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William C. 'Bill' Garthoeffner Oklahoma City, OK QCWA # 25865 Chapter 63 |
William "Bill" Garthoeffner, 93, passed away peacefully with his beloved wife by his side. Bill was born Dec. 2, 1926, to William C. Garthoeffner, Sr & Mary Shively Garthoeffner. He was preceded in death by his parents; stepson, Robert Gresham; and grandson, Benjamin Gresham.
Bill enlisted in the United States Navy. After the war, Bill became a Roman Catholic priest, attending seminaries in Denver and Catholic University in Washington, DC. He was ordained in 1953. He later studied Cannon Law for three years at the American College in Rome.
Bill was witness to the beginning of a new era in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, initiated by Saint John XXIII whose openness to change was shown in his convoking of the Second Vatican Council. This had a profound influence on Bill.
He served the Church as Chancellor to the Oklahoma Diocese and as a parish priest. In 1973, he received a master of social work degree and was appointed Director of Catholic Social Ministries. One of his proudest accomplishments was initiating a program which eventually resettled thousands of Vietnamese families and other Southeast Asian refugees to OKC.
In 1977, Bill resigned from the priesthood and married the love of his life, Jane.
Bill gave selflessly to all, but knowing him was his greatest gift to us, his survivors: his wife, Jane Garthoeffner; stepsons, Peter and Sam; his daughters-in-law, Amy and Lyn; grandchildren, Philip and partner Colleen, Daniel, Molly, Joe and partner Jessica, Mollie and husband Sean, and Billy and partner Reilly, and his great-grandchildren, Oliver, Skye, and Ari, who made his eyes sparkle and his smile brighten.
The family would like to suggest any memorial donations in Bill's name be made to the Dorothy Day Food Bank at St. Charles Borromeo, 5024 N. Grove, OKC 73122.
Published in The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Friday, May 15, 2020, Page A13.