SHC mourns for "Father Bobby"

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Rev. Bobby Rimes, S.J., one of Spring Hill College’s long time members of the Jesuit community and beloved teacher and mentor died Wednesday, May 30 following a short illness. He was 89 years old.

The College says Rimes was born in Monroe, Louisiana. He came to Spring Hill as an undergraduate in 1939. An avid baseball player he was also proud to have served on Spring Hill’s football team. He often joked that Spring Hill football has been undefeated since 1942 when he played on the team. (SHC dropped football after that year.)

Rimes entered the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) in 1942. He studied philosophy at Spring Hill and theology at St. Mary’s College in Kansas and was ordained a priest at Spring Hill’s St. Joseph Chapel in 1955. From 1957 until 1965 Rimes served as assistant master of novices at Grand Coteau, La., and then as master of novices from 1965 until 1975. He returned to Spring Hill in 1977 and served as rector of the Jesuit community and director of Jesuit tertians. As a professor of theology, Rimes taught courses in Jesuit spirituality and the New Testament. After his official retirement, he continued to reside in the Jesuit community at the college.

Since the late 1970’s Spring Hill College students were beneficiaries of Rimes’ spiritual direction and guidance and mentoring. The college’s campus ministry center was named in his honor in 2010.

“Father Bobby Rimes embodied the values and ideals of a Jesuit education,” said Thomas A. Byrne, an alumnus and former member of the college’s Board of Trustees whose personal gift led to the naming of the campus ministry center for Rimes. “How important he was to me and to countless students like me over the years,” Byrne said at the time of the center’s naming.

“Bobby Rimes inspired and helped so many over the years,” said Rev. Richard P. Salmi, S.J., Spring Hill’s president. “We are grateful that Tom chose to honor and recognize Bobby through his generous gift in 2010.”

Funeral arrangements are pending.