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)
BEDEL, Clara, M., 94, Holy Family, Oldenburg, Jan. 10. Mother of Joan Nobbe, Jane Fussner, Diane, Lois, Lawrence and Raymond Bedel. Grandmother of 23. Step-grandmother of five.Great-grandmother of 54. Step-great-grandmother of four.
CONROY, Clemma G., 98, St. Mary, Rushville, Jan. 1. Mother of Jane Alt, Marcia Blankenship, Beth and Jack Conroy. Grandmother of six. Great-grandmother of six.
DAEGER, Roland G., 92, St. Mark the Evangelist, Indianapolis, Jan. 7. Husband of Mary Louise (Miller) Daeger. Father of Barbara Tillman, Edward, Gregory, Stephen and Thomas Daeger. Brother of Eugene Daeger. Grandfather of 15. Great-grandfather of 13.
DEUTSCH, Donald D., 73, St. Michael, Brookville, Dec. 28. Husband of Janet Deutsch. Father of Amy Kersey, Lisa Strine, Eric and Scott Deutsch. Brother of Bonnie Knecht, Melissa Knoller, Becky Teece, Marsha, Jeff and John Deutsch. Grandfather of six.
DICKERSON, Michael Gordon, 69, St. Anne, New Castle, Dec. 28. Husband of Rita Dickerson. Father of Rita Hartsock, Cory and Todd Dickerson. Brother of Margaret Haley and Stephen Dickerson. Grandfather of seven.
HANEBERG, Richard H., 93, St. Lawrence, Lawrenceburg, Jan. 5. Father of Lois Childers, Janet Haneberg-Diggs, Roberta Honnert, Mary Ann Merling, Regina Welter, Camilla and Richard Haneberg. Grandfather of 29. Great-grandfather of 16.
HARTZER, Joanne F., 78, St. Luke the Evangelist, Indianapolis, Jan. 4. Mother of Stacey Blansette, Heather Driggers, Paula and Chris Hartzer. Sister of Jeanne Fox and Patty Koeneman. Grandmother of 10.
HOLTEL, Frank J., 88, Holy Family, Oldenburg, Jan. 5. Brother of Rita Grote, Marie Meehan, Alma Personett, Rose Weigel, Katie and Charles Holtel.
KNOEBEL-ZINK, Alice E. (Ferguson), 91, Prince of Peace, Madison, Dec. 21. Mother of Martha Shelton and Jim Knoebel. Stepmother of Lee Ann and R.D. Zink. Grandmother of four. Great-grandmother of six.
LEFFLER, David P., 60, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, Dec. 29. Father of Kerri, Ezekiel and Max Leffler. Grandfather of three.
McCLAIN, Dorothy, 88, St. Mary, Richmond, Jan. 9. Mother of Sharon Geringer. Grandmother of five. Great-grandmother of six.
MICHAELIS, Emma Ruth, 92, St. Mark the Evangelist, Indianapolis, Jan. 6. Mother of Beth Springman, Dennis, Gary and Randy Michaelis. Grandmother of 10. Great-grandmother of 10.
MYERS, Eric A., 61, St. Luke the Evangelist, Indianapolis, Jan. 4. Husband of Debra Myers. Father of Drew and Joel Myers.
PEIRCE, Edith, 85, St. Andrew, Richmond, Jan. 9. Mother of Kristeen Correll and Brian Hines. Sister of John, Paul and Phillip Gwinnup. Grandmother of several. Great-grandmother of several.
PERSINGER, Kenneth D., 71, Christ the King, Indianapolis, Jan. 6. Husband of Shawn Persinger. Father of Beth Van Meter and Jon Persinger. Brother of Theresa Anderson, Sheila Baker, Kathryn Helmke, John, Richard and Thomas Persinger. Grandfather of three.
PITZER, Tyler Andrew, 22, St. Anthony of Padua, Clarksville, Jan. 1. Son of Lance and Valerie Pitzer. Brother of Rylee, Sydney and Kyle Pitzer. Grandson of Larry and Marlene Hayden and Glen and Joan Pitzer.
ROSFELD, Vernon Leo, 78, St. Peter, Franklin County, Jan. 2. Husband of Mary Rosfeld. Brother of Harold Rosfeld.
SABA, Joseph W., 57, SS. Francis and Clare of Assisi, Greenwood, Jan. 7. Husband of Joannie Saba. Father of Alexis and Matt Saba. Brother of Denise Higgins, Judy Thomas and Carol White.
SABATINO, Marshall L., 91, St. Bartholomew, Columbus, Jan. 6. Husband of Jan Sabatino. Father of Cindy and Tony Sabatino. Brother of Marvin Sabatino. Grandfather of three.
SARVAY, J. Thomas, 77, St. Anne, New Castle, Jan. 6. Husband of Beth Ann Sarvay. Father of Ann Cocklin, Margaret Toma and Scott Sarvay. Brother of George Sarvay. Grandfather of six.
SEEGEL, Mary Ann, 93, St. Mary of the Assumption, Mitchell, Jan. 5. Mother of Susan Mumford, Barbara Ramos, Melissa Taylor, Dana, Charles Jr. and Michael Seegel. Grandmother of 11. Great-grandmother of 11. Great-great-grandmother of two.
SINCLAIR, Imogene J., 90, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, Jan. 4. Wife of John S. Sinclair. Mother of Robert J. Schultz II. Stepmother of Deborah Morelock, Christine, Charles and Daniel Sinclair. Sister of Martha Byrd and Mary Kathryn Link. Grandmother of seven. Great-grandmother of nine. Great-great-grandmother of one.
SMITH, Robert L., 67, St. Mary of the Assumption, Mitchell, Dec. 16. Husband of Lana Smith. Father of D’Andra Fleenor and Daron Smith. Brother of Judy Benham and Jan Smith. Grandfather of five. Great-grandfather of two.
SNYDER, Rebecca J., 66, St. Luke the Evangelist, Indianapolis, Dec. 31. Wife of Bill Snyder. Mother of Andrew and David Snyder. Sister of Linda Jo Hardwick, John and Rick Drybread. Grandmother of four.
SOUVINER, Phyllis, 86, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Jan. 4. Mother of Julie Robertson, Jenny Souviner Hallett and Jay Souviner. Sister of Marilyn Feltman, Don and James Durbin. Grandmother of seven. Great-grandmother of six.
Providence Sister Francine McGriffin ministered in education and health care
Providence Sister Francine McGriffin died on Dec. 20, 2014, at Mother Theodore Hall at St. Mary-of-the-Woods. She was 90.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Dec. 27 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at the motherhouse. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
Regina Catherine McGriffin was born on Nov. 10, 1924, in Linton, Ind.
She entered the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods on Feb. 2, 1943, and professed final vows on Aug. 15, 1950.
Sister Francine earned a bachelor’s degree at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and a master’s degree at the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio.
During her 71 years as a member of the Sisters of Providence, Sister Francine ministered in education for 39 years in schools in California, Illinois and Indiana. In 1973, she became a licensed practical nurse and ministered for a period in health care before returning to education prior to her retirement in 1994. From 1997-2004, she assisted in several ways at the motherhouse. From 2004 until her death, she dedicated herself entirely to prayer.
In the archdiocese, Sister Francine served in Indianapolis at St. Thomas Aquinas School from 1950-54, at the former Ladywood School from 1966-70, at the former Ladywood-St.Agnes School from 1970-72, and in several health care organizations from 1973-81.
She is survived by a sister, Marjorie Bronsing of South Bend, Ind., and a brother, Philip McGriffin of Gilbert, Ariz.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of Providence, 1 Sisters of Providence Road, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, St. Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876.
Providence Sister Laura Ann McLaughlin ministered as an educator
Providence Sister Laura Ann McLaughlin died on Dec. 26, 2014, at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, N.J. She was 74.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Jan. 3 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at the motherhouse. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
Elizabeth Ann McLaughlin was born on Nov. 2, 1940, in Medford, Mass.
She entered the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods on Sept. 18, 1961, and professed final vows on Aug. 15, 1969.
Sister Laura Ann earned a bachelor’s degree at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and a master’s degree at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill.
During her 53 years as a member of the Sisters of Providence, Sister Laura Ann ministered in education for 17 years in schools in Illinois, Indiana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Washington, D.C., and Arequipa, Peru. Starting in 1988, she began ministry as a counselor in Elberon, N.J., and Ocean Grove, N.J., at Emmaus House.
In the archdiocese, Sister Laura Ann served at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis from 1985-88.
She is survived by a brother, David McLaughlin of Daytona Beach, Fla.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of Providence, 1 Sisters of Providence Road, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, St. Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876.
Ruthanne Robeson, 76, mother of Father Robert Robeson, died on Dec. 22
Ruthanne M. Robeson, the mother of Father Robert Robeson, rector of Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis, died on Dec. 22 at F.F. Thompson Hospital in Middlesex, N.Y. She was 76.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Dec. 27 at St. Mary Church in Canandaigua, N.Y. Burial followed at Overackers Cemetery in Middlesex.
Robeson was born in Hackensack, N.J., attended Assumption School in Wood-Ridge, N.J. and later graduated from St. Mary High School in Rutherford, N.J.
In 1960, she married her husband, Daniel Robeson, who survives her. She is also survived by her daughters, Judy Whitmore of St. Peters, Mo., and Susan McCrobie of Vine Valley, N.Y., and her sons, Daniel Robeson of Keuka Park, N.Y., Father Robeson, John Robeson of Johnstown, N.Y., and James Robeson of Brooklyn, N.Y., and 11 grandchildren
In addition to living as a faithful wife and helping to raise her children, Robeson was an active member of St. Mary Parish in Canandaigua, an artist with the Lake County Decorative Painters, and a patron of folk arts and crafts.
Memorial gifts may be sent Friendship House, 5614 Williams St., Middlesex, NY 14507. †