Submitted by: Dan Rich

Rev. John J. Margraf CSC

Nov. 5, 1893 – Sept. 17, 1980

South Bend Tribune 9/17/1980

Rev. John J. Margraf CSC, 86, died at 7 a.m. today in the Holy Cross House, Notre Dame after a lengthy illness. He was born Nov. 5, 1893 in Tawern, near Trier, Germany, and came to the United States in 1907, where he attended Holy Cross Seminary, Notre Dame for high school, and graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1915. He made his first profession of vows in 1917, at Holy Cross College, Washington, DC, and was ordained to the priesthood at Notre Dame on June 27, 1920. He taught and was assistant superior at Holy Cross Seminary from 1920 to 1924. He studied classical languages at Catholic University, Washington, DC, where he also served as assistant superior of the Holy Cross foreign missions seminary. He returned to Notre Dame where he taught Latin and Greek from 1925 to 1930, and also served as rector of Sophomore and Howard Halls.

In the 1930’s he taught briefly at St. Edward’s University, Austin, Texas, before being assigned to the University of Portland, Oregon, where he taught until 1941. He was appointed administrator of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Portland, where he served for 10 years, and held a similar position at St. Henry’s Parish, Gresham, Oregon. From 1951 to 1959 he was pastor of St. Mary’s, the German Parish in South Bend. He later served as chaplain at St. Joseph Hospital, South Bend and at Lee Memorial Hospital, Dowagiac, Mich. He was also assistant pastor at St. Joseph and St. Jude’s Parishes, South Bend. He retired in 1865 to Holy Cross House, where he recently celebrated the 60^th anniversary of his ordination. He is survived by two sisters, Miss Elizabeth Margraf of Grand Rapids, Mich., and Mrs. Margreth Hurt of Tawern, Germany.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Moreau Seminary, Notre Dame. Rev. Vincent C. Thilman CSC, will officiate. Burial will be in the Community Cemetery on the campus. Friends may call after 3 p.m. Thursday in the Moreau Seminary Chapel where a wake will be observed at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.