Funeral Mass for Father G. Michael Gribble, 79, who died Wednesday, Aug. 3, was celebrated Tuesday, Aug. 9 at Newark St. Francis de Sales Church. Burial was at St. Joseph Cemetery, Newark.
He was born on Feb. 7, 1943 in Zanesville to the late George and Catherine (Keane) Gribble, was a 1961 graduate of Newark Catholic High School and earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English education from Ohio State University in 1969 and 1972, respectively.
After several years as a teacher, he entered seminary at the Catholic University of America Theological College in Washington, earning his Master of Divinity degree in 1981. He was ordained on May 16, 1981 at Saint Francis de Sales Church by Bishop Edward Herrmann.
He spent the last 13 years of his active priesthood as rector of Columbus St. Joseph Cathedral before retiring in 2013 and moving to the Buckeye Lake area. He remained active as a senior priest, celebrating Masses and assisting with pastoral ministry at many parishes and schools in Licking County and nearby. He also was the fleet chaplain at the Buckeye Lake Yacht Club.
Earlier, he was pastor at Columbus Holy Rosary-St. John Church and Granville St. Edward the Confessor Church and associate pastor at New Philadelphia and Groveport St. Mary churches, and was a teacher at Columbus Father Wehrle High School and chaplain at Denison University.
He is survived by his sisters Susie Gribble and Rose (Greg) McEntire.
