Deacon Lehr, who helped get new church built in Hickory, dies at 79

Deacon Robert “Bob” Lehr, the first member of St. Ignatius parish in Hickory to become a permanent deacon and a key figure in the building of a new church in 2001, died Aug. 11 following a fall at his home in Forest Hill. He was 79.

Deacon Lehr was born in Abingdon. He attended Edgewood High School and Harford Community College, and for several years sold business machines when that term referred mainly to typewriters and manual calculators, before branching out with his own firm.

He and wife Carol (Edler) married in 1968 and in 1970 joined St. Ignatius, built in 1792 and the archdiocese’s oldest church in continuous use. He was ordained a deacon in 1984 and served at St. Ignatius. 

It was his work as the parish’s business manager and director of plant operations where he made his largest impact – the planning and construction of a new 800-seat sanctuary, built on the site of the old rectory and dedicated by Cardinal William H. Keeler in December 2001.

Ginger Barger, the parish’s current business manager, vividly recalled her job interview with Deacon Lehr as a moment of unexpected warmth.

“He told me, ‘You don’t come to a church to make money.’ Then he asked me what I was earning as a teacher. I told him, and he said, ‘Then that’s what you’ll make here.”

Barger said Deacon Lehr was crucial to getting the new sanctuary built on schedule. 

“He was the link between architects, contractors, the parish and the archdiocese,” she said. “He made things happen. He didn’t just help things happen.”

At the same time, Barger found him “very down to earth, very matter of fact. He was never a pushy person at all.”

“He was a behind-the-scenes guy,” acknowledged Monsignor James M. Barker, who led the parish from 2001 until he retired this year. Monsignor Barker came to the parish following the death of the former pastor in a car crash. Deacon Lehr was a “big help” in a time of transition for the parish, Monsignor Barker said.

Monsignor Barker remembered Deacon Lehr as ”a very good man” and “a very reverential deacon.” He noted that after his friend’s health began to fail 10 years ago, the deacon wasn’t able to serve regularly. 

However, “he did the best he could with what he had,” Monsignor Baker said. 

And there was a nice personal touch as well. “When I was appointed, I was in residence at St. Michael’s Overlea (in Baltimore). He came down and helped me move, which was really thoughtful.”

Deacon Lehr’s hobbies included woodworking and model trains.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by sons Charles Robert (Paige) Lehr and John Kevin (Janet) Lehr, brother William J. Lehr Jr., sisters Helen Rea, Mary J. Rembold and Joyce Mahoney, and four grandchildren. 

A sister, Joan, preceded him in death, along with his parents.

A funeral Mass was offered Aug. 16 in the main church at St. Ignatius. 

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