Father George Godley Dies; Taught at Bishop Ireton High School

Special to the Herald

Father George H. Godley, O.S.F.S., who taught religion at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria for 18 years, died Oct. 22 at St. Catherine’s Hall in Philadelphia. He was 84 years old.

Father Godley was born in Fitchburg, Mass., Dec. 13, 1913. His family later moved to Philadelphia, where he graduated from Northeast Catholic High School in 1931, the same year he entered the Oblate Novitiate in Childs, Md. He received an A.B. in philosophy from the Catholic University of America in 1936, and was ordained a priest on June 9, 1940.

After teaching English and religion at Northeast High School in Philadelphia and at DeSales High School in Lockport, N.Y., for 26 years, Father Godley was assigned to Bishop Ireton in 1966. In 1984, he retired from teaching, but remained at the school in other capacities until July, 1995, when he retired to Annecy Hall in Childs. In October 1995, he became resident at St. Catherine Hall as a convalescent. He remained there until his death last week.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Father Godley was celebrated Oct. 27 at Our Lady of Light Chapel at the DeSales Centre in Childs. Homilist for the Mass was Father Thomas E. Murphy, O.S.F.S., who worked with Father Murphy at Bishop Ireton for many years.

Father Godley is survived by a sister, Sister Rita Miriam I.H.M., who is stationed at St. Agnes Convent in West Chester, Pa.

The Oblates request that, in lieu of flowers, contributions be sent to the Oblate Retirement Fund, 2200 Kentmere Pkwy., Wilmington, Del. 19806.

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