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)
ASCHBACHER, Anna K., 95, St. Anthony of Padua, Clarksville, Nov. 10. Mother of Carol Coulter, Janice Gilley, David, Robert and William Aschbacher. Sister of John and Richard Krementz. Grandmother of three.
BALLMAN, Victor, 94, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Richmond, Nov. 18. Father of Linda Benjamin, Catherine, Patricia and Mark Ballman. Grandfather of five. Great‑grandfather of several.
BRAUN, Frank J., III, 90, Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Jeffersonville, Nov. 3. Father of Cynthia Bannett, Donna Gibson, Deborah Pryor, Gloria, Daniel and Timothy Braun. Grandfather of seven. Great‑grandfather of four.
CARR, Thomas L., 90, St. Christopher, Indianapolis, Nov. 15. Father of Jo Ann Clark, Jack, Michael and Tom Carr. Grandfather of eight. Great-grandfather of 11.
DIDELOT, J. Donald, 58, St. Mary-of-the-Knobs, Floyd County, Nov. 18. Son of Mary Didelot. Brother of Patty King, Mary Ann Moberly, Bill, Dave, Frank and Joe Didelot. Uncle of several.
DIESELBERG, Beth, 37, All Saints, Dearborn County, Nov. 19. Mother of Journey Cobb. Daughter of Gary and Janice Dieselberg. Sister of Ann Bovard, Chad and Jared Dieselberg.
FISCHER, Joseph S., 87, Holy Family, Oldenburg, Nov. 18. Husband of Marjorie Fischer. Uncle of two.
HEIOB, Robert J., 61, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Nov. 3. Father of Lauren, Lindsey and Sara Heiob. Brother of Sally Armstrong and Peggy Whitsett.
HEWITT, Wanda, 80, St. Vincent de Paul, Shelby County, Nov. 14. Wife of Jack Hewitt. Mother of Amy Campbell, Jay and Perry Hewitt. Sister of Norma Browning and Jim Beyer. Grandmother of six. Great‑grandmother of two.
HILLARD, James, 86, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Richmond, Nov. 18. Husband of Karen Hillard. Father of Kathy Bongers, Lynda Skaggs and Todd Hillard. Grandfather of six. Great-grandfather of six.
JOYAL, Dean, 85, St. Christopher, Indianapolis, Nov. 11. Husband of Martha Joyal. Father of Marrianna Brunner and Elizabeth Hamilton. Brother of Sharon Marshall, Betty Nally, Kathy Spangenberg and Irene Thrasher. Grandfather of five. Great-grandfather of two.
KARNS, Michael W., 38, SS. Francis and Clare of Assisi, Greenwood, Nov. 24. Son of Jim and Pam Karns. Brother of Amanda Cartheuser and Jeffrey Karns. Uncle of several.
KOSOF, Betty J., 97, St. Matthew the Apostle, Indianapolis, Nov. 12. Mother of Paula Stezzi and Kathy Young. Grandmother of two. Great-grandmother of two.
KLUMP, Maxine, 90, All Saints, Dearborn County, Nov. 18. Mother of Terry Damon, Nancy Lillie and Michelle Paquette. Grandmother of six. Great‑grandmother of 10.
KRAMER, Ruth, 97, St. Mary-of-the-Knobs, Floyd County, Nov. 15. Mother of Bethe and Elaine Kramer.
LANNAN, Mary F., 76, St. Jude, Indianapolis, Nov. 14. Wife of Kenneth Lannan. Mother of Karen Breedlove, David and Kevin Lannan. Sister of Cecilia O’Bryan. Grandmother of five.
LEE, Mary A., 92, St. Mary, New Albany, Nov. 13. Mother of Sherry Fraze, Paul and Rick Davis and Patty Lee. Grandmother of seven. Great‑grandmother of 19. Great‑great-grandmother of four.
OESTERLING, Leona M., 100, St. Mary, Greensburg, Nov. 19. Mother of Janet Pribble, Dr. Joseph, Mark and Dr. Robert Oesterling. Grandmother of six.
OPEL, Mallory E., 27, St. Mark the Evangelist, Indianapolis, Nov. 24. Mother of Camilla Jackson. Daughter of Doug and Julie Opel. Sister of Morgan and Bryce Opel. Granddaughter of Janet Bartram and Ronald and Carol Opel.
OPEL, Meredith G., 20, St. Mark the Evangelist, Indianapolis, Nov. 24. Daughter of Doug and Julie Opel. Sister of Morgan and Bryce Opel. Granddaughter of Janet Bartram and Ronald and Carol Opel. Aunt of one.
PAIR, Phillip A., 70, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Albany, Nov. 11. Husband of Victoria Pair. Father of Elaine and Lynley Pair. Grandfather of two.
PEONI, Charles A., 59, St. Roch, Indianapolis, Nov. 10. Husband of Patricia Peoni. Son of Rosemary Peoni. Brother of Paul Peoni. Uncle of several.
PFLUM, Robert P., 76, St. Jude, Indianapolis, Nov. 13. Husband of Sandra Pflum. Father of Shelley Day and Eric Pflum. Brother of Bill, John and Mark Pflum. Grandfather of four.
RUEHRWEIN, William R., 97, St. Lawrence, Lawrenceburg, Nov. 12. Father of Sharon Kwiecinski, Rose VonHolle, Susan Wendel, Bill and Steve Ruehrwein. Brother of Mary Chiseck. Grandfather of 10. Great-grandfather of seven.
SHIRK, Patricia, 87, St. Vincent de Paul, Shelby County, Nov. 7. Wife of Charles Shirk. Mother of Melissa Freeman. Grandmother of eight. Great-grandmother of three.
SOPER, Marion, 85, St. Augustine, Jeffersonville, Oct. 28. Father of Carol Paolantino, Claudia and Charles Soper. Brother of Corrine Doan. Grandfather of four. Great‑grandfather of two.
SULLIVAN, Phyllis J., 85, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Nov. 9. Wife of John Sullivan. Sister of Bill Greve. Aunt of several.
SWANK, Diane E., 68, St. Augustine, Jeffersonville, Oct. 23. Wife of John Perkins. Sister of Teresa Brady, Suetta Fischer, Barbara Gallegos, Mark and Paul Swank. Aunt of several.
WILLIAMS, Glenn M, 93, St. Michael the Archangel, Indianapolis, Nov. 20. Father of Catherine Wahnsieder and Kerry Williams. Grandfather of four.
WILSON, Angeline M., 87, St. Christopher, Indianapolis, Nov. 9. Mother of Jane Hendrickson. Grandmother of two.
Providence Sister Anita Bechert served in Catholic schools, administration
Providence Sister Anita Bechert died on Nov. 12 at Mother Theodore Hall at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. She was 90.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Nov. 17 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at the motherhouse in St. Mary-of-the-Woods. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
Elizabeth Jane Bechert was born on April 23, 1927, in Indianapolis and grew up as a member of St. John the Evangelist Parish. She entered the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods on Feb. 2, 1946, and professed final vows on Aug. 15, 1953.
Sister Anita earned a bachelor’s degree at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and a master’s degree at Indiana State University in Terre Haute.
During her 71 years as a member of the Sisters of Providence, Sister Anita ministered in education for 37 years in schools in California, Illinois, Indiana and Maryland. Beginning in 1986, she retired from teaching and served in administrative work for her order, overseeing its office of records from 1991-2007. She dedicated herself entirely to prayer beginning in 2014.
In addition to serving at her order’s motherhouse, Sister Anita served in the archdiocese at the former St. Mary-of-the-Woods School in St. Mary-of-the-Woods from 1947-48, at the former St. Andrew the Apostle School in Indianapolis from 1961-65, at the former Holy Trinity School in New Albany from 1965‑69, and at St. Luke the Evangelist School in Indianapolis from 1973‑75 and 1979-85.
She is survived by a sister, Anna Marie Ewing of Canyon Lake, Calif.
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.
Franciscan Sister Patricia Connor served in education, as librarian at Marian University
Franciscan Sister Patricia Connor died on Nov. 5 at the motherhouse of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in Oldenburg. She was 88.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Nov. 13 at the Motherhouse Chapel in Oldenburg. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
Sister Patricia was born on Sept. 6, 1929, in Hays, Kan. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis on Sept. 11, 1949, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1955.
Sister Patricia was a graduate of Marian University in Indianapolis, and Rosary College in River Forest, Ill.
During 67 years as a Sister of St. Francis, Sister Patricia ministered as an educator for 22 years in Catholic schools in Indiana and Ohio, serving in the archdiocese at the former St. Paul School in New Alsace from 1965-74.
Beginning in 1974, Sister Patricia began ministry as an assistant librarian at Marian University until her retirement in 2009.
She is survived by sisters Lorrie Blackwill of Quinter, Kan., Gladys Connor of Salina, Kan., Kay Religa of Brooksville, Kan., and Karen Vail of Salina, Kan., and brothers James Connor of Catoosa, Okla., and Larry Connor of WaKenney, Kan.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of St. Francis, P.O. Box 100, Oldenburg, IN 47036-0100. †