A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated for Marianist Father Matthew Kohmescher at the Immaculate Conception Chapel on the University of Dayton campus May 11.

Father Kohmescher, 85, died May 5.

CT PHOTO

Father Matthew Kohmescher

He was awarded a bachelor’s degree in philosophy at the University of Dayton in1942; a doctorate of sacred theology from the University of Fribourg in 1950; and a master’s degree in administration and counseling from Western Reserve University, Cleveland, in 1956.

Father Kohmescher began his teaching career at UD in 1960, serving as associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences through 1962. He served on the faculty of the religious studies department (then called the theology department) from 1960 through 2001. He served as chair of the department from 1962 to 1983, according to University records, when for the first time, Protestant and lay people were hired to teach theology. He was named Distinguished Service Professor in 1990.

He authored two books, Good Morality is Like Good Cooking (1987) and Catholicism Today: A Survey of Catholic Belief and Practice (1980), which was reprinted twice.

In recent years, he volunteered daily at the admission office, acted as unofficial grandfather to students at Founders Hall .

Burial was at Queen of Heaven Cemetery at Mount St. John.