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)
DAVIS, Charles Arthur, Sr., 84, Most Holy Name of Jesus, Beech Grove, Aug. 26. Father of Paula Elliott, Monica North, Bob, Brian, Charles Jr., Larry and Philip Davis. Grandfather of 23. Great-grandfather of two.
FRAZIER, Laura (Logan) Gaddy, 63, St. Michael the Archangel, Indianapolis, Aug. 31. Mother of Patrick Edwards, Elizabeth, Jennifer, Rosemary and Charles Gaddy. Sister of Nancy Harrison, Amy Isreal, John and Tim Logan. Grandmother of 11. Great-grandmother of two.
FULLER, William Edward, 88, St. Mary, Indianapolis, Sept. 6. Husband of Debbie Fuller.
HAYWOOD, Joyce (Weisenberger), 83, St. Paul, Tell City, Aug. 31. Mother of Dick, Doug and Jack Haywood. Sister of Adeline McFarling. Grandmother of five.
KELLY, Virginia J. (Peoni), 88, St. Michael the Archangel, Indianapolis, Sept. 11. Mother of Nancy Schuch, Jim, John and Michael Kelly. Sister of Margaret Horning, Rose Venezia and Mike Peoni. Grandmother of five. Great-grandmother of one.
LECHER, Harry, 86, St. Mary, Greensburg, Sept. 2. Father of Larry Lecher. Brother of Ida Nobbe, Bill, Ed, Jim, Joe and Paul Lecher. Grandfather of three. Great-grandfather of four.
KRAMPE, Margaret Ann, 84, Annunciation, Brazil, Aug. 29. Mother of Bobbie Gwin, Kathy Norris, Dianna Wetnight and Theresa Krampe. Grandmother of five. Great-grandmother of three.
MAYER, Raymond J., 86, St. Roch, Indianapolis, Aug. 27. Husband of Patricia (Norris) Mayer. Father of Kathryn Delpha, Margaret Odland, Patricia Ralson, Ann, Dr. Mary Lou, Paul and Dr. Richard Mayer. Brother of Dolores Carter. Grandfather of 18.
MAZZA, Phillip, 56, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Sept. 1. Son of Albina Mazza. Brother of Mary Rose Miller, Debbie Wallsmith, John, Mario, Mark and Steven Mazza. Uncle of several.
MUELLER, John Louis, 83, Christ the King, Indianapolis, Sept. 5. Husband of Carolyn Mueller. Father of Barbara Cable, Mary Dremonas, Michele Jones, Susie LaFrance, Linda Zerr, Nancy, Jim and John Mueller. Grandfather of 13.
PETERS, Mary Louise, 90, Most Holy Name of Jesus, Beech Grove, Sept. 1. Mother of Sara Morehead and Stephen Peters. Sister of Robert Vandenbosch. Grandmother of six.
PIERCE, Evelyn Pauline (Rubush), 89, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, Aug. 28. Mother of Teresa Niese, Toni Sorg, Ruth Street, Linda Wallingford, Dan, Martin, Michael and Steven Pierce. Grandmother of 23. Great-grandmother of 39.
SCHMIDT, Merle, 84, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Sept. 2. Father of Peggy Arizona, Jeff and Tim Schmidt. Stepfather of Terry Hagan and Mark Morris. Brother of Harvey and Robert Schmidt. Grandfather of two. Great-grandfather of five.
SCHMITT, Giles F., 86, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Sept. 6. Husband of Katherine Schmitt. Father of Theresa Kirkman, Kathy Pierce, Suzanne Schmitt, Yvonne and Jeff Chandler. Grandfather of 20. Great-grandfather of 20.
SCHUMACHER, Rita A., 89, St. Augustine Home for the Aged, Indianapolis, Sept. 10. Aunt of several.
STUEHRENBERG, Dale E., 41, Immaculate Conception, Millhousen, Aug. 28. Husband of Theresa Stuehrenberg. Father of Tara Fleenor, Tyler Powers, Daylen and Derek Stuehrenberg. Son of Martha Stuehrenberg. Brother of Diana Bare, Bill, David, Frank, Jerry and Tom Stuehrenberg.
Benedictine Sister Catherine Beach was a teacher and dietician
Benedictine Sister Catherine Beach, a member of the Sisters of St. Benedict at Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, Ind., in the Evansville Diocese, died on Sept. 5 at the monastery’s Hildegard Health Center. She was 92.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Sept. 9 at the monastery church. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
Sister Catherine was born in Greenville, Ind., on Aug. 28, 1918. She also lived in Bradford, Ind., during her childhood years.
She entered the Sisters of St. Benedict in 1943, professed her temporary vows in 1945 and professed her perpetual vows in 1948.
Sister Catherine taught at several Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and the Diocese of Evansville.
She also ministered in food services and as a dietician at two hospitals in the Evansville Diocese as well as at the monastery.
Also at the monastery, Sister Catherine ministered in the guest department and assisted with other support services for the sisters.
In recent years, she began her ministry of prayer full-time with the senior sisters at the monastery.
Surviving are a sister, Kathleen Kruer of Greenville; four brothers, Herman Beach of Greenville, Robert Beach of New Albany, William Beach of Floyds Knobs and Louis Beach of Alexandria, Va.; as well as several nieces and nephews.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of St. Benedict, Monastery Immaculate Conception, 802 E. 10th St., Ferdinand, IN 47532.
Franciscan Sister Rosemary Stewart ministered in Catholic education
Franciscan Sister Rosemary Stewart, formerly Sister Martha Clare, died on Sept. 5 at St. Clare Hall, the health care facility for the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, in Oldenburg. She was 79.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Sept. 9 at the motherhouse chapel in Oldenburg. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
Sister Rosemary was born on May 5, 1931, in Cincinnati.
She entered the Oldenburg Franciscan community on Sept. 10, 1949, and professed her final vows on Aug. 12, 1955.
She ministered as a teacher or principal at Catholic schools as well as a director of religious education at Catholic parishes for 50 years.
In the archdiocese, Sister Rosemary served at Our Lady of Lourdes School in Indianapolis, St. Gabriel School in Connersville, St. Louis School in Batesville, the former St. John the Baptist School in Dover, the former St. Peter School in Ripley County and St. Lawrence School in Lawrenceburg.
She also taught at Catholic schools in Cincinnati.
In 1972, Sister Rosemary began a new ministry as a special education instructor at Marian College, now Marian University, in Indianapolis.
In later years, she ministered as a director of religious education at St. John the Baptist Parish in Dover and St. Peter Parish in Ripley County.
Sister Rosemary retired in 2000 and returned to the motherhouse. In recent years, she resided at St. Clare Hall.
Surviving are a brother, James Stewart of Louisville, and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of St. Francis, P.O. Box 100, Oldenburg, IN 47036. †