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)
AMORE, Pasquale J., 88, St. Pius X, Indianapolis,
April 10. Husband of Mary Anne Amore. Father of Gina Miller, Chris, Mario, Patrick, Jr., and Sam Amore. Grandfather of 11. Great-grandfather of four.
BARNARD, Phyllis A. (Kirts), 80, St. Ambrose, Seymour, June 24. Mother of Vivian Begley, Marcia Hatton and Melvin Barnard. Sister of Joyce Luesby, Amy Price and Gail Wilson. Grandmother of nine. Great-grandmother of several.
BECKERICH, Donald L., 90, St. Luke the Evangelist, June 24. Father of Nancy Beckerich, Karen Feeney and Mary Ann Froemming. Brother of Mary Ann Pluckebaum. Grandfather of 11. Great-grandfather of three.
BENNETT, Deette (McGrath), 99, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, June 16. Mother of DeEtte Schmidt, Barbara, Leo and Steve Bennett. Grandmother and great-grandmother of several.
BRADY, Francis M., 90, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, April 22. Father of Kathleen Zeilinga, Barbara and Kevin Brady. Brother of William Brady. Grandfather of seven. Great-grandfather of 10.
BROCKMAN Mary A., 93, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, May 2. Mother of Paul Brockman. Grandmother of two.
BRUCE, Emilie Rose, 90, Christ the King, Indianapolis, June 16. Mother of Kathy Bannister, Nancy Ceccanese, Sharon Regalado, Rosemarie, Gary, Robert and Tom Bruce. Grandmother of 11. Great-grandmother of three.
CISKOWSKI, Nancy, 75, St. Jude the Apostle, Spencer, June 19. Wife of Thomas Ciskowski. Mother of David, Luke and Matthew Ciskowski. Grandmother of five.
COMBS, Leonard J., 86, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Albany, June 22. Father of Terri Day, Bridget Wilson, Brian, Edward and Richard Combs. Brother of Pat Combs. Grandfather of 11. Great-grandfather of four.
CONNOR, Patricia J., 86, St. Pius X, Indianapolis,
April 12. Mother of Julia Dietrick, Janet Kahler, Maureen Stark, Carolyn Weigel, Lawrence, Jr., and Michael Connor. Grandmother of 16. Great-grandmother of 10.
COYKENDALL, Jeanne A., 87, St. Jude, Indianapolis, June 18. Mother of Kathleen, Margaret and Gene Coykendall. Sister of Margaret Payne. Grandmother of five. Great-grandmother of three.
DOMINIK, Mary (Pasyk), 97, St. Ambrose, Seymour, June 15. Mother of Mary Ellen Emch, Lygia Ford, Claudia, Joseph, Martin and Thomas Dominik. Sister of Irene Jakuboiwicz. Grandmother of nine. Great-grandmother of 13.
EHRHARDT, Barbara, 89, St. Malachy, Brownsburg, March 30. Mother of Karen Starkey, Kurt and Philip Ehrhardt. Grandmother of six. Great-grandmother of four.
FEDERLE, Howard A., 87, St. Louis, Batesville, June 14. Husband of Dorothy Federle. Father of Keith and Randy Federle. Brother of Marlene Greiwe and JoAnn Holzer. Grandfather of five. Great-grandfather of four.
GARDEWING, Robert E., 97, St. Lawrence, Lawrenceburg, June 26. Father of Jane Rahe and Lee Gardewing. Brother of Rosemary Gardewing. Grandfather of two. Great-grandfather of one.
HARP, Dr. David C., 76, St. Mary, Greensburg, June 26.
Husband of Ginger Harp. Father of Sarah Enstrom, Carrie Grenier, Heather Halverson, Kelsi Matherly, Bobby Brown, David and Jason Harp. Grandfather of 21.
HAVENER, LeeAnn M. (Challis), 66, SS. Francis and Clare of Assisi, Greenwood, June 26. Mother of Holly and Brian Havener. Sister of Angie Ashman, Danny, Jerry, Joe and Mike Challis.
HERRERA-AMBROSIO, Kevin, 4, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, June 18. Son of Ignacio Artemio Herrera-Marin and Norma Ambrosio-Cortes. Brother of Lesly and Melvin Herrera.
HIRSCHLE, Carl R., 84, St. Barnabas, Indianapolis, June 26. Husband of Judith Hirschle. Father of Karen, David, Mark, Paul and Richard Hirschle. Grandfather of two.
HOEPING, Edward, 81, SS. Francis and Clare of Assisi, Greenwood, June 28. Husband of Carolyn Hoeping. Father of Colleen Hoeping Adams. Brother of Jan Dennin, Carol Hoeping and Mary Jordan. Grandfather of two. Great-grandfather of two.
KOCHERT, Margaret A., 63, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Albany, June 15. Sister of Jane Timberlake, Larry, Ronald and Steve Kochert. Aunt of several.
LAMPING, Patricia M., 85, Holy Name of Jesus, Beech Grove, June 14. Mother of Janet Bohall, Nancy Smith, Christie Worden, Brian, David, John and Kevin Lamping. Daughter of Stella Werner. Sister of Sharon Coyle and Karen Scroggin. Grandmother of 25. Great-grandmother of 25.
MOORE, Suzanne (Richey), 83, St. Michael, Greenfield, June 27. Wife of Robert Moore. Mother of Dan, Jon, Patrick and Ron Moore. Sister of David and Dennis Ogle. Grandmother of five. Great-grandmother of five.
MULDOON, Robert P., 95, St. Charles Borromeo, Bloomington, May 20. Father of Eileen Armas, Margaret Burger, Karen Muldoon-Hules, Bob, John, Mark, Paul and Tom Muldoon. Grandfather of 11.
O’MARA, Janis K., 73, St. Jude, Indianapolis, June 17.
Wife of Vincent O’Mara. Mother of Aaron, Donald and Michael O’Mara. Sister of Vicki Cole, Debora Ware and Timothy Heldreth. Grandmother of three.
PRENTICE, Kevin M., 54, St. Barnabas, Indianapolis, June 14. Husband of Heather Prentice. Father of Caroline, Katherine and Kennedy Prentice. Son of Carole Prentice. Brother of Kerrie Milenbaugh, Kay Rhyne and Kirk Prentice.
REED, Donald, 93, St. Nicholas, Ripley County, June 15. Husband of Mary Reed. Father of Maureen Dreiling, Jenny, Donald, Michael and Paul Reed. Grandfather of 15. Great-grandfather of 19.
ROBINSON, Rosemary, 95, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, April 10. Mother of Mary Jane Arnett, Benedictine Sister Cathy Ann, Richard and Stephen Robinson. Grandmother of eight. Great-grandmother of 14.
RODECKER, Mary Jean, 95, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, May 3. Mother of Claire Pappas and William Rodecker. Grandmother of six. Great-grandmother of 12.
RODGER, Cecelia, 69, St. Pius X, Indianapolis,
April 5. Wife of Alexander Rodger. Mother of Kelly Short, Michele Spencer and Angela Wood. Sister of Mary Ann Franklin, James and Richard Carriger. Grandmother of eight.
RONDINELLA, Marjorie, 84, St. Malachy, Brownsburg, June 26. Mother of Nina, Anthony, Joseph, Nicholas and Patrick Rondinella. Sister of Martha Ann McGinnis. Grandmother of 13.
ROYER, Donnell K., 66, St. Augustine, Leopold,
June 20. Husband of Teresa Royer. Father of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Simon Royer. Son of Pauline Royer. Brother of Darla Hayes and Darrell Royer. Grandfather of two.
SHEA, Mary H., 82, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, June 15. Mother of Lori Finnigan, Angie and Dennis Shea. Grandmother of six. Great-grandmother of three.
SPECHT, Rita J., 91, St. Lawrence, Indianapolis, June 13. Mother of Kathy Goodhart, Elaine and Ron Specht. Grandmother of four.
THOMAN, Joyce L., 85, St. Pius X, Indianapolis,
April 25. Wife of Dr. Rex Thoman. Mother of Jennifer Whaley, Radford, Reginald, Scott, Steven and Timothy Thoman. Grandmother of 18. Great-grandmother of three.
VAN VELSE, Eveline, 92, St. Lawrence, Indianapolis, June 16. Mother of Maureen Schoch, Rene, Edwin, Frank, Kenneth and Reginald Van Velse. Grandmother of 13. Great-grandmother of 19.
VESPER, Patricia, 78, St. Luke the Evangelist, Indianapolis, June 26. Mother of Chris, David and Tim Vesper. Sister of Tom Singelmann. Grandmother of four.
VON BUN, Maria L., 101, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Albany, June 22. Mother of Drs. Elisabeth and Fredrich von Bun. Grandmother of three.
WALKER, Jennifer (Doyle), 50, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, April 20. Wife of Chris Walker. Mother of Ellie Walker. Sister of Jamie Ismail, Dan and Tim Doyle.
WALKER, Philip M., 82, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, April 12. Husband of Sue Ellen Moore Walker. Uncle of several.
WILLETT, James E., 81, Prince of Peace, Madison, June 24. Father of April Clifton and Karen Lewis. Brother of Bobby Willett. Grandfather of one.
Benedictine Sister Mary Lucien Dippel served as an educator and nurse
Benedictine Sister Mary Lucien Dippel, a member of Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech Grove, died on June 10 at the St. Paul Hermitage in Beech Grove. She was 94.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, no public funeral was celebrated. The burial took place at the sisters’ cemetery.
Doris Mae Dippel was born on May 12, 1926, in Evansville, Ind. She entered the Benedictine Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, Ind., in 1943, professed temporary vows on June 5, 1945, and perpetual vows on Aug. 10, 1948. Sister Mary Lucien later was a founding member of Our Lady of Grace Monastery, which was founded by Monastery Immaculate Conception.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in education at the former St. Benedict College in Ferdinand. Sister Mary Lucien later studied nursing, earning in that field an associate’s degree at the University of Indianapolis and a bachelor’s degree at Spalding University in Louisville, Ky.
In the archdiocese, Sister Mary Lucien taught at St. Anthony of Padua School in Clarksville from 1947-55, St. Mary-of-the-Knobs School in Floyd County from 1955-56, the former St. Paul School in Tell City from 1956-62 and the former St. Joseph School in Clark County from 1962-64. As a nurse, she served at Clark Memorial Hospital in Jeffersonville from 1981-89, the St. Paul Hermitage from 1990-91 and in the infirmary of Our Lady of Grace Monastery from 1992 until she retired in 1996.
She is survived by her sisters Jean Kruse of Evansville, Ind., and Charlotte Spond of Littleton, Colo.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Retired Sisters’ Fund, c/o Our Lady of Grace Monastery, 1402 Southern Ave., Beech Grove, IN 46107.
Giovanni “John” Giannini was the father of Father Stephen Giannini
Giovanni “John” Giannini, the father of Father Stephen Giannini, pastor of SS. Francis and Clare of Assisi Parish in Greenwood, died on June 9 at Heritage House of New Castle in New Castle. He was 89.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on July 15 at St. Anne Church in New Castle. Burial will take place at a later date at St. Andrew Cemetery in Richmond.
Giannini was born on Aug. 8, 1930, in Richmond to the late Stefano and Mary Giannini.
After graduating from Richmond High School in 1948, he served in the U.S. Army for two years and in the Army Reserves for eight years. Giannini retired after working as a salesman and delivery driver for Royal Crown Cola for 39 years.
A member of St. Anne Parish in New Castle for 42 years, he was a fan of country and bluegrass music and western movies, and enjoyed gardening, camping, fishing and visits from his grandchildren.
Giannini was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Giannini, and his sister, Mary Louise Ramsey.
He is survived by his daughters Janet Magee of New Castle and Joan Michael of Peachtree, Ga.; his sons, Anthony Giannini of East Hampton, N.Y., and Father Stephen Giannini; and his sisters, Phyllis Anderson of Overland Park, Kan., and Lena Lonigro of Miamisburg, Ohio. He was the grandfather of two.
Memorial gifts may be sent to St. Anne Parish, 102 N. 19th St., New Castle, IN 47362. †