Father Elias Badri Sekrieh

Father Elias is survived by his five siblings. Joseph Badri Sekrieh and his wife, Rowaida along with their 6 kids, Fouad, Nicole, Yara, Angie, Luciana and Badri; Fouad Badri Sekrieh; Tony Badri Sekrieh and his wife, Adel along with their 5 kids, Rajaa, Ramia, Elias, Sawsana, and Joseph; Rajaa Badri Sekrieh and husband, Medhat (deceased) and all their children; Nejla Badri Sekrieh and her husband, Zeky along with their children.

Father Elias was called to the church in 1968 where he was ordained as a priest in Beruit, Lebanon. He also taught young priests in the seminary, and served in a variety of different churches through out Lebanon and his home land Syria. He was one of the only priests that served in both the Orthodox and Catholic Church, and believed in the unity of the church and hoped to one day see it united as one. He moved to the United States in 1974 with his little brother Joseph and continued preaching the word of the Lord. The first church he served at in the United States was St. John in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Then in 1976, they both moved to Yonkers, New York to serve at St. Mary’s Church where he retired in 1978. He moved to Denver, Colorado to join his brother, Joseph and together they both established what is now known as Vollmer's Bakery.

Father Elias’ passion besides preaching, was baking. He loved making others happy and was always very giving, he believed that the more you give the more you get. He always had a goal to make the bakery more than just a business, but rather like home. He wanted everyone there to feel like part of the family rather than just an employee. Instead of making work a chore, he kept the environment very happy and enjoyable. Father Elias was always a very determined and hard-worker in a sense that he could never see someone working alone and not offer to help. He was a compassionate, loving, kind-hearted, generous, faithful and happy man of God. He loved his family and everyone around him unconditionally and was selfless. Everything he did, he did out of the goodness of his heart and never wanted to be thanked for it, to him he was just fulfilling his purpose. He never put himself first, but instead would think about how he could help make things better for others, and that’s what brought him happiness. He loved all of his brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews like his own children, and dedicated his life to loving and caring for them. Father Elias spent the last 9 and a half years of his mother's life taking care of her in Syria and making sure she enjoyed every last moment. He was the Father, Brother, Uncle and Friend to all, and is loved by so many and will forever be in our hearts, and continue to watch over us with our Lord Jesus Christ.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Father Elias will be held Saturday, May 19, 2018 at 10:00 am at Our Lady of Loreto Parish, 18000 E Arapahoe Rd, Foxfield, CO 80016. Following the Mass of Christian Burial will be a Committal Service at 12:00 pm at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary & Cemetery, 6601 S Colorado Blvd, Centennial, CO 80121. A Celebration of Life Reception will take place between 12:00 pm and 3:30 pm at Regis Jesuit High School Girls Division, 6300 S Lewiston Way, Aurora, CO 80016.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerchapelhill.com for the Sekrieh family.