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)
ARMBRUSTER, Robert T., Sr., 78, St. Charles Borromeo, Milan, Feb. 7. Husband of Jacqueline (Simmermeyer) Armbruster. Father of Lois Baglione, Beverly Bridget, Ellen Bruce, Janie Deck, Margie Goley, Cathy McGuire, Ginny Nigh, Rita, Charles, James, Joseph, Robert and Thomas Armbruster. Brother of Mary Ann Lowe and Jerome Armbruster. Grandfather of 35. Great-grandfather of 10.
BRENTLINGER, Dorothy Marie, 93, St. Margaret Mary, Terre Haute, Nov. 8. Mother of Teresa Hayworth, Trudy Longest, Terry, Theodore and Tony Brentlinger. Sister of Helen Michl and Mary Jo Moore. Grandmother of 13. Great-grandmother of nine.
BROWN, Terri E., 51, Holy Angels, Indianapolis, March 12. Mother of Tamika and George Kent. Daughter of Jesse and Mary McDonald Sr. Sister of Talja Griffin, Janine Lane, Karen Pope, Adriane, Jesse and Randall McDonald. Grandmother of one.
CECIL, Mary A., 86, St. Roch, Indianapolis, March 21. Wife of Robert Cecil. Mother of Karen Bryant, Christie Koetting, Ann Mennel, Mark and Matthew Cecil. Sister of Kenneth Shields. Grandmother of 15. Great-grandmother of 13.
DAVIS, Agnes (Robinson), 74, St. Mary, Navilleton, March 17. Mother of Nancy Amy, Phyllis Clark, Brenda Kadel, Jane Witten, Kathy, Charles Jr., Glenn, Jerry and Tom Davis. Sister of Shirley Clements, Eula Wright and Joseph Robinson. Grandmother of 15. Great-grandmother of one.
DAVIS, John W., 82, Most Holy Name of Jesus, Beech Grove, March 2. Father of Diana Goodin, Rebecca Kincaid and Mark Davis. Brother of Tootsie Bell, Ron and Rueben Davis. Grandfather of four.
EARLE, Thelma Jane, 80, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, March 11. Mother of Monica Earle, Josephine Kioski and Janice Routh. Grandmother of two.
ENLOW, Lula Hubert, 93, St. Mary, New Albany, March 17. Mother of Dolores Howerton and James Hubert. Grandmother of 11.
HARRIS, John Michael, 62, St. Joseph, Sellersburg, March 19. Husband of Sharon Harris. Father of Alyse, Ann Marie, Merici, Andrew and Samuel Harris. Brother of Phyllis Cleary and Gracia Winsett. Grandfather of two.
KAELIN, Alfred A., Jr., 79, St. Mary, New Albany, March 8. Father of Karen and Michael Kaelin. Brother of Kenneth and Raymond Kaelin. Grandfather of five. Great-grandfather of four.
KENNEDY, Frances L., 83, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Indianapolis, March 12. Mother of Ann Bolin, Kathy Fairchild, Peggy Shorter and Patrick Kennedy. Grandmother of 11.
MEISENHELDER, Doris C., 81, St. Gabriel, Connersville, March 20. Wife of George Meisenhelder. Mother of Jan Anderson, Cara Salyer, David, Eric, Joseph, Mark and Thomas Meisenhelder. Grandmother of 16. Great-grandmother of two.
MIRES, Audrey, 75, St. Joseph, Indianapolis, March 19. Wife of Earl Mires. Mother of Maurice Smith, Robert and William Helfrich, Gary and Michael Mires. Sister of Joyce Geiss. Grandmother of seven. Great-grandmother of nine.
MUNCY, Peggy Joyce, 79, St. Margaret Mary, Terre Haute, March 14. Wife of Harold Muncy. Mother of Mikelette Uahinui, Dennis, John, Joseph and Steve Muncy. Grandmother of 10. Great-grandmother of two.
PADGETT, Mary Barbara, 66, Our Lady of the Greenwood, Greenwood, March 23. Sister of Judy Whalen, Bernard and Robert Padgett. Aunt of several.
SELEMS, Michael Joseph, 41, St. Margaret Mary, Terre Haute, Jan. 4. Husband of Lori Gregg-Selems. Father of Kelsie Selems. Son of George and Mary Elaine (Beatty) Selems. Brother of Meg Crittendon, George, Joseph Jr. and Rob Selems.
SMITH, Thomas, Sr., 77, St. Margaret Mary, Terre Haute, March 20. Husband of Dorothy (Garvin) Shanks Smith. Father of Theresa Gaumer, Julie Giles, Laura Stadler, John, Joseph, Thomas Smith Jr. and William Smith. Stepfather of Teresa McGuiness, Anthony, Michael, Theodore and Timothy Shanks. Brother of Ruth Corbin, Mary Lacy, Dorothy Miller, Helen Ranson and Shannon Smith. Grandfather of 21. Step-grandfather of 10. Great-grandfather of seven. Step-great-grandfather of three.
TURCHAN, Donald, 79, St. Anne, New Castle, March 16. Father of Carol Skomsvold, Diane and Damian Turchan. Brother of Norman Turchan. Grandfather of four.
WAIDLICH, Patricia, 72, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, March 8. Mother of Jackie Jacks, Patty Mehaffey, Kim, Dan, Mike and Steve Waidlich. Grandmother of 13. Great-grandmother of one.
WAYMIRE, James E., 77, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Indianapolis, Dec. 9. Father of Amy, Deborah, James, Thomas and William Waymire. Grandfather of two.
WEAVER, John W., 79, St. Agnes, Nashville, March 12. Husband of Evon Weaver. Father of Brigette Andrews and Richard Weaver. Grandfather of three.
WEEMS, Ellen Marie (Shea), 72, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Feb. 28. Wife of Larry Weems. Mother of Pattie Boudrot and Larry Weems. Sister of Rita Crafton, Mary Povinelli, Margaret Spanik and Jack Shea. Grandmother of four.
WEWE, Joyce A., 53, St. Michael, Brookville, March 11. Wife of Paul Wewe. Mother of Kyle and Nick Wewe. Sister of Carol Westerfeld, Chester and Dennis Slagle. Grandmother of two.
WUKICH, Ethel E., 81, St. Margaret Mary, Terre Haute, Feb. 8. Mother of Kathleen Meany. Sister of Gloria Grant, Anna Surman, Edward, John and William Novak. Grandmother of four. Great-grandmother of six.
Providence Sister Dorothy Laughlin was a teacher
Providence Sister Dorothy Evelyn Laughlin died on March 17 at Mother Theodore Hall at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. She was 87.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on March 31 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery at the motherhouse.
The former Catherine Callan Laughlin was born on March 6, 1922, in New York.
She entered the congregation of the Sisters of Providence on July 19, 1942, and professed first vows on Jan. 23, 1945, and final vows on Jan. 23, 1950.
Sister Dorothy Evelyn earned a bachelor’s degree at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and a master’s degree at Indiana State University.
During 66 years as a Sister of Providence, she taught for 50 years at Catholic high schools in Indiana, Illinois, California and Washington, D.C.
In the archdiocese, Sister Dorothy Evelyn taught at the former St. John Academy in Indianapolis from 1950-53, the former St. Agnes Academy in Indianapolis from 1966-69, the former Ladywood-St. Agnes Academy in Indianapolis from 1969-76 and Roncalli High School in Indianapolis from 1980-95.
In 1995, Sister Dorothy Evelyn retired from formal ministry and remained in Indianapolis, where she volunteered at Roncalli High School and served as coordinator of the alumnae organization for the former St. Agnes Academy.
In 2001, Sister Dorothy Evelyn returned to the motherhouse and contributed to community life in many ways.
In 2003, she began her ministry of prayer full-time with the senior sisters.
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.
Providence Sister Helene Marie Kelly taught music
Providence Sister Helene Marie Kelly died on March 25 at Union Hospital in Terre Haute. She was 89.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on March 28 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery at the motherhouse.
The former Catherine Frances Kelly was born on
Dec. 13, 1919, in Chelsea, Mass.
She entered the congregation of the Sisters of Providence on July 22, 1937, and professed first vows on Jan. 23, 1940, and final vows on Jan. 23, 1946.
Sister Helene Marie earned a bachelor’s degree at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and a master’s degree at the University of Vermont.
During 71 years as a Sister of Providence, she ministered as a music teacher for 58 years at Catholic schools in Maryland, Texas, New Hampshire, Illinois, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C.
In 1998, Sister Helene Marie returned to the motherhouse, where she contributed to community life in many ways.
In 2007, 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. †