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)
BENSON, Louetta L., 82, SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Indianapolis, April 9. Mother of Mary E. Benson-Landau, Charles, Claude, Gabriel, Leslie and Michael Benson. Sister of Mary Major and Albert Jones. Grandmother of five. Great-grandmother of three.
BOLANOS, Raul E., 76, St. Matthew, Indianapolis, April 3. Father of Angela Byrne, Veronica Sanders, Andrew, Anthony, Benjamin, Michael, Ramon and Steven Bolanos. Brother of Fernando and Guillermo Bolanos. Grandfather of 10.
DAVIS, Marvin R., 56, St. Joseph, Corydon, March 6. Husband of Debra Bowman. Father of Tracy South. Brother of Wilma Sieg. Grandfather of three.
DE SUAYDI, Maria Uribe, 88, St. Roch, Indianapolis, April 15. Mother of Linda Langdon, Dee Mazza and Cathy Schultz. Sister of Elvira Romero and Ofelia Uribe. Grandmother of 11. Step-grandmother of three. Great-grandmother of 17. Step-great-grandmother of five. Great-great-grandmother of three.
DREW, Anne M., 74, St. Mary (Immaculate Conception), Rushville, April 7. Mother of Susan Harrington, Patricia Lundin, Mary Riebsommer, David, Mark, Michael and Stephen Drew. Sister of Kathleen Fayhee, Marie Frait, Edith Johnson, Carolyn, Joseph, Leo, Louis and Richard Herrmann. Grandmother of 11.
DUDENHOEFFER, Gary, 57, Nativity, Indianapolis, March 17. Husband of Cathy Dudenhoeffer. Father of Kristine Camden, Kim Duncan, Alexis Frayer, Erik Kilmark and Bryan Dudenhoeffer. Son of Nelda Dudenhoeffer.
HANLEY, William, Sr., 86, St. Matthew, Indianapolis, April 6. Father of Paula Lee, John and William Hanley Jr. Brother of Helen Smith and John Hanley. Grandfather of five. Great-grandfather of eight.
HARRINGTON, Donald, 74, Holy Family, New Albany, May 11. Father of Kelly Knaebel. Brother of James Harrington. Grandfather of one.
HOLD, Gregory P., 43, St. Joseph, Corydon, Feb. 18. Son of Richard and Rose Hold. Brother of Wendy Chitwood, Sandra Morrison, Elaine Richardson, Carrie Whitehead and Louise Hold.
KYLE, Frances A., 87, Sacred Heart, Clinton, April 8. Mother of Nancy Kashon, Mary Lynn Rardin, Patty Slaven, Bob and Dr. Morgan Kyle. Sister of Franciscan Sister Mary Octavia. Grandmother of 15. Great-grandmother of 20.
RICHARDSON, Francis Hayden, 94, Nativity, Indianapolis, April 11. Father of Barbara Livsey, Patricia Thuer, Steven Grubbs, John and William Richardson. Grandfather of 13. Great-grandfather of 19.
SCOTT, Lois Jean (Keagle), 77, St. Joan of Arc, Indianapolis, April 14. Wife of Richard Scott. Mother of Connie Scott. Grandmother of three.
SEARING, James Patrick, 51, St. Joseph, Universal, April 6. Husband of Jane Searing. Father of Amy, Lou Ann and Bill Miller. Son of Rose Mary (Vallosia) Searing. Brother of Billie Jo Anderson, Margaret Benefield, Janice Uselman, Garry Searing and Ron Vallosia. Grandfather of four.
SOMES, Charles J., 60,
St. Pius X, Indianapolis, April 15. Husband of Louise Somes. Father of Elizabeth and Dean Somes. Son of Marian Somes.
SPURLOCK, Osma D., 89, St. Thomas Aquinas, Indianapolis, April 16. Wife of Albert Spurlock. Mother of Dr. Anita Gordon and Albert Spurlock II. Grandmother of three.
STAGGE, Clara M., 95, St. Mary, Greensburg, April 14. Mother of Diana Hoeing, Marilyn Nies, Norma Zobel, Joseph and Kenneth Stagge. Sister of Paul Bogemann. Grandmother of 18. Great-grandmother of 25.
STIER, Susan Lynn, 66, St. Mary, Greensburg, April 18. Wife of James Stier. Mother of Lynne Amrhein, Launa Goodman, Laura Pruett and Luann Walsman. Sister of Diane Kay Doerflinger. Grandmother of eight.
WOLFLA, Charles, 91, St. Joseph, Indianapolis, April 9. Father of Carolyn, Daniel and Charles Wolfla. Grandfather of two. †
Providence Sister Dorothy Karier
was a teacher and principal
Providence Sister Dorothy Karier, also known as Sister Mary Evelyn, died on April 13 at Mother Theodore Hall at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. She was 85.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on April 17 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at the motherhouse. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
The former Dorothy Mary Karier was born on May 27, 1921, in Chicago.
She entered the congregation of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods on Jan. 5, 1939, professed first vows on Aug. 15, 1941, and professed final vows on Aug. 15, 1947.
Sister Dorothy ministered at Catholic schools and parishes staffed by the Sisters of Providence in Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, Texas, Iowa and California.
During 68 years as a Sister of Providence, she served as a teacher and principal for 39 years. From 1983-96, she worked in parish ministry.
In the archdiocese, Sister Dorothy taught at the former St. Catherine School in Indianapolis from 1945-47.
Sister Dorothy returned to the motherhouse in 1996 and served as a member of the residential services staff. In 2001, she began her prayer ministry there.
Surviving are two sisters, Providence Sister Jean Karier of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods and Rosemary Hyland of Westchester, Ill., as well as 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. †
Holy Cross Brother Nivard Meichtry
taught at Cathedral High School
Holy Cross Brother Nivard Meichtry died on March 9 at Dujarie House in Notre Dame, Ind. He was 92 and was the second-ranking member of the Brothers of Holy Cross South-West Province.
A memorial service was celebrated on March 12 at the chapel at Holy Cross Village at the University of Notre Dame.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on March 15 at the congregation’s Vincent Pieau Residence in Austin, Texas. Burial followed at Assumption Cemetery in Austin.
The former Rudolph Meichtry was born on Nov. 27, 1914, in Winslow, Ill.
He entered the novitiate of the Congregation of the Brothers of Holy Cross on Aug. 15, 1934, made his first profession of vows on Aug. 16, 1935, and made his final profession of vows on Aug. 16, 1938.
Brother Nivard taught mathematics and science classes and also served as athletic director at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis from 1945-51.
He ministered at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, Calif., for 49 years as principal, athletic director, physics teacher, alumni and development director, and plant manager.
Brother Nivard loved sports so much that he would climb light poles along the gridiron sidelines to photograph high school football games.
In 2005, Brother Nivard retired and moved to Holy Cross House at Notre Dame, where he enjoyed watching Fighting Irish football and basketball games.
His sense of humor was well-known. After deciding to leave a boring presentation, Brother Nivard prayed aloud, “O Lord, I am not worthy to listen to this talk.”
Father Nivard also was proud of his Swiss ancestry.
He is survived by 43 members of the Meichtry family.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Brothers of Holy Cross, Holy Cross House, P.O. Box 1048, Notre Dame, Ind. 46556. †