Rev. Albert F. Danter

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at St. Andrew Church, 309 Hoffmeister Ave. in Lemay, for Father Alfred F. Danter, a former parish pastor. Father Danter inspired many people by returning to school late in life and earning a doctorate degree and by doing parish ministry through his 80s.

A native of Red Bud, Ill., Father Danter, 96, died Nov. 9.

Father Danter was ordained in 1943 by Archbishop John J. Glennon.

Father Danter's first priestly assignment was as associate pastor of Epiphany of Our Lord Parish in St. Louis. He then served at St. Rita Parish in Vinita Park and St. Boniface Parish in St. Louis. In 1960 he was named pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Tiff, in Washington County. He remained there until 1966 when he was named pastor of St. Alphonsus Parish in Millwood, in Lincoln County.

From 1974-78 he was pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Pagedale. He then served as an associate pastor at St. Pius V, St. Agatha and St. John the Baptist parishes in south St. Louis and Most Sacred Heart Parish in Eureka. From 1986-2001 he was chaplain at St. Joseph Home in St. Charles. He retired in 2001 and resided at St. Andrew Parish in Lemay, visiting parishioners at home and in hospitals until he sold his car in 2008 when he turned 90. In 2009 he moved to St. Agnes Home in Kirkwood.

Father Danter began taking graduate courses at Kenrick Seminary while pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Parish and earned a master's degree in theology in 1978. He then began studying for his doctorate while an associate pastor. At age 71, Father Danter earned his doctorate in biblical languages and literature from St. Louis University.

Looking back at his years as a priest a few years ago, he noted that after he was ordained he made a commitment to visit all the people in St. Rita's boundaries, some 300 to 400 families. He also developed a devotion to St. Therese of the Little Flower and often visited the Carmelites on Clayton Avenue. At every parish he continued to seek opportunities to grow spiritually, academically and socially

.

"One secret to being a happy priest is to always do what the Lord asks you and trust in Him to take away all your anxiety. I found the best way to do this was to spend a Holy Hour in church every day, praising God and learning to listen to Him better," he said.

Father Danter also showed a talent with words. In a letter to the editor of the Review just a few years ago regarding his belief that the campaign to raise funds to renovate Kenrick-Glennon would be a success, he said: "We should all be optimists. It not only produces results, it's also more fun."

Fr. Danter's obituary as seen in the St. Louis Review http://stlouisreview.com/article/2014-11-11/obituary-father