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Rev. Bede Leo Vande Castle, O. Praem. (1913-1987)
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Parents: Mary Amelia Vande Walle (1887-1961)
Siblings: Paul Vande Castle (1912-1980) Edward Joseph Vande Castle (1915-1974) Patricia Vande Castle (1917-2006)
Jerome Vande Castle (1923- ) Mary Vande Castle (1926- )
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Leo Vande Castle was born in De Pere, Wisconsin on October 1, 1913, the second son of Ray Vande Castle and Amelia Vande Walle. In 1920 the family was living on Oneida Street in De Pere where his father worked as a printer. Leo attended St. Boniface Elementary School and then St. Norbert High School. By 1930 the family had moved to 69 Reid Street, which was also in De Pere.
In 1931, at the age of 17, Leo joined the Norbertines of Saint Norbert Abbey in DePere (also known as the Canons Regular of Prémontré, or Premonstratensians) and became Frater Bede, O. Praem. In 1932, when Frater Bede was 18 years old, his father passed away from arterio-sclerosis. Bede professed solemn vows in 1936 and was ordained a Roman Catholic priest on August 31, 1938 following in the footsteps of his uncle, Father Henry Vande Castle, who was a diocesan priest.
Bede began teaching at St. Norbert High School as a college junior in 1936 and continued there until 1941 when he became a member of the first faculty at Central Catholic High School in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He attended summer school at the University of Wisconsin - Madison beginning in 1942, earning a Master's degree in French in 1945. He continued teaching at Central Catholic until 1950.
From 1950 to 1955 Father Bede taught French at Archmere Academy in Claymont, Deleware. In 1956 he was appointed to the college where he remained until 1972, teaching and finally serving as dean of students.
Father Bede joined the Sunshine Priory in Clearwater, Florida in 1973 as a hospital chaplain and associate/pastoral minister in Seminole. He took a retired/active status in September of 1977 in Seminole. In April 1985 he retired to the Saint Joseph Priory in DePere, Wisconsin. On Monday, June 29, 1987 at the age of 73 Father Bede was called home by his Heavenly Father.
 Gravesite at St. Norbert Abbey Cemetery |
Green Bay Press-Gazette June 30, 1987
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My thanks to Father Stephen J. Rossey, O. Praem. for his assistance in providing the photograph of Father Bede as well as the necrology on which the majority of the text was based.