Father Robert H. Blute, who for more than a quarter century was pastor of St. Adelaide parish in Peabody died on March 18, 2020, at Marian Manor in South Boston.

Born July 7, 1929, he was the only son of the late Harry and Mary (Sheehan) Blue, his younger sister Barbara Jost precede him in death. The family had roots in Boston beginning in Roxbury and then moving to West Roxbury, where young Robert attended local public schools and was graduated from Roslindale High School. At the time of his retirement, he recalled that attending Boston Public Schools in his time was almost like going to a Catholic School; more than half the students sometimes much more than that and probably 75 percent of the teachers were Catholic and proud of it.

His family lived on Lagrange Street and so were parishioners at St. Theresa of Avila Parish, which was for years a source of vocations, especially to the archdiocesan priesthood and the Sisters of St. Joseph.

After high school graduation, Robert studied mathematics at Boston College but just prior to his graduation he moved across Commonwealth Avenue to the archdiocesan seminary, St. John, Brighton.

Auxiliary Bishop Eric F. MacKenzie ordained him to the priesthood at Holy Name Church on Feb. 2, 1956.

During his priestly life, he served in four assignments, as a newly ordained priest at St. Theresa of Lisieux, Revere (1956-1962) as an assistant. For the next 11 years, he served as an assistant at St. Ann Parish, Quincy; followed by the shortest of this assignment as an associate at St. Gregory, Dorchester (1973-1975).

Humberto Cardinal Medeiros named him to the parish where he would eventually serve for 26 years -- first as an associate (1975-1979) and then as pastor (1979-2001) -- St. Adelaide, Peabody.

Not surprisingly, when he retired from the Peabody parish he told the Pilot that "it was a bittersweet time" -- he would miss the faithful of the largely suburban Peabody parish, but he would also be happy to set aside the administrative tasks of a pastor's ministry.

During almost two decades since that retirement, Father Blute lived first at Regina Cleri Residence in Boston and then more recently at Marian Manor, South Boston.

Father Blute's Funeral was celebrated on March 24, 2020, and he was buried in St. Joseph Cemetery, West Roxbury.