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)
ANDERSON, Franklin L., 77, St. Bartholomew, Columbus, Aug. 11. Father of Rebecca Dickerson and Donald Anderson. Brother of Cecelia Ellis, Alicia Rendel and Deacon Bradley Anderson. Grandfather of four.
ANDRES, Irma R., 98, All Saints Parish, Dearborn County, Aug. 2. Mother of Mary Russell, Daniel, Lawrence and Ronald Andres. Sister of Mildred Swales, Ray and Russell Kuebel. Grandmother of seven. Great-grandmother 10. Great-great-grandmother of two.
BALMER, Stephen D., 80, St. John the Baptist, Starlight, Aug. 1. Husband of Karen Balmer. Father of Amy Hale and Christopher Balmer. Brother of Bruce Balmer. Grandfather of six.
BARHORST, Laverne M., 91, St. Mary, Greensburg, Aug. 5. Mother of Sharon Fischer, Ronnie and Tim Barhorst. Grandmother of seven. Great-grandmother of eight.
BAURLE, Louis, 85, St. Ambrose, Seymour, Aug. 1. Husband of Mary Ann Baurle. Father of Karen Clark, Donna Disque and Gregg Baurle. Brother of Frieda and Donald Baurle. Grandfather of five. Great-grandfather of seven.
BEIER, Ronald H., 71, St. Boniface, Fulda, Aug. 5. Father of Brent and Craig Beier. Son of Ardella Beier. Brother of Carma and Diane Berg, LeAnn Hoffman, Ruth Mullen, Allen, Kenny, Larry and Tom Beier. Grandfather of four.
BLOCK, Rose Marie, 94, St. Mary, New Albany, July 24. Mother of Rose Block Shannon, Jane Block Spitznagel, Patty Geswein, Nancy Miller, Susan, Daniel, David and William Block. Grandmother of 22. Great-grandmother of 46.
COOPER, Marilyn, 93, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Richmond, Aug. 12. Mother of David, Jeff, Mark and Tony Cooper. Grandmother of five. Great-grandmother of one.
DEARINGER, Alberta (Albright), 91, Our Lady of the Greenwood, Greenwood, Aug. 6. Mother of Beverly Carnes, Sharon Knierim and Dorrell Dearinger. Sister of Pamela Black. Grandmother of six. Great-grandmother of 15. Great-great-grandmother of two.
DECRAENE, Robert G., 87, St. Luke the Evangelist, Indianapolis, Aug. 7. Father of Diane Brown, Suzanne Fore, Daniel, James, Michael and Robert Decraene. Grandfather of 15. Great-grandfather of nine.
DOYLE, Edward E., 84, SS. Francis and Clare of Assisi, Greenwood, Aug. 7. Husband of Frances Doyle. Father of Elaine Bouchie and Carolyn Doyle. Grandfather of three.
EVRARD, David E., 90, St. Paul, Tell City, Aug. 2. Husband of Maggie Evrard. Father of Michelle Marietta, Jackie Rolf and Joe Evrard. Grandfather of 11. Great-grandfather of one.
FREDERICK, Barbara A., 98, St. Bartholomew, Columbus, July 30. Mother of Benedictine Sister Anne, David, Jay, Mark, Matthew, Neil, Shawn and Tom Frederick. Grandmother of 13. Great-grandmother of seven.
FREEMAN, Norma, 76, St. Rita, Indianapolis, April 14.
Mother of Karriem and Richard Freeman. Sister of Lucy Bell, Poly King, Deborah and Leonzo Quarles. Grandmother of three. Great-grandmother of three.
GARCIA RODRIGUEZ, Isabel, 46, St. Lawrence, Indianapolis, April 12. Wife of Vicente Rodriguez. Mother of Beatriz, Dailin, Destiny, Jacqueline and Jessica Rodriguez. Daughter of Eleanor Rodriguez. Sister of Silvia, Francisco, Raul and Rigoberto Garcia. Grandmother of four.
GREEN, Karin A. (Doolin), 80, St. Joseph, Corydon, Aug. 9. Mother of Lisa Osborne and Larry Green. Sister of Janet Mullflur, Colette, Kevin, Michael, Shawn and Thomas Doolin. Grandmother of six. Great-grandmother of one.
HALL, Kevin C., 61, St. Bartholomew, Columbus, Aug. 4. Husband of Patricia Hall. Father of Rianne Craig, Chelsea Ortlieb and Kyler Hall. Son of Lois Hall. Brother of Norby Tester, Gerry, Jim and Tim Hall. Grandfather of two.
HERMANN, Marianne D. (Lowe), 92, St. Roch, Indianapolis, Aug. 5. Mother of Dodie Thie and Donna Williams. Sister of Tom Lowe. Grandmother of 24. Great-grandmother of 55. Great-great-grandmother of eight.
HIRSCH, Clayton, 15, St. Luke the Evangelist, Indianapolis, July 29. Son of Michael Hirsch and Jessica Kelley. Brother of Tea Bremner, Ashton Frankville and Colton Oliver. Grandson of Mike and Kathy Hirsch.
HUSER, James R., 93, Holy Name of Jesus, Beech Grove, Aug. 20. Husband of Jeanne Huser. Father of Maureen Bogard, Marilyn Haywood, Jean O’Gara, Mary Stewart, Chris, Gerald, James, John, Joseph and Terry Huser. Brother of Marie Kern. Grandfather of 41. Great-grandfather of 95. Great-great-grandfather of two.
JOHNSON, Alberta L., 88, Holy Angels, Indianapolis, July 26. Mother of Nannette Johnson-Howard, Rhonda Johnson-Pitts, Donna Morris-Chapman, Derek and Eric Morris. Grandmother of 24. Great-grandmother of 42. Great-great-grandmother of 10.
LASTER, Sr., Sherman, 91, Holy Angels, Indianapolis, Feb. 4. Father of Theresa Montgomery, Angela Laster-Rutland, Diane, Kevin and Sherman Laster, Jr. Grandfather and great-grandfather of several.
LECLERE, Pamela S., 61, St. Paul, Tell City, Aug. 3. Mother of Gina Vantiem and Jim Leclere. Sister of Tina Carter, Karen Harth, Jeanne Woolums, Gary and Larry Kleeman. Grandmother of one.
MILLER, Robert W., 54, St. Bartholomew, Columbus, July 23. Father of Jadi Miller. Son of Bette A. Niedbalski. Brother of Andrew Miller. Stepbrother of Brian Niedbalski.
MONTGOMERY, Theresa J., 66, Holy Angels, Indianapolis, March 4. Mother of Thomas Montgomery. Sister of Angela Laster-Rutland, Diane, Kevin and Sherman Laster, Jr.
MURRELL, Annie (Scott), 77, Holy Angels, Indianapolis, July 25. Mother of Shana Smith, Michael Jimson, Michael and Robbie Scott. Sister of Ivory Nelson and Nettie Nelson-Roby. Grandmother of 14. Great-grandmother of 27.
RICHARDSON, Sr., Ronald J., 78, St. Joseph, Corydon, Aug. 4. Husband of Rosemary Richardson. Father of Angela Finlay, Eric Timberlake and Ronald Richardson, Jr. Brother of Leland and Russell Richardson. Grandfather of 13. Great-grandfather of 14.
RIESTER, Julia A., 81, St. Bartholomew, Columbus, July 31. Mother of Katherine Carr, James, John III and Mark Riester. Grandmother of five.
SAVAGE, Frank N., 101, St. Lawrence, Lawrenceburg, July 29. Father of David, James, John, Patrick and Philip Savage. Grandfather of 10. Great-grandfather of 13.
SCHERRER, Helen L., 99, St. Lawrence, Indianapolis, July 1. Mother of Jane Bremer, Susan Day, Andrea Espich, Mary Skillern, Joseph and Stephen Scherrer. Grandmother of 13. Great-grandmother of 10.
SMITH, Linda, 76, St. Michael, Bradford, Aug. 9. Sister of Mary Ann O’Brien. Aunt and great-aunt of several.
STEPHAN, Jason D., 43, St. Michael, Bradford, July 24. Father of Jillian, Skylar and Ty Stephan. Brother of Amanda Stephan.
SULLIVAN, John F., 94, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, July 28. Uncle of several.
SUTHERLAND III, Jack R., 51, Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Indianapolis, July 29. Husband of Allison Sutherland. Brother of Jason Sutherland. Uncle of several.
Franciscan Sister Mary Claire Hausfeld served in food services for 42 years
Franciscan Sister Mary Claire Hausfeld died on Aug. 19 at the motherhouse of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in Oldenburg. She was 73.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Aug. 25 at the Motherhouse Chapel in Oldenburg. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
Sister Mary Claire was born on July 22, 1949, in Cincinnati. She joined the Sisters of St. Francis on Sept. 8, 1967, and professed final vows in on Aug. 10, 1975.
After studying at Marian University in Indianapolis, Sister Mary Claire returned to Oldenburg in 1971 where she began service in food service in the motherhouse’s diet kitchen. She ministered as manager of the diet kitchen from 1980-85 and as manager of central food service from 1987 until she retired in 2013.
Sister Mary Claire is survived by her siblings, Judy Hoffmeister, Jane, Bill, Jim, John and Richard Hausfeld.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of St. Francis, P.O. Box 100, Oldenburg, IN 47036-0100.
Franciscan Sister Rose O’Brien served as an educator for 35 years
Franciscan Sister Rose O’Brien died on
Aug. 30 at the motherhouse of 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 Sept. 6 at the Motherhouse Chapel in Oldenburg. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
Florence Rose O’Brien was born on
Sept. 16, 1930, in Covington, Ky. She joined the Sisters of St. Francis on Sept. 11, 1948, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1954. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education at Marian University in Indianapolis and master’s degrees in theology at St. Xavier University in Chicago. She later continued her education at The Catholic University of America in Washington; St. Louis University in St. Louis; and Xavier University in Cincinnati.
During 73 years as a member of the Sisters of St. Francis, Sister Rose ministered in Catholic education and other educational settings for 35 years in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio and Mexico. She also served as parish catechetical leader in several parishes in Ohio. Beginning in 2008, Sister Rose retired to the motherhouse in Oldenburg.
She is survived by her sisters, Ann Rombach of Wilmington, Del., and Mary Ellen Swanson of Park Ridge, Ill.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of St. Francis, P.O. Box 100, Oldenburg, IN 47036-0100. †