FATHER FRANK PALERMO

SPRINGFIELD- The Rite of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 7, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church for Father Frank Palermo, 88, a Roman Catholic priest of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, who died Saturday, March 3, 2018, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield. The Most Rev. Edward M. Rice will give the funeral mass, with John J. Leibrecht and the priests of the diocese concelebrating the liturgy. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery in Springfield.

Visitation will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 6, at Holy Trinity Parish, 2818 E. Bennett St., in Springfield, followed by a Vespers service at 7 p.m.

Online condolences, stories and photos may be shared at www.hhlohmeyer.com.

Survivors include his sisters, Antionette Snodell and Mary Bauer; a brother, Paul Palermo and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his sisters, Catherine Hudson and Josephine Perry.

Father Palermo was born Oct. 24, 1929, in Kansas City, Mo., to Frank and Beatrice (Barona) Palermo. He attended Holy Cross Grade School and graduated from St. John Preparatory High School in Kansas City. He attended St. John Seminary in Kansas City and Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis before being ordained on March 26, 1955.

Father Palermo was one of the first priests of the newly formed missionary Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau and served faithfully with all seven of its bishops for his almost 63 years of priesthood. As pastor he served in a variety of parishes throughout southern Missouri including St. Mary Parish, Pierce City; St. Henry Parish, Charleston; St. Mary Parish, Seneca; Nativity of Our Lord Mission Church, Noel; Sacred Heart Parish, WebbCity; St.Catherine of Siena Parish, Joplin; St. Mary Parish in Lamar and St. Joseph Mission Church in Golden City.

He also served as parochial administrator of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Springfield and St. Francis de Sales Parish in Lebanon. He served for many years in hospital ministry as chaplain of the non-Catholic hospitals in Springfield and as chaplain at St. John’s Regional Health Center (now Mercy) in Springfield.

After retiring from active ministry in 2000, Father Palermo because senior priest in residence at Holy Trinity Parish, Springfield, where he continued to serve the people of God until health issues made it necessary for him to move to Springfield Villa.