Raphael “Rafe” H. Middeke, 92, of Trenton, formerly of Damiansville, died at 6:25 a.m. Wednesday, June 3, at Aviston Countryside Manor. He was born June 21, 1933, in rural Clinton County, a son of Bernard and Mary Hellmann Middeke.
After attending St. Rose Elementary School, he attended St. Henry Seminary in Belleville, and St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, Ill. He was ordained to the Catholic priesthood in 1959.
During his active priesthood, he ministered as a pastoral associate, parish administrator, high school bursar, editor of The Messenger, the Diocese of Belleville newspaper, and at the Catholic Newman Center in Carbondale, where he was also a teaching assistant in the philosophy department at Southern Illinois University.
Rafe and Bernadette Rzonca were married June 20, 1970, in Chicago. They are the parents of Sarah Ann and Matthew Jesse Middeke.
In addition to his parents, Middeke was preceded in death by his brother, Albert Middeke, his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Michael and Adeline Barnes Rzonca, and sisters-in-law Rita Rzonca and Annette Wontor.
Surviving are his spouse, Bernadette, daughter Sarah and son Matthew, and grandson Zane Camburn and his mother, Alexandria Camburn. Also surviving are his brothers Jerome (Helen Heimann) Middeke and Sylvester (Mary Jane Huelsmann) Middeke.
Middeke was employed by the Wall Street Journal in its Highland, Ill., location.
In 1980, he was rehired as the editor and general manager of The Messenger by Bishop William Cosgrove, and continued as the editor for Bishops John Wurm, James Keleher and Wilton Gregory, retiring as the editor in 1998.
Middeke was the longest-serving editor of The Messenger in its 119-year history, and he continued part-time at the newspaper for more than 20 years, serving as a copy editor. His institutional knowledge of the diocese was priceless. His memory enabled him to share stories of things that occurred in the diocese decades earlier.
Middeke also taught part-time at Southwestern Illinois College for more than 20 years. For a number of years, he was a certified licensed massage therapist.
As a Catholic Christian, Middeke called himself a Vatican II social justice Catholic, though at times he was critical of leadership priorities, especially leadership more committed to power and control than servant and pastoral ministry. He was a member of the independent Southern Illinois Association of Priests (SIAP).
In the Belleville diocese, his board memberships included the Catholic Social Services and Catholic Charities organizations. Ministries in southern Illinois included prison ministry and various parish involvements in ministries and on parish committees.
Rafe and Bernadette were involved in the Worldwide Marriage Encounter movement and served as its executive couple. For a number of years, they were volunteer drivers for seniors needing transportation to medical and other appointments.
A visitation will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 10, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lebanon.
A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held immediately after the visitation, also at St. Joseph Catholic Church, with Fr. Clyde Grogan presiding. Per Rafe’s wishes, his body was donated to Saint Louis University School of Medicine.
In lieu of flowers, plants or other gifts, memorials may be made to Karla Smith Behavioral Health of O’Fallon, and will be received at the visitation or by mail at Moss Funeral Home, 535 N. 5th St., Breese, Ill., 62230, which is serving the family.
