Raphael H. “Rafe” Middeke, age 92, of Trenton, formerly of Damiansville, passed away Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at Aviston Countryside Manor. He was born June 21, 1933, in rural Clinton County, a son of the late Bernard and Mary (nee Hellmann) Middeke.
After attending St. Rose elementary school, Rafe attended St. Henry Seminary in Belleville and St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein. He was ordained to the Catholic priesthood in 1959.
During his active priesthood he ministered as a pastoral associate, parish administrator, high school bursar, editor of The Messenger, the Belleville Diocesan newspaper, and at the Catholic Newman Center in Carbondale, where he was also a teaching assistant in the philosophy department at Southern Illinois University.
Rafe married Bernadete Rzonca in Chicago on June 20, 1970, and together raised their children, Sarah Ann and Matthew Jesse Middeke.
Surviving are his wife, Bernadette; daughter, Sarah Middeke; son, Matthew Middeke; grandson, Zane Camburn and his mother, Alexandria Camburn; brothers, Jerome (Helen Heimann) Middeke, and Sylvester (Mary Jane Huelsmann) Middeke; and a sister-in-law, Helen (Adamson) Middeke.
In addition to Rafe’s parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Albert Middeke; parents-in-law, Michael and Adeline (nee Barnes) Rzonca; sisters-in-law, Rita Rzonca and Antoinette Wontor.
Rafe was employed by the Wall Street Journal in their Highland site. In 1980 he was rehired as the editor and general manager of The Messenger by Bishop William Cosgrove and continued as the editor for Bishops Wurm, Keleher, and Gregory, retiring as the editor in 1998. He was the longest serving editor of The Messenger in its history, and continued part time at the newspaper for more than 20 years. He also taught part-time at Southwestern Illinois College for more than 20 years. For a number of years, he was a certified and licensed massage therapist.
As a Catholic Christian, he called himself a Vatican II social justice Catholic, though at times was critical of leadership priorities, especially leadership more committed to power and control than servant and pastoral ministry. He was a member of SIAP – The Independent Southern Illinois Association of Priests.
In the Belleville diocese his board memberships included the Catholic Social Services and Catholic Charities organizations. Ministries in Southern Illinois included prison ministry and varied parish involvements in ministries and on parish committees. He and Bernadette were involved in the Worldwide Marriage Encounter movement and served as the movement’s executive couple. For a number of years they were volunteer drivers for seniors needing transportation to medical and other appointments.
Rafe was a man who cared about people and wanted to help them wherever and whenever he could. He saw the good in people and had great integrity always, in all ways. A man of tremendous intelligence, he was also humble, never lording it over others. A writer who could craft a phrase to let it flow across the page, the Catholic Press Association recognized his gift with the written word, when he was awarded first place for a number of his columns over the years.
A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lebanon with Fr. Clyde Grogan presiding. Per Rafe’s wishes, his body was donated to St. Louis University School of Medicine.
A visitation will be Wednesday, June 10, 2026, from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lebanon.
In lieu of flowers, plants, or other gifts, memorials may be made to Karla Smith Behavioral Health of O’Fallon and will be received at the visitation or by mail at Moss Funeral Home, 535 N. 5th Street, Breese, IL 62230, who is serving the family.
