The Rev. Andrew Morvay

Andrew Morvay Obituary

RAPID CITY - The Rev. Andrew Morvay, 92, was called to eternal life on Saturday, May 3, 2008, at a local nursing home. Fr. Morvay was born in Manhattan, New York, on Feb. 21, 1916, to Mary and Frank Morvay. After graduating from St. John's College in Brooklyn, New York, he worked for Grumman Aircraft Company. Fr. Morvay served with the 3110 Signal Service Corps of the U. S. Army from 1943-1946. He received the Normandy Jubilee of Liberty medal from the French government in 1999. The medal honors World War II veterans who landed on Normandy. After his discharge from the Army, Fr. Morvay worked for the New York Telephone Company. He then attended St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Rapid City in 1960. Following his ordination, he was assigned to the Immaculate Conception Church in Rapid City. He then served at St. John the Evangelist in Rapid City and then became pastor at St. Anthony's in Buffalo. After serving as pastor of St. Mary's in Lemmon, he became pastor of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Martin. From 1990-1992, Fr. Morvay was parochial vicar at Our Lady of Victory in Kadoka and St. Patrick's in Wall. He retired in 1992. For 35 summers, Fr. Morvay drove across America from South Dakota to both coasts. During the 8400-mile trip, he visited many relatives and friends, as well as fellow Army veterans. He is survived by nephews and nieces, Roger Morvay of Phoenix, Charles Lipp and Joan Lipp, and Mathew Morvay, Robert Morvay, and AnnMarie Morvay, all of New York; and numerous cousins. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7, at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home. A wake service will follow at 7:30 p.m. at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 8, at the church, with Bishop Blase J. Cupich presiding. Burial will be at St. John's Cemetery in Middle Village, Queens, New York, at a later date. Fr. Morvay's guestbook is available at www.osheimschmidt.com.

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Published by Rapid City Journal on May 6, 2008.

Memories and Condolences
for Andrew Morvay

6 Entries

Mary Griffin Lawlor

May 9, 2008

Before he entered the seminary, Father Morvay and my dad, Martin Griffin, worked together at New York Telephone. Years later, Father Morvay would use his July vacation to drive east and visit lots of people on Long Island, including my mom, Eleanor. Sometimes he’d say Mass at her house, and sometimes he’d pop in on her actual birthday – July 21. He gave me a piece of rock he’d gotten from visiting the Crazy Horse site. I have it in my living room. My husband Ed and I visited Father in 1992 when he lived in Kadoka. At that time he had a powder blue Ford Fairlane with 200,000+ miles on it. About the incredible mileage on that car, he said “would a priest lie?”

Jim Russell

May 7, 2008

Father morvay was a very special person. I was a alter boy in the mid 1960's and remember he was quite the handy man, he was always doing the maintance himself to save the church money for more important causes I ran into him years later in martin sd.and he was the same great person i rembered from years past.Rest well father morvay you deserve it.

Mona (Anderson) Humphrey

May 7, 2008

I remember Father Morvay as a special part of the Buffalo parish and our family (Hank and Vi Jones and family). I taught catechism and Father Morvay always made me feel special for doing this. If saints walk on this earth then he was surely one!

Anita Donohue Deranleau

May 6, 2008

Father Morvay served our small country church when I was a small child, until I was a teen. From Father Morvay I learned the meaning of humility. He lived so simply and walked with the angels. Thank you, to his family, for sharing his special talents with the parishes in South Dakota. He was the perfect priest for the remote rural areas he served. I will pray for him always and thank God for sending such a special man to us. He is in Heaven now.

Jennifer (Jones) Wild

May 6, 2008

I have so many fond memories of Fr. Morvay. He ate Sunday dinners at our house for all the years he lived in Buffalo, SD. One of his "jobs" on those Sundays was to "inspect" the dishes we kids washed and dried. He made doing that chore much more fun. When he would return from his trips out to New York he would bring gifts to us kids. He had such a big heart. He gave me my first Bible-Good News-for graduation from high school. Fr. Morvay was very dedicated, kind, and patient. He always looked for the good in others. Heaven has gained a beautiful soul this week. Thoughts of holidays and Sundays always include him. My sympathies to his family.

Justin Tomac

May 6, 2008

Requiescant in pace, Pater!

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