsin, Monsignor Schmelzer earned a Bachelors of Philosophy and Theology from St. Francis de Sales Seminary in St. Francis, Wisconsin. He was ordained a priest by Most Reverend William P. O’Connor, Bishop of Madison, on May 26, 1956 at St. Raphael Cathedral, Madison. He received papal honors through Investiture as a Prelate of Honor (Monsignor) on July 11, 1999, and was elevated to Protonotary Apostolic (Supernumerary) in 2009.

Monsignor Schmelzer served the Diocese of Madison as a Parochial Vicar and Pastor at various Catholic Parishes including St. Andrew Parish, Verona, with Mission of St. William Parish, Paoli, from which he retired in 2001 as Pastor Emeritus. He served the diocese faithfully as a chaplain at Madison General Hospital; Janesville Serra Club, and as Diocesan Chaplain for the Knights of Columbus. He was Priest Director of the Diocesan Priest Tertiary of St. Francis; Associate Vocations Director for the Lafayette Deanery; Dean of West Dane Deanery; and Episcopal Vicar of the annual celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday. He also served as an ecclesiastical notary for the Diocese of Madison. He was a member of the following Diocesan boards: Building Commission; Arbitration Committee; Presbyteral Council; and the St. Raphael Society Clergy Retirement Fund Board. He also served as the chaplain to the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.

Monsignor Schmelzer worked in the Diocese of Madison office of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith (Mission Co-Op Plan) since Bishop Cletus O’Donnell asked him to serve the worldwide missions in 1968. In 1981, Monsignor Schmelzer was appointed the Director of the office and thus faithfully served the Pontifical Mission Societies for over forty years until 2014.

He is survived by his sisters, Patsy Pustina of Highland, LaVon Vorndran of Stoughton, and Suzette Yager of Mineral Point; sisters-in-law, Darlene and Rosemary Schmelzer. Also survived by many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. In addition to his parents he is preceeded in death by his 3 brothers Robert “Bob”, Patrick “Laverne” and Jake Schmelzer; 2 brothers-in-law, Louis Yager, Norbert Pustina; and sister-in-law, Marie Schmelzer.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Christopher Parish (St. Andrew Catholic Church), 301 N. Main St., Verona, on Friday, July 8, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. Most Reverend Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison, will be the celebrant and homilist. A Visitation at St. Andrew Catholic Church will be held on Thursday, July 7th from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm, with the Vigil Rite to follow at 7:00 pm presided by Reverend Father William Vernon, Pastor, St. Christopher Parish. A visitation will be held at the church on Friday morning, July 8, 2016, from 9:00 a.m. until the start of the Holy Mass. The Rite of Committal will take place at St. Philip Cemetery, Highland, with Reverend Monsignor James Bartylla presiding, later in the afternoon of Friday, July 8, 2016 at approximately 3:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the “Diocese of Madison – Propagation of the Faith”.

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