A funeral Mass for Father Ronald Rubbelke will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Sept. 11 at Assumption Church in O’Fallon. A wake will also be held in the church from 9-10 a.m. Father Rubbelke died Sept. 5 at Mother of Good Counsel Home in St. Louis. He was 84 years old.
Father Rubbelke was born Dec. 12, 1938, to John Henry and Violet Mary (Vogler) Rubbelke in St. Louis. He was baptized on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 1938, at St. Augustine Church in St. Louis. He attended St. Louis Prep Seminary, Cardinal Glennon College and Kenrick Seminary.
Father Rubbelke was ordained on March 14, 1964, by then-Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. His first assignment was as assistant pastor at St. Mary Magdalen Parish in south St. Louis (1964-65).
He then served as assistant or associate pastor at St. Engelbert in St. Louis (1965-66), Mary Queen of Peace in Webster Groves (1966-67), St. Luke in Richmond Heights (1968-75), St. Dismas in Florissant (1975-79), St. Timothy in Affton (1979-83), St. Clement of Rome in Des Peres (1983-84), St. Blaise in Maryland Heights (1984-85), St. David in Arnold (1985-88) and Our Lady of Sorrows in St. Louis (1988-89). He also taught at St. Louis Prep Seminary North and Bishop DuBourg High School.
Father Rubbelke was appointed pastor of Assumption in Herculaneum (1989-95) and senior associate pastor at Assumption in O’Fallon (1995-2013).
Father Rubbelke retired in 2013 to Regina Cleri residence. He moved to Mother of Good Counsel Home in 2021.