Funeral services held for Fr. Richard Sitzmann

Father Richard A. Sitzmann, 91, passed away at Holy Spirit Retirement Home in Sioux City on Sept 6, 2026.

A funeral Mass was held at 10:30 a.m., Sept. 11 at Holy Cross Parish - St. Michael’s Catholic Church, in Sioux City with Bishop John E. Keehner as the principal celebrant. Burial was at St. Joseph Cemetery (Neptune) in Hinton.  

Richard Alan Sitzmann was born on April 16, 1935, in Le Mars. He was the son of Arnold and Olive (Strub) Sitzmann. He graduated from Heelan High School in 1953 and entered the seminary in Conception, Missouri in 1954. He graduated from Mount St. Bernard Seminary in Dubuque and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Sioux City in May of 1962. He later obtained a master’s degree from Creighton University in Omaha.

His ministry assignments included: Cathedral Parish (1962-1963), Heelan High School (1963-1971), St. Mary’s High School in Remsen (1971-1979), St. Francis Parish in Maple River (1979-1982), Holy Family Parish in Emmetsburg (1982-1986), St. Boniface Parish in Sioux City (1986-1992) and Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City (1992-2013). He retired in July of 2013 and continued to reside in Sioux City.

Father Sitzmann was preceded in death by his parents and six siblings: Don, Jean, Lois Hardy, Earl, Jim and Joyce Ryan.

He is survived by his sister Connie Christiansen of Texas and 27 nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be directed to Holy Spirit Retirement Home.