A Mass of Christian Burial for Father Francis “Frank” Niehaus was celebrated Sept. 28 at Good Shepherd Church in Montgomery. Father Niehaus, 84, a retired pastor, chaplain and administrator, died Sept. 26.

Father Niehaus was born on July 30, 1929, in Cincinnati. He did his preparatory studies at St. Gregory Seminary and studied theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary of the West, then in Norwood. He was ordained on May 28, 1955, at St. Monica Cathedral in Cincinnati by Archbishop Karl J. Alter.

Father Niehaus began his first assignment on June 16, 1955, as an assistant at St. Aloysius-on-the-Ohio Parish, Sayler Park, and a faculty member at Elder High School, where he taught until 1963. In June 1959, he was appointed assistant at St. Louis Church, Cincinnati, and also assistant treasurer and assistant chancellor for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

In June 1961, Father Niehaus was appointed director of the Catholic Mausoleum at St. Joseph (Old) Cemetery, Cincinnati, and also appointed to assist Msgr. Edward Quinn in supervising the cemeteries in the Archdiocese. In January 1962, he was appointed assistant at St. William Parish in Cincinnati. In 1966, Father Niehaus was appointed supervisor of cemeteries for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, where he served until July 1982 while also holding other responsibilities.

In 1966, he was appointed administrator of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Cincinnati, where he served until 1970. Father Niehaus then served as pastor of the following parishes: St. Aloysius, Elmwood Place (1970-1972); Good Shepherd, Cincinnati (1973-1979), where he was the founding pastor; St. Veronica, Mt. Carmel (1980-1982); and St. Elizabeth, Norwood (1982-1994). During his years of ministry he served as chaplain of Mother of Mercy Convent; the Cincinnati Workhouse, Camp Washington; the Catholic Pharmacists Guild, St. James Council; and Archbishop Purcell Council No. 2798 Knights of Columbus. He was also Area Scout Chaplain for Hamilton County.

Father Niehaus in addition was administrator and chaplain of St. Joseph Orphanage in Cincinnati; part-time teacher at Mother of Mercy High School, Cincinnati; director of Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Montgomery; and consultant for Parish Development. He retired from active in 1994.

He is survived by his brothers, Donald, Tom and Greg.