Father Edward Brophy, Pastor Emeritus of St. Edmund, Sheepshead Bay, died on March 31 at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Queens. He was 81.
Father Brophy was born on April 3, 1939, in Brooklyn. He attended St. John the Baptist School, St. John’s Prep and St. John’s University, all in Bedford-Stuyvesant.
In 1960, he began teaching English and coaching debate at St. John’s Prep. In 1962, he became the assistant librarian there.
In 1964, he started at Msgr. McClancyH.S., East Elmhurst, teaching English and coaching debate. The following year he was appointed head librarian there, a post he held until 1989, when he entered Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington.
He was ordained to the priesthood on May 22, 1993, by Bishop Thomas V. Daily at St. James Cathedral-Basilica, Downtown Brooklyn.
Father Brophy served the Diocese of Brooklyn as parochial vicar of the parish of St. Clare, Rosedale (1993-2000). In 2000, he was named pastor at St. Edmund. He also served as the chairman of the board of St. Edmund Prep. Father Brophy retired in 2014 and continued to live at St. Edmund’s rectory as pastor emeritus.
Arrangements and burial were private. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at a later date.
He was my mentor, my teacher, my father figure, my friend and my hero. I was lucky to have known him and to have stayed in touch with him all these years. I loved him and I miss him.