Msgr. Louis Kollasch dies at age 74

Oct. 11, 2007

Msgr. Louis H. Kollasch, 74, of Fort Dodge, died Monday, Oct. 8, 2007 at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minn.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Oct. 12 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Humboldt with Bishop R. Walker Nickless officiating along with other priests of the diocese concelebrating. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Humboldt. A visitation will be after 4 p.m. on Oct. 11 at Laufersweiler-Sievers Funeral Home - 307 South 12th Street, Fort Dodge, where there will be a Knights of Columbus Rosary at 6:30 p.m. and a vigil at 7 p.m.

Louis Henry Kollasch was born May 21, 1933 in Whittemore, Iowa where he attended country school and graduated from Presentation Academy. He entered college at Loras College in Dubuque and continued at Mount St. Bernard Seminary in Dubuque. On May 31, 1958 he was ordained at Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City. He later received his graduate degree in M.S. Ed from Creighton University in Omaha.

He retired in 1998 after 40 years of priestly assignments, which included: Temporary assistant at Immaculate Conception Parish, Cherokee - 1958; assistant pastor at SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Carroll - 1958-1963; faculty at Kuemper High School, Carroll - 1958-1963; faculty/administration at St Edmond High School, Fort Dodge - 1963-1973; chaplain at the Women's Reformatory, Rockwell City - 1963-1965; pastor at St Joseph Parish, Duncombe (attending Vincent) - 1966-1972; vicar adjutor at Sacred Heart Parish, Fort Dodge - 1972-1978; Vicar Forane/Dean 1976-1978; rector at Cathedral of the Epiphany, Sioux City - 1978-1986; pastor at St. Mary Parish, Humboldt - 1986-1993; pastor at St. Malachy Parish, Madrid - 1993-1998; chaplain at State Hospital-School, Woodward - 1993-1998.

On March 10, 1982 he was named Domestic Prelate by Pope John Paul II with title of Reverend Monsignor. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem.

Surviving are his brothers and sisters, Helen Miller and her husband Andrew of Clear Lake, Ruth Bouc and her husband Edward of Daly City, CA, Beatrice Miller and her husband Howard of Algona, Milo Kollasch and his wife Anita of Algona, Glen Kollasch and his wife Alice of North Liberty, Norma Lane and her husband Richard of Whittemore, Mark Kollasch and his wife Alice of Spirit Lake. He was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Gertrude (Kaschmitter) Kollasch and an infant brother, Howard Kollasch.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be left to the Marian Home, or to the St. Edmond Catholic School System, both in Fort Dodge.