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)
BECHT, Earl J., 74, St. Mary-of-the-Knobs, Floyd Knobs, May 30. Husband of Louise Becht. Father of Barbara Allen, Sharon Harvey, Melissa Matthews, Cindy Prusinski, Eric, John, Keith, Kevin and Steven Becht. Brother of Rose Banet, Marie Coffman, Shirley Fredrick, Cecelia Henriott, Francis, James, Jude and Leonard Becht. Grandfather of 18. Great-grandfather of three.
BOWEN, James D., 55, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, May 25. Brother of Anne Marie Hart, David and John Bowen.
BUENNAGEL, Margaret (Cunningham), 94, St. Andrew the Apostle, Indianapolis, May 27. Mother of Clare Mueller, George, James, Joseph and L. Albert Buennagel. Sister of Helen Commons. Grandmother of seven. Great-grandmother of two.
BURGMEIER, Daniel, 68, St. Mary, Greensburg, May 29. Brother of Arlene Cook, Darlene Huff and Janet Kinker.
DANIEL, Robert R., 75, St. Gabriel, Connersville, June 4. Husband of Rita (Frank) Daniel. Father of Brenda Hamilton, Becky Hanson, Barbara, Beth, James, Jeffrey and John Daniel. Brother of Donna Eberhart and JoAnn Guest. Grandfather of nine. Great-grandfather of seven.
GIBBS, Heather R. (Fisse), 23, St. Mary, Greensburg, June 1. Daughter of Tony and Marian (Herbert) Fisse. Sister of Chad Fisse. Granddaughter of Margie Fisse, Lotus and Donna Herbert.
GOULD, Stephanie Marie, 16, St. Paul, New Alsace, May 9. Daughter of Richard Gould and Debbie Hoffmeier. Stepdaughter of Scott Hoffmeier and Cindy Gould. Sister of Maurissa Amhrein and Michael Hoffmeier. Granddaughter of Ed and Joan Gindling, Richard Gould Sr., Curtis and Alice Hicks, Lester and Laverene Hoffmeier, and Bill and Shirley Oswald. Great-granddaughter of Lavanna Fritsch.
GREENWELL, Barbara, 61, St. Mary, Lanesville, May 18. Wife of J. Wayne Greenwell. Mother of Kim Cole, Kathy Palmiter and Keith Greenwell. Daughter of Robert and Dorothy (Culver) Paris. Sister of Betty Jackson, Karen Maupin, James and Robert Paris. Grandmother of eight.
HIGGENBOTTOM, Raymond E., 81, St. Andrew the Apostle, Indianapolis, May 18. Father of Suzanne Horton, Diane, Phillip and Raymond Higgenbottom II. Grandfather of five. Great-grandfather of two.
LICHTENBERG, Mary Ann, 73, Christ the King, Indianapolis, June 1. Sister of John Lichtenberg. Aunt of several.
LOREY, Emily Elwanda, 74, Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Jeffersonville, May 13. Mother of Karen Muntz, Diana Willoughby, David, Garry, Jeffery and Joe Lorey. Stepsister of several. Grandmother of 11. Great-grandmother of 12.
LYNCH, James L., 82, St. Joseph, Shelbyville, May 31. Husband of Bonnie (Wheat) Lynch. Father of Mark and Steven Oliger. Brother of Rose McVey, John and Thomas Lynch. Grandfather of six. Great-grandfather of four.
McKAY, Alyce, 86, Holy Name of Jesus, Beech Grove, May 9. Mother of Stacie Goggans, Hope McMullen, Sandra Stewart, Linda, Rick, Robert and Stephen McKay. Sister of Phyllis Maher. Grandmother of four.
MELLEN, William J., 82, St. Jude, Indianapolis, May 28. Husband of Helen C. Mellen. Father of Marilyn Kennedy. Grandfather of two. Great-grandfather of one.
MORAN, Dominick J., Jr., 72, St. Andrew the Apostle, Indianapolis, May 23. Father of Shawn Henn, Brendan, Dominick, Matthew, Michael and Patrick Moran. Brother of Rosalie Combs, Julia Eppen and Richard Moran. Grandfather of 11.
PAVEY, Eugene Lucellus, Jr., 84, St. Roch, Indianapolis, May 29. Husband of Dorothy (Yoder) Pavey. Father of Mary Sue Jones, Rita Lang, Kathy Lawless, Dan and Tim Pavey. Grandfather of 11. Great-grandfather of 12.
PEIRCE, Geraldine, 95, St. Andrew, Richmond, May 26. Mother of Elaine Nedrow. Sister of Marilyn Cooper and Ted Roell. Grandmother of two. Great-grandmother of three.
PETRILLI, Melanie A., 63, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, May 26. Mother of Brittney and Matthew Petrilli. Sister of Becky Williams, Elizabeth, David and William Brumfield.
POPP, Violet, 90, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, April 6. Mother of Carolyn Rich, Janet Steilberger, Mary Taylor and John Popp. Grandmother of 10. Great-grandmother of six.
RISSELMAN, Arnold G., 64, St. Gabriel, Connersville, May 31. Father of Melinda Shelton, Aaron, Alex, Robert and Scott Risselman. Brother of Mary J. Paris, David and Duane Risselman. Grandfather of several.
SANDERS, Elizabeth M., 88, St. Joseph, Shelbyville, May 24. Mother of Nancy Seeman. Grandmother of two.
SHUCK, Mary Ruth, 80, St. Michael, Indianapolis, May 28. Mother of Cathy Calhoun, Bill and John Shuck. Sister of Geneva Bryant and Thelma Griffen. Grandmother of six.
SIEFERT, Paula B., 74, St. Joseph, Shelbyville, May 29. Niece of several.
STAHL, Paul Robert, 74, Holy Name of Jesus, Beech Grove, May 31. Husband of Mary Catherine (Harrieder) Stahl. Father of Barbara Gallamore, Michael and William Stahl. Grandfather of six. Great-grandfather of three.
TEIPEN, Terri (Miller), 52, St. Roch, Indianapolis, May 30. Wife of Thomas Pavey. Mother of Jennifer Durrett, Kelly Marshall and Justin Pavey. Daughter of Bruce and Peggy Miller. Sister of Kathy Besse, Christy and Mark Miller. Grandmother of three.
TEMPLE, Deloris M., 90, St. Gabriel, Connersville, June 1. Mother of Patricia Tressler, Richard and Thomas Kuhlman. Sister of Mary Ann Willhelm, Barbara Wilson, Albert Jr, James and Leon Firsich. Grandmother of seven.
WILLIAMS, Leroy, 82, St. Paul, Tell City, May 26. Husband of Mildred Williams. Father of Stephen Allen and Daniel Leroy. Brother of Vivian Holly. Grandfather of five.
YOUNG, Rita, 79, St. Maurice, Napoleon, May 14. Wife of Alfred Young. Mother of Janice Fry, Nancy Obermeyer, Dale and Larry Young. Sister of Helen Tebbe, Cyril, Kenny, Marvin, Urban and Vincent Duerstock. Grandmother of eight. Great-grandmother of seven.
Providence Sister Mary Ellen Kilday
taught grade school, high school
Providence Sister Mary Ellen Kilday died on May 17 at Mother Theodore Hall at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. She was 95.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on May 23 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery at the motherhouse.
The former Margaret Eileen Kilday was born on Feb. 14, 1913, in Sterling, Ill. She entered the congregation of the Sisters of Providence on Feb. 14, 1932, professed first vows on Aug. 15, 1934, and professed final vows on Aug. 15, 1940.
Sister Mary Ellen earned a bachelor’s degree at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and master’s degrees at the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Ind., and Indiana State University in Terre Haute.
During 76 years as a Sister of Providence, she ministered in education for 39 years at Catholic schools in Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, Florida and Washington, D.C.
In the archdiocese, Sister Mary Ellen taught at the former St. Catherine School in Indianapolis from 1934-36, the former St. Patrick High School in Terre Haute from 1949-51, the former St. Agnes Academy in Indianapolis from 1953-57 and the former Schulte High School in Terre Haute from 1961-68.
Beginning in 1964, Sister Mary Ellen served as an educational consultant with Diener and Associates in Raleigh, N.C. For four years, she also was president of the Foundation for Educational Development in Raleigh.
After retiring in 1991, she continued to do consulting work and also gave parish service in the Diocese of Raleigh from 1990-91 and at Sacred Heart Parish in Anniston, Ala., from 1994-96.
In 1997, Sister Mary Ellen returned to the motherhouse, where she served on the transportation staff.
In 1999, she began her ministry of prayer full-time with the senior sisters.
Surviving are several nieces and nephews.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of Providence, 1 Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, St. Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876.
Franciscan Sister Jane Anne Speier
was a teacher, principal, librarian
Franciscan Sister Jane Anne Speier, formerly Sister Marie Adelaide, died on May 28 at St. Clare Hall, the health care facility for the congregation of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis at Oldenburg. She was 87.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on May 31 at the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception at the motherhouse. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
Sister Jane Anne was born on Sept. 11, 1920, in Cincinnati. She entered the Oldenburg Franciscan community on Sept. 8, 1938, and professed her first vows on Aug. 12, 1944.
She ministered as a teacher, librarian and principal at Catholic schools in the archdiocese as well as in Ohio, Missouri, Montana and Kentucky.
Sister Jane Anne served at the former St. Rita School in Indianapolis, the former St. Mary Academy in Indianapolis, Marian College in Indianapolis and Father Thomas Scecina Memorial High School in Indianapolis, where she was the school librarian for 24 years.
She also ministered as the school librarian at Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception in Oldenburg from 1991-95.
Sister Jane Anne retired to the motherhouse in 1995.
Surviving are a sister, Sue Streritz of Cincinnati; a brother, Franciscan Father Tom Speier of Cincinnati; and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of St. Francis, P.O. Box 100, Oldenburg, IN 47036. †