STOUGHTON — A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Friday, Feb. 21, at 11 a.m. at St. Ann Church, 323 N. Van Buren St., for Fr. Robert E. Buholzer, a pastor emeritus of the Diocese of Madison, who died at the age of 89 on February 14 at St. Mary’s Janesville Hospital.
Bishop Robert C. Morlino was the main celebrant of the Mass with Msgr. Delbert Schmelzer as homilist.
Visitation will be at St. Ann Church on Friday, Feb. 21, from 9:30 a.m. until the start of the Mass.
Immediately following Mass, a luncheon will be served in the lower level of St. Ann Church. Interment at Calvary Cemetery, Monroe, will follow at 3 p.m. with the Rite of Committal led by Fr. Lawrence Bakke, pastor of St. Clare of Assisi Parish, Monroe.
Father Buholzer was born on April 7, 1925, in Monroe. His parents, Marie (Gisler) and Ernest Buholzer, preceded him in death. After attending Jordan Center Grade School in Jordan, he attended Monroe High School. His collegiate studies included the University of Minnesota and St. Francis Minor Seminary in Milwaukee, where he completed is studies in philosophy. He completed his studies in theology at St. Francis Major Seminary, Milwaukee.
He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Madison on May 26, 1956, by Bishop William P. O’Connor.
Father Buholzer served as associate pastor at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Monona, and St. Francis Xavier Parish, Cross Plains. He served as administrator at St. James Parish, Neshkoro, followed by a chaplaincy at Divine Savior Hospital, Portage. He served as pastor of St. Bridget Parish, Ridgeway, with the mission of Immaculate Conception Parish, Barneveld; SS. Andrew and Thomas Parish, Tennyson-Potosi; St. Joseph Parish, Argyle, with the mission of Immaculate Conception Parish, Blanchardville, and St. Mary Parish, Palmyra, from which he retired in 2000.
During his years of service to the Diocese of Madison, Father Buholzer served in the Iowa Deanery and as chaplain to the Divine Savior Senior Citizen’s Home in Portage.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Alvin, and his step-brother, Auxiliary Bishop George O. Wirz. He is survived by his step-sister, Sr. Joan Wirz, CSA.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been arranged for the St. Joseph Fund for the seminarian education of priests for the Diocese of Madison.