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)

BAUER, Agnes C., 92, St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Aurora, Dec. 3. Wife of Leonard Bauer. Mother of Martha Bishop, Michelle Short, Dan, Lenny, Mark and Michael Bauer. Grandmother of 10. Great-grandmother of 15.

BISCHOFF, Phyllis A., 92, St. Michael, Brookville, Dec. 1. Mother of Nancy Busse, Sharon Cumberworth, Linda Girty, Cathy Graf, Pam McMillin, Cindy Westerfeld, Lisa Wilson, Ken, Leroy, Paul and Steve Bischoff. Sister of Doris Bischoff, Shirley Lynch and Richard Geiling. Grandmother of 31. Great-grandmother of 72. Great-great-grandmother of six.

BORGMAM, John, 91, St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Aurora, Nov. 29. Husband of Marianne Borgman. Father of Chrissy Meek. Grandfather of three.

BOWER, Sarah E., 65, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Nov. 15. Wife of Fred Bower. Stepmother of Melissa Anderson. Sister of Patricia Gill, John and Michael Molloy.

CARTER, Marita C., 89, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Oct. 13. Mother of Nancy Ruschhaupt and Dwayne Carter. Sister of James Tunny. Grandmother of one.

CHERRY, Shirley A., 85, Holy Name of Jesus, Beech Grove, Aug. 11. Wife of Travice Cherry. Mother of Brenda McGovern, Daniel, David and Michael Cherry. Grandmother of nine. Great-grandmother of 15.

CORDER, Lucy E., 94, Holy Name of Jesus, Beech Grove, Oct. 2. Mother of Ruth Perkins, Therese Pitzer, Mary, David, Matthew and William Corder. Grandmother of 11. Great-grandmother of five.

DAVIS, Sandra S. (Brown), 80, St. Jude, Indianapolis, Nov. 19. Wife of Richard Davis. Mother of Susan Burgett, Jennifer Dins and Heather Ratcliff. Grandmother of 11. Great-grandmother of nine.

DAVIS, Stephanie D., 56, Our Lady of the Greenwood, Greenwood, Nov. 22. Mother of Heather Ford, Allison Frye and Jonathan Richman. Sister of Melissa Whitesel and Doug Richman. Grandmother of eight.

DAWSON, Joseph P., 81, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Nov. 4. Husband of Myrna Dawson. Father of Paul Dawson and Dan Tippit. Grandfather of five. Step-great-grandfather of six.

DAWSON, Myrna R., 84, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Nov. 8. Mother of Paul Dawson and Dan Tippit. Sister of Meg Freet and Barbara Mottin. Grandmother of five. Great-grandmother of six.

DEER, Bruce M., 67, Christ the King, Indianapolis, Nov. 29. Husband of Kathy Deer. Father of Natalie Sutton and Wesley Deer. Son of Martha Deer. Brother of Julie Stodghill, Brad, Brian, Danny and Rick Deer. Grandfather of two.

ENGLERT, Helen M., 96, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Albany, Nov. 20. Mother of Pamela Belden. Grandmother of four. Great-grandmother of five.

FARROW, Rodney E., 75, St. Ambrose, Seymour, Nov. 30. Husband of Charlene Farrow. Father of Jonathan Farrow. Stepbrother of Debra Reinhart.

GEHLBACH, Carolyn, 81, St. Mary, New Albany, Nov. 8. Wife of Larry Gehlbach. Mother of Andrea Mason, Connie Walter, Jonathan and Timothy Gehlbach. Sister of Vernetta Gettelfinger, Joann Pendleton, Alice Volpert and Bruce Andres. Grandmother of seven. Great-grandmother of three.

HILBER, Joan (Wilson), 59, Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, Indianapolis, Nov. 22. Wife of Joseph Hilber. Sister of Susan Cook, Craig and Jeff Wilson.

HOEING, Jerome, 91, St. Mary, Greensburg, Dec. 2. Husband of Kathleen Hoeing. Father of Becky and Joan Metz, Sandy Meyer, Kim Stone, Bob and Matt Hoeing. Brother of Delores Bruns, Marieda Koors and Sheldon Hoeing. Grandfather of 21. Great-grandfather of 36.

KNUEVEN, Joseph C., 98, St. Mary, Greensburg, Nov. 27. Father of Shirley Beetz and Daniel Knueven. Grandfather of five. Great-grandfather of eight.

LEE, Patricia A., 87, St. Ann, Indianapolis, Dec. 5. Mother of Theresa Mattis, Daniel, Leonard, Michael and Timothy Lee. Sister of Geraldine Santo, Marie Sopjack, John and William Johnson. Grandmother and great-grandmother of several.

LIBS, Irvin M., 92, St. Mary-of-the-Knobs, Floyd County, Nov. 25. Husband of Jane Libs. Father of Belinda Dones and Teresa Huber. Brother of Evelyn Baumann. Grandfather of four. Great-grandfather of nine.

MAYS, Gertrude, 93, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Richmond, Nov. 25. Mother of Suanna Ponder, James, Joseph and Stephen Mays. Grandmother of 10. Great-grandmother of 14.

MULLIS, Ruth Marie (Denning), 75, St. Boniface, Fulda, Nov. 2. Mother of Deborah Bays and Thomas Mullis. Sister of Delphina Beier. Grandmother of five. Great-grandmother of one.

O’BRIEN, James, 84, St. Michael the Archangel, Indianapolis, Nov. 22. Father of Terri Drake, Julie Porter, Dan and Greg O’Brien. Brother of Jack O’Brien. Grandfather of 17. Great-grandfather of 11.

RAY, Bruce B., 75, St. Rita, Indianapolis, Dec. 1. Husband of Elizabeth Ray. Father of Keith and Kenneth Ray. Brother of Dr. Maxine Stovall. Grandfather of six.

RICKARD, Eva M., 97, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Nov. 10. Mother of Theresa Byrd and Mary Ann Gawlick. Grandmother of four. Great-grandmother of four.

RYGELSKI, Donald E., 83, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Richmond, Nov. 29. Husband of Martha Rygelski. Father of Beth Burkhart, Jon and Joseph Rygelski. Brother of Mary Lou Ryan and William Rygelski. Grandfather of five.

STEWART, Jr., Charles A., 85, St. Joseph, Corydon, Nov. 30. Husband of Brenda Stewart. Father of Phylis Hart, Charles, Jeffrey, Jonathan and Timothy Stewart. Brother of Rosine Belden and Ron Deatrick. Grandfather of 11. Great-grandfather of nine. Great-great-grandfather of two.

SZMANOWSKI, Dr. James E., 76, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Richmond, Nov. 24. Father of Jill Crull, Jason and Keith Szymanowski. Brother of Deb Southworth. Grandfather of six. Great-grandfather of one.

WAGNER, Gayle (Ringeisen), 83, Holy Name of Jesus, Beech Grove, Aug. 20. Wife of Gene Wagner. Mother of Chris Mahern, Beth McMinn and Todd Wagner. Sister of Steven Ringeisen. Grandmother of seven.

WISE, Peggy, 71, St. Mary, New Albany, Nov. 19. Wife of John Wise. Mother of Wendy Knight. Sister of Patricia McAdams and Shirley Patterson. Grandmother of two.

Franciscan Sister Doris Holohan was a missionary in Papua New Guinea for 44 years

Franciscan Sister Doris Holohan, a member of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in Oldenburg, died on Nov. 30 at Margaret Mary Health Hospital in Batesville. She was 88.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Dec. 7 at the Motherhouse Chapel in Oldenburg. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.

Sister Doris was born on April 28, 1935, in Streator, Ill. She joined the Sisters of St. Francis on Feb. 2, 1953, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1958. Sister Doris earned a bachelor’s degree in education at Marian University in Indianapolis.

During 70 years as a member of the Sisters of St. Francis, Sister Doris served for 44 years in education and religious formation as a missionary in Papua New Guinea. She also ministered in Catholic schools in Indiana and Ohio.

In the archdiocese, Sister Doris ministered at the former St. Mary School in New Albany from 954-56, the former St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception School in Aurora from 1956-59 and St. Louis School in Batesville from 1959-60.

She is survived by her sister, Franciscan Sister Kathryn Holohan and her brother, Jerry Holohan.

Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of St. Francis, P.O. Box 100, Oldenburg, IN 47036-0100.

Franciscan Sister Rachel West was an educator, peace and justice advocate

Franciscan Sister Rachel West died on Nov. 19 at the motherhouse of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in Oldenburg. She was 90.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Nov. 22 at the Motherhouse Chapel in Oldenburg. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.

Sister Rachel was born on Jan. 13, 1933, in Waukesha, Wis. She joined the Sisters of St. Francis on Sept. 8, 1954, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1960. Sister Rachel earned a bachelor’s degree at Marian University in Indianapolis, and a master’s degree and doctorate in history at Indiana University in Bloomington.

During 69 years as a member of the Sisters of St. Francis,

Sister Rachel ministered in Catholic schools for 36 years in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. She also spent several years serving in peace and justice advocacy in Washington and Michigan.

In the archdiocese, Sister Rachel ministered in Indianapolis at the former St. Mary Academy from 1956-58, St. Mark the Evangelist School from 1960-61 and Marian University from 1970-83 and 2002-10. She also served in peace and justice advocacy in Indianapolis from 1992-2000.

After retiring to the motherhouse in 2010, Sister Rachel served as the community’s archivist until 2017.

She is survived by her brother, Douglas West.

Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of St. Francis, P.O. Box 100, Oldenburg, IN 47036-0100. †