By Nicole Hamilton
The Cincinnati Enquirer

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP - The day after graduation ceremonies at Roger Bacon High School, Father Sylvester Heppner began writing personal letters to the school's newest alumni for the next year's annual appeal.

His hand-written thank-you letters made him famous among hundreds of Roger Bacon graduates, many who remember the math teacher's equally famous portly presence and booming laugh.

"A lot of students thought of him in terms of being a really jovial guy," said former Roger Bacon Principal Father Jim Bok. "He had a great spirit."

Father Heppner died Friday at Mercy Franciscan Terrace in Springfield Township, of complications from a fractured hip. The former associate pastor at St. Clement Church in St. Bernard was 72.

Raised in Oldenburg, Ind., he entered the Franciscan Order in 1950 and pronounced his vows in 1954. After ordination in 1959, he was assigned to teach math at Roger Bacon High School in St. Bernard.

"He was an excellent math teacher," said Bok. "He had clever little gimmicks for helping students sort out certain problems."

For about 15 of the 24 years he served at Roger Bacon, Fr. Heppner was also the school's business manager. In this role, he established the annual alumni appeal.

"Other schools got in touch with him to find out what he was doing," Bok said.

Father Heppner, who served as the school assistant principal for 19 years, won the affection of members of the school's PTA with his colorful antics as the emcee for the annual PTA fashion show.

After leaving Roger Bacon in 1984, Fr. Heppner became an associate pastor at St. Clement Church in St. Bernard.

From 1987 until 2004, he held pastoral positions in churches in Escanaba, Mich., Emporia, Kan., Lafayette, Ind., and Oldenburg, Ind.

He was serving as associate pastor at St. Patrick Church in Galveston, Texas, last year when he was hospitalized for complications from diabetes. He moved to Cincinnati to further his rehabilitation at Mercy Franciscan Terrace.

Surviving are three brothers, Albert and Gerald of Batesville, Ind., and James of Oldenburg; and a sister, Betty Ann Heppner of Batesville.

Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Monday, at Holy Family Church, 3027 Pearl St., Oldenburg. Mass of Christian burial will follow at the church. Burial will be in Holy Family Church Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Roger Bacon High School, 4320 Vine St., Cincinnati, 45217.

E-mail: nhamilton@enquirer.com