Obituaries
Please submit in writing to our office by 10 a.m. Thursday before the week of publication; be sure to state date of death. Obituaries of archdiocesan priests serving our archdiocese are listed elsewhere in The Criterion. Order priests and religious sisters and brothers are included here, unless they are natives of the archdiocese or have other connections to it; those are separate obituaries on this page. Submit an obituary here (parishes and funeral homes only)
ANAYA, Manuela, 67, St. Anthony, Indianapolis, March 23.
ALBRECHT, Thomas, 80, St. Joseph, Indianapolis, March 24. Husband of Ann Albrecht. Father of Marsha Konrad, Julie Shinn, Myra Jo, Chris and Thomas Albrecht II. Grandfather of 13. Great-grandfather of two.
BEIDELMAN, Robert F., 72, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, March 17. Husband of Patricia Beidelman. Father of Kerry, Michael, Father Patrick and Stephen Beidelman. Brother of Martha Beidelman, Kathryn Pfeiffer and Rose Rudnici. Grandfather of six. (correction)
BLEDSOE, Ruth A., 102, St. Joseph, Shelbyville, March 28. Sister of Warren Chesser.
BYRLEY, William E., 76, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Albany, March 23. Husband of Sue H. Byrley. Father of Brenda Curl, Teresa Bierly and Tony Byrley. Brother of Janet Billow and Wilton Byrley. Grandfather of six.
GRANDE, Herbert F., Jr., 70, St. Anthony, Indianapolis, March 22. Husband of Melvina (Ellis) Grande. Father of Dawn, John and Shawn Grande. Stepfather of eight. Brother of Catherine Young. Grandfather of 21. Great-grandfather of 22.
HUFF, Karen S., 64, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Indianapolis, March 28. Mother of Laura Guntz and Elaine Skylar. Sister of Myrna Short. Grandmother of four.
KELLEY, Robert L., 82, St. Anthony, Indianapolis, March 23. Uncle of one.
KRUKEMEIER, Betty Marie, 85, St. Jude, Indianapolis, March 21. Mother of Diane Craig, Janet Green and Karen Sigler. Sister of Anna Belle Benjamin. Grandmother of six. Great-grandmother of two.
LANGFORD, Jack S., 82, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Albany, March 2. Husband of Rose Langford. Father of Rhonda Marcum and Danny Langford. Brother of Jean Brown, Mary Huffman and James Langford. Grandfather of three. Great-grandfather of one.
LAUSTERER, Jeffrey A., 37, St. Mary-of-the-Knobs, Floyds Knobs, March 31. Son of Dennis and Priscilla Lausterer Sr. Brother of Jill Sisson and Dennis Lausterer Jr. Grandson of Neva Stiller.
MELTABARGER, Lois J., 75, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Indianapolis, March 16. Wife of Donald Meltabarger. Mother of Darlene Duvall, Daniel and Donald Meltabarger. Sister of Rosemary Wicker. Grandmother of three.
MILLER, Damien Emmanuel, 26, St. Augustine, Jeffersonville, March 23. Son of Giselle (Webb) Miller. Grandson of Howard and Patricia Webb. Brother of Lindsey Miller.
PETZL, Marie A. (McDonald), 92, St. Philip Neri, Indianapolis, March 25. Mother of Susan Blake, Helen Thomas, Rose, Arthur and John Petzl. Grandmother of seven. Great-grandmother of eight.
REUTER, Charles, 81, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, March 13. Father of Stacy Ann Hoffman and Timothy Reuter. Grandfather of six.
RIHM, Kay F., 63, St. Michael, Greenfield, March 30. Wife of Philip Rihm. Mother of Mary Rihm. Daughter of Ralph Hunt. Sister of Juene Adams and Pamela Reichenbach.
SELLMER, Martine A., 63, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, March 9. Daugher of W.C. Sellmer. Sister of Jeanne Johns, Joe and Jim Sellmer.
SHEARD, Matthew, infant, St. Jude, Indianapolis, March 24. Son of Jimmy and Jennifer (Petronie) Sheard. Brother of Jacob Sheard. Grandson of Ed and Angie Petronie.
SMOCK, Julia, 66, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, March 19. Wife of Patrick Smock. Mother of Mary Baxter, Bridgit Finn, Christopher, Kevin, Patrick II and Steve Smock. Sister of Barbara Powers.
TIMBERMAN, Catherine Pearl, 78, St. Mark, Indianapolis, March 22. Sister of Dorothy Bush and Mary Ganterbein. Aunt of several.
THRASHER, Clifford, 88, St. Michael, Greenfield, March 26. Husband of Mercedes (McGuire) Thrasher. Father of Theresa Wagner. Stepfather of Albert, Gary and Jeffery Heredia. Brother of Dave and William Thrasher. Grandfather of 11. Great-grandfather of three.
WHITSETT, William, 91, St. Anthony, Indianapolis, March 22. Father of Kathleen Matthews and Rosanne Proffitt. Grandfather of eight. Great-grandfather of 15. Great-great-grandfather of two. †
Providence Sister Angela Rose Halpin
ministered as a teacher and principal
Providence Sister Angela Rose Halpin died on March 12 at Mother Theodore Hall at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. She was 94.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on March 17 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at the motherhouse. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
The former Winifred Mary Halpin was born on Jan. 26, 1912, in Chicago.
She entered the congregation of the Sisters of Providence on Aug. 20, 1929, professed first vows on March 1, 1932, and professed final vows on Aug. 15, 1937.
During 76 years as a Sister of Providence, she served as a teacher or principal for 40 years at schools staffed by the sisters in Indiana, Illinois, North Carolina and the District of Columbia.
In the archdiocese, Sister Angela Rose ministered at St. Joan of Arc School in Indianapolis from 1932-34, Holy Cross School in Indianapolis from 1937-46 and the former St. Agnes Academy in Indianapolis from 1960-61.
From 1972-76, she served as coordinator of an experimental retirement facility. In 1996, she retired and began her ministry of prayer at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.
Surviving are a sister, Eleanor Miley of Sebring, Fla., and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, St. Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876.
Benedictine Sister Eileen Price was
a music teacher and music minister
Benedictine Sister Eileen Price, a founding member of Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech Grove, died on March 21 at St. Paul Hermitage in Beech Grove. She was 83.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on March 24 at Our Lady of Grace Monastery Chapel. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
The former Ellen Elizabeth Price was born on March 31, 1922, in Vincennes, Ind.
She entered the Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, Ind., in 1938 and made her perpetual monastic profession in 1940. She transferred to Our Lady of Grace Monastery in 1955 and was a founding member.
Sister Eileen studied music at the former St. Benedict College in Ferdinand, the University of Indianapolis and St. John University in Minnesota. She earned a master’s degree in music at the University of Notre Dame in 1965. In 1969, she attended the Academy of Music in Vienna, Austria.
She taught music at Catholic schools for 39 years.
In the archdiocese, she taught at the former St. Paul School in Tell City and the former Our Lady of Grace Academy in Beech Grove.
Sister Eileen also served in music ministry at parishes in Clarksville and North Carolina.
Prior to her retirement in 1990, she ministered at St. Paul Hermitage.
Surviving are several cousins.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of St. Benedict, Our Lady of Grace Monastery, 1402 Southern Ave., Beech Grove, IN 46107. †