FERNDALE — Wherever he went, Fr. Robert Wurm always seemed to have a song in his head.

“Music was his life; I think that’s what he loved the most about being a priest, along with being with the people,” said Fr. Edward Prus, who lived with Fr. Wurm for 16 years at St. James Church in Ferndale.

“He used to talk all the time about the music to be played during the liturgy. He loved playing the piano and organ,” Fr. Prus said. “But these things didn’t mean as much to him as much as God and people. He loved to gather people together.”

Fr. Wurm passed into eternal life July 25 at the age of 82. Fr. Wurm was ordained to the priesthood in 1960 after graduating from St. John’s Provincial Seminary in Plymouth. After serving as associate pastor at six different parishes, Fr. Wurm became the pastor at St. Stephen Parish in Port Huron, and later, at St. James Parish in Ferndale, where he spent most of his priesthood.

“He was a very welcoming person,” said St. James parishioner Jean DeVlieg. “He joined the Pastors’ Association in town, a regular meeting with Protestant pastors. He also stared a Neighborhood Block Club, where people would watch out for the block. He took young men on bike trips out west; he was just so welcoming.”

Born in Detroit, Fr. Wurm’s mother taught him the piano and he babysat for the organist at the cathedral. His love for music continued throughout his life, and he was regularly seen playing the piano during his time at St. John’s Seminary and exposing people to music when he was a pastor.

“He enjoyed the opera; there were several times when he’d take the people from St. James to the operas with him, and he opened up people to new experiences,” said lifelong St. James parishioner Peggy Beaupied. “He was very gracious to everybody, both inside and outside the parish.”

After graduating from the seminary, Fr. Wurm served as associate pastor in the parishes of St. Pius X in Southgate (1960-64), St. Bartholomew in Detroit (1964-68), St. Hilary in Redford (1968-69), Our Lady Queen of Peace in Harper Woods (1969-75) and St. Linus in Dearborn Heights (1976).

In 1976, he was made pastor at St. Stephen in Port Huron, where he served until 1985, before being named pastor of St. James from 1985 to 2004. He also served as vicar of the Old Southeast Oakland Vicariate from 1989-92.

A funeral Mass was celebrated for Fr. Wurm on July 28 at St. James Church of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish in Ferndale.

Fr. Wurm is predeceased by his parents, Henry and Eugenia Wurm, and his brothers, Henry and James. He is survived by his sisters, Elizabeth Wurm and Mary Bissa. Condolences may be sent to Mary Bissa, c/o Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish, 13500 Oak Park Boulevard, Oak Park, MI, 48237.

Fr. Prus said what he’ll miss most about Fr. Wurm is his generosity, especially after Fr. Wurm invited Fr. Prus to come live with him at St James.

“After I had a hip replacement and was using a walker, I was living in a place where I had to climb stairs,” Fr. Prus said. “After my surgery, he invited me to come live with him. I was using my walker and he came up to me and said, ‘This Sunday we’re going to the opera.’ He broadened my life in that sense and you could tell that above all of his passions, what he loved most was being with people.”