Rev. Donald E. Larmore
Deceased: 2020-12-07
Diocese: GRAND ISLAND
CSM Graduation Year: 1967
Rev. Donald E. Larmore, 81, of Gilbert, AZ, retired priest of the Diocese of Grand Island, died Tuesday, June 23, 2020, at Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, AZ. Mass of Christian Burial will be Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament Church. The Most Rev. Joseph G. Hanefeldt will preside with Bishop Emeritus Rev. William J. Dendinger and priests of the Diocese of Grand Island concelebrating. Inurnment will be in Giltner Cemetery, Giltner, NE. Visitation will be Monday, July 27, 2020, from 6 – 7 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament Church with a vigil service at 7 p.m. It is highly recommended, for the protection of those at high risk, that face masks be worn for both the vigil and the funeral. If you find this inconvenient, the funeral service will be live-streamed beginning at 2:00 p.m. July 28th on Blessed Sacrament Church’s Facebook page. Memorials are suggested to GICC Foundation Student Generosity Fund or to the Diocese of Grand Island. Curran Funeral Chapel is assisting with local arrangements. Your thoughts and prayers may be given at www.curranfuneralchapel.com under Fr. Don’s obituary.
Fr. Larmore was born September 20, 1938, in Giltner, NE to Donald and Frances (Ebert) Larmore Sr. He attended rural district grade school in Phillips, NE and St. Mary’s High School in Grand Island, NE graduating in 1955. He enrolled at St. Thomas Seminary in Denver where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Education in 1959 and Master’s Degree in Theology in 1963. He was Ordained to the priesthood by Bishop John L. Paschang at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Grand Island, NE on May 28, 1963.
He served as an assistant at St. Mary’s Cathedral for one year before beginning post graduate studies in Cannon Law. He graduated Summa cum laude on June 28, 1967, from Pontifical Lateran University in Rome with a Doctorate in Canon Law.
On August 28, 1967, Fr. Larmore was appointed Chancellor of the Diocese of Grand Island. He served as head of the religion department at Central Catholic High School in Grand Island and in 1968, was appointed pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Rockville during which time a new parish hall was built. He also service as Vocations Director from 1970 to 1973. In 1973, Fr. Don was appointed temporary chaplain of St. Francis Hospital in Grand Island, administrator pro tem of St. Joseph’s Mission in Wolbach, and full-time Chaplain and Administrative Director of Central Catholic High School. He taught Spirituality and Latin at Central Catholic from 1967 to 1977. He was Editor pro tem of the West Nebraska Register. On March 1, 1974 he was appointed Vicar of Religious in the Diocese of Grand Island. On June 12, 1975, he was appointed pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Wood River. On January 1, 1977, Fr. Don began a 5-year leave of absence to work in the Maryknoll Missions. He was appointed pastor of Mabui Catholic Church, Musoma, Tanzania, Africa on July 1, 1977. He was also a Diocesan Consultor. After a three-month leave, he returned to Bunda Catholic Church, Bunda Tanzania, Africa until his return to Grand Island on April 17, 1982. He was appointed Pastor of St. Leo’s Church, in Grand Island on July 1, 1982. He returned to Tanzania in 1985. Upon his return to the United States in 1994, he was appointed pastor at Blessed Sacrament Church in Grand Island and served there until 2002 when he resumed his work as a Maryknoll associate in Africa. He returned to the U.S. in 2006 to participate in a Sabbatical program, retiring to Arizona in January of 2007. He maintained his sense of humor saying that one day he planned to get a pet—a zebra—reminiscent of his many years spent as a Maryknoll missionary in Africa. “I will have a pet zebra,” he said, “and I shall call him Spot.”
Fr. Larmore wrote many poems over the years inspired by the lives of his friends and the people of East Africa. He published a book of poetry, titled Under the Acacia Tree.
Fr. Larmore is survived by a few cousins and caregiver, Sr. Mary Fran Simons, CSJ.
Fr. Larmore is preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Frances Larmore Sr.
