MANCHESTER – Bishop Emeritus Odore J. Gendron, who in the early 1960s served Nashua’s St. Louis de Gonzague parish – now St. Aloysius parish – as associate pastor, died Friday at age 99, according to a spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester.

Gendron, who until his passing was the oldest living bishop in the United States, returned to Nashua on numerous occasions to celebrate Mass or preside over special occasions while serving as bishop from 1975 until his retirement in 1990.

The diocese spokesman, Tom Babbington, said the Rev. Peter A. Libasci, the current bishop, announced Gendron’s death, which occurred Friday at Mount Carmel Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, his home of several years.

Funeral arrangements are pending, and will be announced as they become available, according to Babbington.

Born in Manchester on Sept. 13, 1921, Gendron studied at Saint Charles College in Sherbrooke, Quebec, and completed his ecclesiastical studies at Saint Paul’s Seminary in Ottawa.

He was 24 when then-Bishop Matthew F. Brady ordained him a priest at Saint Joseph Cathedral in Manchester in May 1947.

In June, Gendron received his first assignment when he was named associate pastor at Guardian Angel Parish in Berlin. In December 1952, he became associate pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in Lebanon.

Gendron came to Nashua in May 1960, assigned to St. Aloysius Parish, then called St. Louis de Gonzague.

He would serve much of Nashua’s sizeable French Catholic community for roughly five years, before then-Bishop Ernest J. Primeau appointed him pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Pittsfield.

Genderon was next named to the position of Diocesan Vicar “for Religious for the French-speaking communities of women,” according to Bishop Libasci’s statement.

A year later, Primeau appointed Gendron pastor of Saint Augustin Parish, Manchester, where he served until February 1971, when he resigned the pastorate to become Diocesan Vicar Religious full time.

Gendron held several other position until Pope Paul VI appointed him bishop of the Diocese of Manchester in December 1974.

He was ordained and installed as bishop on Feb. 3, 1975.

Among the accolades and honors Gendron received over the years were the Knights of Columbus Granite Award, and the “Defender of the Innocent Award,” presented by the New England Christian Conference in Hampton.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

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