Rev. Robert J. Bliven, OSC
Deceased: 2010-01-03
Diocese: PHOENIX
ICTE Spring: 1990
Fr. Robert James Bliven, OSC, who served the Crosiers in parishes in Minnesota and Arizona and as a school administrator, died Sunday, Jan. 3 in Phoenix at the age of 79.
At the time of his death, Fr. Bob was a member of the Crosier Community of Phoenix. He had lived at Capri Care Center in Phoenix since April 2006.
Fr. Bob was born on Feb. 4, 1930 in Grand Forks, N.D. He attended Crosier Seminary in Onamia, Minn., from 1945 to 1951. Fr. Bob made his first profession of vows on Aug. 28, 1951 and was ordained on May 26, 1956 in Fort Wayne, Ind.
He served as pastor at St. Louis Catholic Church in Foreston, Minn., and as associate pastor at St. Odilia Catholic Church in Shoreview, Minn., and St. Louis the King Parish in Glendale, Ariz. He also provided assistance at the parishes of St. James, St. Paul, St. Thomas the Apostle and St. Jerome in Phoenix.
Fr. Bob also worked as the registrar, admissions director and financial director at Crosier Seminary in Onamia, Minn. He was Superior of the Crosier Community of Shoreview from 1979-1983 – the years he served as an associate at St. Odilia’s.
On Wednesday, Jan. 6, visitation will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Whitney-Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. Evening Prayer celebrating the Office of the Dead will start at 7 p.m.
On Thursday, Jan. 7, a visitation will start at 10 a.m., followed at 10:30 a.m. by Morning Prayer and the Funeral Mass at Sacred Heart Church, 1421 S. 12th St., Phoenix. Burial will be at Crosier Cemetery in Onamia, Minn., at a later date.
Fr. Bob is survived by sisters Adeline Lemieux and Doris Jeffry; brother Jerome and his longtime girlfriend Donna Hallick; brother William and his wife, Mary; and brother-in-law Earl LaBrecque. Fr. Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Eva; his sisters Gladys Bruce and Shirley LaBrecque; and brother-in-laws Neil Bruce, Dallas Lemieux and Cliff Jeffry.
Memorials preferred to the Crosier Fathers and Brothers, P.O. Box 500, Onamia, MN 56359.
