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)
DAVIS, Charles Thomas, 64, St. Rose of Lima, Franklin, July 6. Husband of Patsy Davis. Father of Michelle Mason, Amy O’Herron and Patrick Davis. Brother of Martha Abel. Grandfather of four.
DELEHANTY, Kevin J., 48, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Indianapolis, June 24. Father of Conor, Joe and Reid Delehanty. Brother of Mike, Patrick and Tim Delehanty.
DOUGHERTY, Betty Sue, 77, St. Mary, New Albany, July 10. Mother of Carol O’Bryan, Katherine Sears, David, Edward, John, Joseph, Kevin and William Dougherty. Grandmother of 18. Great-grandmother of two.
ENGLERTH, Charles A., 76, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, July 6. Husband of Marilyn (Schmidt) Englerth. Father of Ann Cousert and Eileen Kahl. Grandfather of four.
FERREE, Louise E., 84, Most Precious Blood, New Middletown, June 6. Mother of Gloria Chambers, Martha Saulman, Rosa Warren, Bertha Young, Theresa Selvaggi, Diane, Dr. Homer Jr., James, Karl and Lawrence Ferree. Sister of Madelyn Schuller. Grandmother of 23. Great-grandmother of 20.
FIDLER, John R., 80, Annunciation, Brazil, June 4. Father of Nancy Carter, Vicki Nichols, Laurie Pierce, Mary Waidlick, Shari, Bucky, Buddy, Chris, Jim, John, Mike and Steve Fidler. Brother of Mary Ortiz, Nancy and Pat Fidler. Grandfather of 46. Great-grandfather of 59.
GALLOTTA, Bernard F., 79, St. Mary, Lanesville, July 4. Husband of Rita Gallotta. Brother of Rose Bonito, Clara Mertens and Angelo Gallotta.
HILL, Mary Alice, 84, Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Indianapolis, July 12. Mother of Karen Hill, Sue Ann McQuade and Lou Ann Perko. Grandmother of two.
HOSE, Stella G., 93, Sacred Heart, Clinton, July 16. Sister of Lottie Chipegan, Louise Krall and John Hose.
HUGHES, Donald James, 85, St. Luke, Indianapolis, June 28. Husband of Elizabeth Hughes. Father of Jane Clark, Catherine Domont, Cindy, Jim and John Hughes.
HUMBLES, Eugene V., 83, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, July 5. Husband of Joan (Bowlen) Humbles. Father of Donna Fuss, Gail Lester, Eugene Jr. and Wayne Humbles. Brother of Betty, Lucille, Rosemarie, Shirley and Robert Humbles. Grandfather of six. Great-grandfather of six.
KAPPS, Edith Isabel (Gibson), 73, St. Malachy, Brownsburg, July 2. Mother of Kathy Shertzer, Jim and Michael Kapps. Sister of Mary Frances Mahoney. Grandmother of five.
KERN, Lois (Siebert), 76, St. Anne, New Castle, July 14. Wife of Lloyd Kern. Mother of Jane, Charles, Daniel and Steven Kern. Grandmother of 12.
LEAHY, John L., 88, St. Vincent de Paul, Bedford, July 12. Husband of Lillian Leahy. Father of Paula Harris and John Leahy. Brother of Ruth Hodowansky. Grandfather of seven.
LESTER, George R., 68, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, June 23. Husband of Frances Lester. Father of Kathy and Christopher Lester. Brother of Margie Crawford, Mary Malott, Kay Mooy, David, Dean and James Lester. Grandfather of three.
MASCHINO, Mary (Miller), 83, St. Mary, North Vernon, July 7. Mother of Mary Ann Leach, Karen Maschino and Patricia Stone. Grandmother of five. Great-grandmother of three.
NIELSEN, Virginia, 86, St. Bartholomew, Columbus, July 8. Mother of Krisann Renner, Eric and John Nielsen. Grandmother of eight.
PROVENZA, Martha Jean, 79, St. Mary, New Albany, July 13. Mother of Valen Dino Sr. and Vance Provenza Jr. Grandmother of five.
RAYMOND, Francis John, 89, St. Anthony of Padua, Clarksville, July 4. Husband of Marjorie Raymond. Father of Melinda, Stephen and William Raymond. Grandfather of two. Great-grandfather of one.
RESIG, Janice Anne, 57, St. Bartholomew, Columbus, July 11. Sister of Jean Cook and Richard Resig.
SCHEITLIN, George E., 77, St. Bartholomew, Columbus, July 9. Husband of Germaine Scheitlin. Father of Geralyn Chabucos, Gary, Geoffrey, Gerard, Gordon and Gregory Scheitlin. Brother of Mary Crabb and Thomas Scheitlin. Grandfather of 23. Great-grandfather of one.
SEEWER, Alvin Charles, 80, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Albany, July 5. Husband of Geraldine Seewer. Father of Cheryl Money, Donald and Douglas Seewer. Brother of Albert, Alfred, Arnold, Harry, Herman, Julius and Oscar Seewer.
SHEEHY, Austin E., Jr., 88, St. Bartholomew, Columbus, July 13. Father of Kathleen Allen, James and Joseph Sheehy. Brother of Marie Bruso. Grandfather of five.
STIMSON, Judith, 64, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, June 24. Wife of Jack Conolly. Mother of Sarah Moshe, Justin and Seth Stimson. Stepmother of Claire Grove, Peter and Thomas Conolly. Foster mother of Marchita Kearney. Daughter of Pearl Nemeth. Sister of Donna Lodge. Grandmother of one. Step-grandmother of six.
STRACK, Theodore John, 78, St. Jude, Indianapolis, July 6. Brother of Theresa, Frank, John and Ray Strack.
TABOR, Lucille (Stemle), 93, St. Mary, New Albany, July 11. Mother of Joyce Becker, Gale Stephens, Sharon Wortham and David Stemle. Grandmother of 11. Great-grandmother of 17. Great-great-grandmother of one.
TRAUB, James J., 80,
St. Pius X, Indianapolis, June 22. Father of Barbara Braun, Susan Kehl, M. Carol Richardson, James, Jeff and John Traub. Grandfather of 20.
WAGNER, John William, II, 58, St. Roch, Indianapolis, July 8. Husband of Denise (Hickerson) Wagner. Father of Melissa, Stephanie and Chip Wagner. Brother of Susan Rodgers and Ted Wagner.
WERNER, Edwin Paul, 87, St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, June 23. Husband of Margaret (Clark) Werner. Father of Virginia Edins, Elizabeth, Chester, Christopher and Philip Werner. Grandfather of two.
WHEAT, Charles E., 84, St. Anthony of Padua, Clarksville, July 9. Father of Craig, Douglas and Michael Wheat. Brother of Caroline and William Wheat. Grandfather of 10. Great-grandfather of seven.
WHITE, Leon, 87, St. Paul, Tell City, June 27. Father of Grace Brumfield, Julie Daffron, Angie Jarboe, Benita Lambeck, Janelle Maurer, Barbara Spear, Dick White, Gil, Marion, Mike and Tim Schneider. Brother of Cleva Grayson, JoAnn Head and Martha Lillpop. Grandfather of 28. Great-grandfather of 26.
WOEPPEL, Adam James, 27, Holy Family, New Albany, July 3. Son of James Woeppel. Grandson of Alberta Alcorn.
WIRE, Thomas Francis, 62, Our Lady of Lourdes, Indianapolis, July 17. Husband of Bernadette Dufour. Father of Corrine Komacko and Jeffray Wire. Son of Evaline (Nally) Wire. Brother of Helen Bullock and Jane Sheets.
WUNDERLICH, Blanche (Doerr), 92, St. Mary-of the Immaculate Conception, Aurora, July 8. Mother of Karen Potterbaum, Lu Ann, Virginia and George Wunderlich. Sister of Charles Doerr. Grandmother of four. Great-grandmother of four.
ZELLERS, Frank L., 75, St. Paul, Tell City, July 1. Husband of Patsy Zellers. Father of Denny, Keith, Mark and Michael Zellers. Brother of Dee Dee Spencer, Art, Harry and Lowell Zellers. Grandfather of nine. Great-grandfather of two.
Discalced Carmelite Sister Joseph
McKenzie was a former prioress
Carmelite Sister Joseph of Jesus and Mary McKenzie, a former prioress and founding member of the Monastery of St. Joseph in Terre Haute, died on July 12. She was 83.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated by Benedictine Archabbot Lambert Reilly on July 18 at the monastery chapel. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
The former Charlotte McKenzie was born on May 11, 1924, in Woods Hole, Mass.
After serving in the WAVES during World War II, Sister Joseph entered the Carmelite Monastery of the Resurrection in Indianapolis in 1947.
A few months later, she transferred to the newly founded Carmelite Monastery of St. Joseph in Terre Haute, where she made her profession of vows in 1949.
She served as prioress of the Terre Haute Carmel from
1977-80 and from 1992-98.
She also served as novice mistress and councilor for many years.
From 1994-97, she was the coordinator of the St. Teresa Association of Carmelite Monasteries in the United States.
Survivors include several nieces and nephews.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Discalced Carmelite Sisters, Monastery of St. Joseph, 59 Allendale, Terre Haute, IN 47802.
Franciscan Sister Mel Hoffmann
served in Papua New Guinea
Franciscan Sister Mel Hoffman, a member of the congregation of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, died on July 13 at the motherhouse in Oldenburg. She was 74.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on July 16 at the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception at the motherhouse. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
The former Elaine Marie Hoffmann was born on May 2, 1933, in Cincinnati. She entered the Oldenburg Franciscan community on Sept. 8, 1951, and professed her final vows on Aug. 12, 1957.
In the archdiocese, Sister Mel taught at St. Joseph School in Shelbyville and St. Monica School in Indianapolis before beginning 37 years of missionary service in Papua New Guinea.
Sister Mel was the first foreign woman to enter the bush in that area of the country. When she retired six years ago, thousands of people came to say goodbye to her and several other Oldenburg Franciscans.
From 1964 until 2001, Sister Mel ministered at Mother of the Divine Shepherd Parish and School in Mendi, New Guinea, and St. Mary Parish and School in Kagua, New Guinea.
During the last 30 years, from 1971 until 2001, Sister Mel dedicated much of her ministry time to establishing and developing St. Joseph Tari High School in Papua New Guinea.
Sister Mel is survived by one sister, Marilyn, and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of St. Francis, Box 100, Oldenburg, IN 47036. †