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)
BEGO, Virginia M., 86, St. Augustine, Jeffersonville, April 19. Mother of Louise Davis, Dawn Tower, Nicholas and Tony Bego. Grandmother of 12. Great-grandmother of 21.
BRINK, Mary Fitzgerald, 93, Christ the King, Indianapolis, April 25. Mother of Anne Hair, Harriett Majors and John Brink. Grandmother of four.
BRUHN, Donald J., 77, St. Barnabas, Indianapolis, April 20. Husband of Rosie Bruhn. Father of Rita Roush, Jean Stubbs, David, Donald II and Thomas Bruhn. Brother of Betty Lou Carlile. Grandfather of seven.
CORRIGAN, Bartley, 60, St. Mark, Indianapolis, April 26. Husband of Carol Ann Corrigan. Father of Carol Ann Gallagher, Dede Linzy, Catherine Williamson and Bud Corrigan. Brother of Mary Sherlock and Hughie Corrigan. Grandfather of six.
De MARINO, Ersilia, 84, Annunciation, Brazil, April 20. Sister of Elena Bonomo, Ines and Lorenzina De Marino.
ENDRIS, Mary Jean, 61, St. Vincent de Paul, Bedford, April 30. Sister of Daniel Endris.
FORTWENDEL, Darlene, 49, St. Pius V, Troy, April 25. Mother of Joey and Scott Fortwendel. Daughter of Gary and Opal (Dixon) Goffinet. Sister of Angie Garrett. Grandmother of three.
GALLAGHER, John E., 66, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, April 13. Brother of Joseph Jr. and Paul Gallagher.
GANNON, Francis E., 90, St. Anthony, Indianapolis, April 29. Father of Rosie Meunier. Grandfather of six. Great-grandfather of nine.
GARVEY, Lawrence P., 83, Christ the King, Indianapolis, April 24. Husband of Mary Jacqueline Garvey. Father of Francesca Firstwater, Sharon Roberts, Jean, David, Joseph, Matthew, Michael and Thomas Garvey. Brother of Mildred Anderson. Grandfather of 15.
GAUSE, Ramona, 77, Holy Name, Beech Grove, April 10. Wife of Raymond Gause. Sister of Patty Ambs, Martine Thibo, Carole Wilson, Judy Wylie, Rev. James and John Devney.
GERARD, Nancy Ruth, 75, St. Thomas Aquinas, Indianapolis, April 24. Wife of James Gerard Sr. Mother of Catherine Salas, Lisa, Susan and James Gerard Jr.
GETHERS, Delmar D., 94, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Cambridge City, April 20. Father of Diana Buhl, Joan Bundy, Carolyn Stearns and David Gethers. Brother of Eloise Erk, Byron and Melvin Gethers. Grandfather of 11. Great-grandfather of 22.
GIBSON, Robert Joseph, 75, St. Roch, Indianapolis, April 16. Husband of Ann Gibson. Father of Maria Pittenger, Donna Quint, Rosanne Ward and Tony Gibson. Brother of Dorothy Buerger. Grandfather of seven.
GILLEY, Imelda, 91, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Albany, April 23. Mother of Carole Kurtz and Joan Gilley. Grandmother of four.
GRANTS, Mikelis, 91, St. Lawrence, Indianapolis, April 23. Uncle of one.
GUERRINI, Ralph, 76, St. Jude, Indianapolis, April 12. Husband of Joan (Puntarilli) Guerrini. Father of Maria Mercer, Michael, Nicholas and Vincent Guerrini. Grandfather of 10.
HARTZ, Elsa M., 85, Christ the King, Indianapolis, April 25. Wife of Bernard Hartz. Mother of Mary Anne Crisp, Jane Neville, Greg and Tom Hartz. Grandmother of 10. Great-grandmother of four.
HAYDEN, Stephen A., 44, St. Matthew, Indianapolis, April 25. Brother of Chip, Jim, Joe and Mark Hayden.
HEMMELGARN, Anna Marie, 89, Holy Name, Beech Grove, April 30. Sister of Elenora Meisberger.
HICKMAN, Mary, 97, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, April 20. Mother of Maryann Guy and Kathleen Kennedy. Grandmother of six. Great-grandmother of 17.
HORNING, Nicholas J., 43, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, April 16. Son of James and Gloria Horning. Brother of Michele Dippel and Matthew Horning.
KAISER, Luke R., 81, Holy Family, Oldenburg, April 24. Husband of Irma Kaiser. Father of Beverly Joyce, Mark, Michael and Steve Kaiser. Brother of Betty Holtel, Rita McGreevy, Carl and Vic Kaiser. Grandfather of eight. Great-grandfather of one.
KENNEDY, Paul Michael, Jr., 59, Holy Name, Beech Grove, April 22. Brother of Franciscan Sister Francis Assisi Kennedy.
KRAMER, Edgar, 90, Prince of Peace, Madison, April 17. Husband of Ruth Kramer. Father of Joy, Lisa and Michael Kramer. Grandfather of three.
LIDDY, Mary Deete, 86, St. Jude, Indianapolis, April 17. Sister of Robert Liddy. Aunt of several.
MADDEN, Joseph Staneart, 63, St. Barnabas, Indianapolis, April 21. Husband of Maureen (Northcutt) Madden. Father of Michelle and Mark Madden. Brother of Barbara Hendry.
McFARLING, David Earl, 86, St. Paul, Tell City, April 21. Husband of Adeline (Weisenberger) McFarling. Father of Vicki Brewer. Grandfather of three. Great-grandfather of five.
MEREDITH, Mary Wilma Jean (Cloud), 86, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, March 31. Mother of Nancy Rickly, Jon and Joseph Bowling. Grandmother of five. Great-grandmother of seven.
MEUNIER, Alfred F., 73, St. Joseph, Sellersburg, April 18. Husband of Roberta Meunier. Father of Karen Keinsley, Linda Van Hook and Kenneth Meunier. Brother of Charles Meunier. Grandfather of eight.
MOODY, William R., 81, St. Louis, Batesville, April 29. Husband of Ethel Moody. Father of Deb Harrington, Donna Ruggles and Chris Vogelsang. Grandfather of six. Great-grandfather of eight.
NOLOT, Mae, 89, St. Bernard, Frenchtown, April 15. Mother of Rita Whitaker, James, Mervin and Thomas Nolot. Sister of Ruth Linton, Mary Nolot, Jean Shrout, August and Ralph Smith. Grandmother of 22. Great-grandmother of 38. Great-great-grandmother of one.
OWENS, James F., 68, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, April 14. Father of Jenny, Katie, Chris and Steve Owens.
READINGER, Elizabeth L., 81, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Terre Haute, April 28. Mother of Randy Readinger. Sister of Agnes Davis, Margaret Genovise, Kay Ofsansky and Gene Verostko. Grandmother of three.
RISK, Lucille C. (Shafer), 89, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, April 7. Mother of Sandra Corley and John Risk. Grandmother of seven. Great-grandmother of eight.
RUFING, Yvonne M., 60, Holy Family, New Albany, April 22. Wife of Ronald Rufing Sr. Mother of Tina McNelly, Mark, Scott and Tony Cahalan. Stepmother of Michelle Miqiwar and Trent Rufing. Sister of Martha Brame, Norma Robinson, Ann Townsend, Paul Book and Ronald Meyer. Grandmother of 11. Great-grandmother of one.
SAMPSON, Richard H., 85, St. Mary, Rushville, April 23. Husband of Stella Sampson. Father of Barbara Brewer, Virginia Ruble, JoAnn, Gerald and Roger Sampson. Brother of Virginia Hanson and Janet Shook. Grandfather of five. Great-grandfather of three.
SCHREIER, Robert P., 78, St. Malachy, Brownsburg, March 5. Husband of Irene Schreier. Father of Nancy Barker, Susan Rist, James, Jerome, Michael and Robert Schreier. Grandfather of 10. Great-grandfather of four.
SCHWARZ, Eric Gerard, 41, St. Gabriel, Connersville, April 20. Son of Bonnie (Schwarz) Callahan and Charles Schwarz. Brother of Jeanie Hinchman, Becky Savoy, Tracy Snyder and Chris Schwarz. Uncle of several.
SCHWEGMAN, Esther (Meer), 89, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Cambridge City, April 4. Mother of Brenda Sheldon, Rebecca Wainright, Franklin, Stephen and Sylvan Schwegman. Sister of Mildred and Ruth Meer. Grandmother of seven.
SHERIDAN, John, 84, St. Mary, Richmond, April 10. Husband of Kathleen Sheridan. Father of Loretta Sheridan and Kathleen South. Grandfather of four.
SISK, Jay Donald, 87, St. Luke, Indianapolis, April 19. Husband of Barbara Sisk. Father of Mary Jo Healy, Joyce, Marc and Matthew Sisk. Grandfather of 13. Great-grandfather of 13.
SNEDEKER, M. Leota, Holy Family, Richmond, April 12. Aunt of several.
TRAYNOR, Michael, 74, St. Joan of Arc, Indianapolis, April 11. Husband of Anne (McSweeney) Traynor. Father of Jennifer Boyd, Susan Chastain, Joseph, Michael, Paul and Stephan Traynor. Brother of Philomena Breen, Ita Kervick, Jack, Noel and Paul Traynor. Grandfather of 15. Great-grandfather of two.
TURNER, William, 87, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, April 7. Husband of Dorothy Turner. Father of Barbara Williams, Laura, Mary Ann and John Turner. Grandfather of two.
WELSH, Maurice M., 81, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, April 14. Husband of Helen Welsh. Father of Therese Corsones, Kathleen Loveman, Dr. David, Dr. Michael and Steven Welsh. Grandfather of 12.
Benedictine Sister Mary Xavier
Mueller
taught school for 49 years
Benedictine Sister Mary Xavier Mueller died on March 25 at St. Paul Hermitage in Beech Grove, where she was a resident. She was 91.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on March 28 at Our Lady of Grace Monastery Chapel in Beech Grove. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
The former Margaret Mueller was born on Oct. 22, 1914, in Evansville, Ind.
She entered Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, Ind., in 1934 and made her perpetual monastic profession in 1939.
Sister Mary Xavier was a founding member of Our Lady of Grace Monastery.
She received a bachelor’s degree in education at the former St. Benedict College in Ferdinand and a master’s degree at St. Francis College in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Sister Mary Xavier taught at Catholic schools for 49 years, first in Washington, Ind., in the Evansville Diocese.
In the archdiocese, she taught at Catholic schools in Siberia, Clarksville, Bradford, Columbus, Sellersburg, Starlight and Indianapolis.
She also taught at Catholic schools in Evansville, Ind.; Fort Branch, Ind.; and Elberfeld, Ind., in the Evansville Diocese.
Her last teaching position was at Christ the King School in Indianapolis, where she taught for 13 years before retiring to the monastery in 1986.
Surviving are a sister, Rita Kessler of Evansville, Ind.; and a nephew.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Retired Sisters’ Fund, Our Lady of Grace Monastery, 1402 Southern Ave., Beech Grove, IN 46107.
Franciscan Sister Alverna Chandler
was a teacher, principal and librarian
Franciscan Sister Alverna Chandler died on April 20 at St. Clare Hall, the health care facility for the congregation of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in Oldenburg. She was 91.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on April 24 at the motherhouse chapel at Oldenburg. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
The former Catherine Elizabeth Chandler was born on May 15, 1914, in Cincinnati.
She entered the Oldenburg Franciscan community on Sept. 8, 1937, and professed her final vows on Aug. 12, 1943.
Sister Alverna ministered as a teacher, principal and librarian at Catholic schools for 54 years.
In the archdiocese, she served at Holy Name School in Beech Grove, St. Mary School in North Vernon, St. Mary School in Greensburg and the former St. Paul School in New Alsace.
Sister Alverna also ministered at Catholic schools in Ohio. She also spent 21 years serving Native Americans in Pryor, Mont., and St. Xavier, Mont., and Hispanics in Park View, N.M.
In 1995, Sister Alverna retired to the motherhouse, where she was engaged in community service in Oldenburg.
In later years, she resided at St. Clare Hall.
Surviving are many nieces and nephews.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of St. Francis, P.O. Box 100, Oldenburg, IN 47036. †