Fr. Bernard (Ben) Diekhoff, C.PP.S., of the Kansas City Province of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood died on Saturday, January 7, 2017, at St. Charles Center in Carthagena, Ohio. He was 95.

Fr. Diekhoff was born on March 11, 1921 in Indianapolis to Louis J. and Etta (Sheets) Diekhoff. He entered the Society in September 1935 and was ordained to the priesthood at St. Charles on May 15, 1947.

Fr. Diekhoff spent many years in parish ministry, including at St. John the Baptist Church in Glandorf, Ohio, and St. Joseph Church in Wapakoneta, Ohio, in the 1950s. In later years, he served at parishes in Kansas, North Dakota, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Missouri.

He retired to St. Charles Center in 2002. As his health allowed, he continued to assist with pastoral ministries when needed and to play golf. For the past few years, Fr. Diekhoff lived in the infirmary at St. Charles, where his gentle disposition, patience and prayerfulness were an inspiration to family, nursing staff, and members of the Precious Blood Community.

Fr. Diekhoff is survived by his brother, Norbert (Rosemary), of Beech Grove, Ind.; his sister, Rita Ferguson of Indianapolis, and nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be at St. Charles Center on Wednesday, January 11, from 1-5 and 7-9 p.m. with a wake service at 7 p.m.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2 p.m, on Thursday, January 12, at St. Charles, with Fr. Joseph Nassal, C.PP.S., provincial director of the Kansas City Province, presiding. Burial will follow at St. Charles Cemetery.

Hogenkamp Funeral Home in St. Henry is handling the arrangements. Condolences may be left at hogenkampfh.com.