Fr. John Falter, C.PP.S., a member of the Cincinnati Province/Chilean Vicariate, died on Thursday, January 21, 2016 at St. Charles Center, Celina, Ohio. Fr. Falter was 82 years old.

Fr. Falter was born in Delphos, OH on November 23, 1933 to John and Ida (Hempfling). He entered the Missionaries of the Precious Blood in 1948 and was ordained on June 10, 1961.

After his ordination, Fr. Falter served at St. Anthony’s Church in Detroit and St. Edward’s Church in Cleveland. In 1965, he volunteered to serve as a missionary in Chile.  He spent the next 42 years in parish ministry at San Sebastian Church in Purranque; St. John the Evangelist in Pitrufquen; Precious Blood Church in Valdivia and St. Dominic de Guzmán in Santiago, Chile.

Fr. Tom Hemm, who served with Fr. Falter for many years in Chile, said that he was edified by John’s prayerfulness, who spoke with Jesus as a friend. He was very docile to the Holy Spirit and the Lord greatly blessed his ministry.  Fr. Falter’s sister, Dorothy Sterling, said he felt invited to be a priest in grade school, following in the footsteps of his uncle, Fr. Clement Falter, C.PP.S. He loved his family and was well loved by all his brothers, sisters and relatives.

A mass of Christian burial was celebrated Tuesday, January 26, 2016 in Assumption Chapel at St. Charles Center, with Fr. Tom Hemm, C.PP.S., presiding, and Fr. Bill Hoyng, C.PP.S., serving as homilist. The burial was in the Community cemetery.