Rev. George Gerard Kahle, C.S.C., 86, died 6:30 p.m., Monday (April 8, 2013) at St. Joseph Medical Regional Center, Mishawaka, Ind.
Visitation will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday (April 11, 2013) at Moreau Seminary, where there will be a Wake Service at 7:30 p.m. The Funeral Mass will be at 3:30 p.m. Friday (April 12, 2013) at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart.
Fr. Kahle was born on Oct. 26, 1926, to George and Rose Mary (Pfirmann) Kahle in Lima, Ohio. Fr. Kahle attended Saints Peter and Paul Elementary School in Ottawa, Ohio, and graduated from Saints Peter and Paul High School on May 28, 1944.
Fr. Kahle entered Holy Cross Seminary in August 1944, while attending the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Ind. He entered the St. Joseph Novitiate at Rolling Prairie, Ind., and was received into the Congregation of Holy Cross on Aug. 15, 1945. He made his First Profession of Vows on Aug. 16, 1946, and then moved to Moreau Seminary on the campus of Notre Dame for the final three years of college. Fr. Kahle received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, cum laude, from Notre Dame on June 5, 1949. Fr. Kahle made his Final Vows on Aug. 16, 1949. He studied theology at Holy Cross College, Washington, D.C. Fr. Kahle was ordained to the priesthood on June 10, 1953. He would have celebrated his 60thJubilee this May.
Fr. Kahle served as a Prefect at Cavanaugh Hall at Notre Dame from 1953 to 1956. He also taught math, first part-time, and then math and physics full-time at Holy Cross Seminary while he was working on his master’s degree at Notre Dame, which he received on Aug. 8, 1958. He was appointed Director of Studies at the Seminary in 1960. In 1964, Fr. Kahle was assigned to Notre Dame High School for Boys in Niles, Ill., as a math teacher and assistant in the academic office. He was Assistant Principal for academics and a part-time math teacher from 1965 to 1967, when he served as a math teacher and an assistant in the audio-visual department at the school. Fr. Kahle introduced computer classes at NDHS in the fall of 1978 and supervised the construction of the school’s first computer lab. From 1979 to 1985, Fr. Kahle was Chairman of the Math Department. He served as Acting Principal of the school during the 1985-1986 school year and then returned to teaching math. He was appointed Religious Superior at NDHS in 1987. He received two awards during his tenure at Notre Dame High School: the d’Autremont Award in 1987 and the Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award in 1993. He served as Chairman of the North Central Steering Committee to direct preparations for the North Central visitation of the high school in 1992. He returned to teaching and then retired in 1995. For 10 years while teaching at NDHS, Fr. Kahle also offered daily Masses for the Carmelite Sisters at St. Joseph Monastery in Des Plaines, Ill., and the Sisters of Providence and Mother Guerin Convent in River Grove, Ill.
In September of 1995, Fr. Kahle was transferred to South Bend, Ind., to serve as Chaplain to the brothers at St. Joseph’s Farm and to be a visiting priest at St. Paul’s Retirement Community. He moved to Holy Cross House in 1999.
Fr. Kahle is preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Mary Margaret Kahle and Martha Ann Schenking. He is survived by a brother-in-law, Donald Schenking of Dayton, Ohio; and three nieces, Ann Schenking of Dayton; Joan Schenking of Annapolis, Md.; and Carol (Ed) Michael of Worthington, Ohio.
