Father Louis F. Stingel, a priest of the Metuchen Diocese, died Aug. 21 in Care One at Hamilton in Hamilton Township.
Funeral services were held Aug. 25 with visitation from 2-5 p.m. in St. James the Less Church, Jamesburg, from where Father Stingel retired as pastor in 2009. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated by Bishop James F. Checchio Aug. 26 at 11 a.m. A private cremation will follow.
Born in 1934 in Trenton, Father Stingel prepared for the priesthood in St. Charles College, Baltimore, from 1948-1954 and St. Mary’s College from 1954-1956, earning a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. He attended St. Mary Seminary and University, Baltimore, from 1956-1960, where he was awarded a bachelor’s degree in theology and a licentiate in theology. In 1969, he earned a master’s degree in science (education-pastoral counseling) from Iona College, New Rochelle, N.Y.
Ordained June 11, 1960 in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, by Bishop George W. Ahr, Father Stingel served as parochial vicar of St. Mary Parish, Middletown, from 1960-1965; St. Michael Parish, West End, from 1963-1964; Sts. Philip & James Parish, Phillipsburg, from 1964-1969 and Sacred Heart Parish, Riverton, from 1969-1977. In 1977, he was named pastor of St. James the Less Parish, Jamesburg, retiring in 2009.
In 1980, when the Trenton Diocese was split and the Metuchen Diocese was formed, St. James became part of the latter diocese and Father Stingel became a priest of Metuchen.
Among other assignments Father Stingel held include serving as a member of the finance council for the Metuchen Diocese; episcopal vicar for the Vicariate of Middlesex County-West, Dean of Forsgate Deanery (Metuchen Diocese) and pastoral counselor for Catholic Charities in both the Diocese of Trenton and Metuchen.
Father Stingel was predeceased by his parents. He is survived by two sisters, Patricia A. Walinski and her husband Donald of Robbinsville, and Genevieve Bauerle and her husband, Donald of Hamilton Township, and several nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
Memorial donations may be made to St. James the Less Church, 36 Lincoln Ave., Jamesburg, N.J. 08831.