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)
APPLEGATE, Robert, 87, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, May 27. Husband of Mary Jo Applegate. Stepfather of Kathy Gress, Karen Forsythe, Norma Jean Link, Julie Swarts, Fred and Jeff Miessen. Brother of Craig and Richard Applegate. Grandfather of 14. Great-grandfather of 14.
BRANT, Irene, 85, St. Paul the Apostle, Greencastle, May 31. Mother of Jane, Joan, Judith, Jeff and Jerome Brant. Sister of Mike Tzouanakis. Grandmother of nine. Great-grandmother of five.
BRYDON, Rose Ann, 90, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, May 27. Mother of Elizabeth Cross, Mary Elwood, Theresa Wilson, Charles and James Brydon. Grandmother of 13. Great-grandmother of eight.
BUCK, Mary M. (Butwin), 94, Holy Rosary, Seelyville, May 9. Mother of Dorothy, Mary Ellen, Susan and Ken Buck. Sister of Dorothy Jones, Helen Meunier, Anne Tribble and George Butwin. Grandmother of two. Great-grandmother of three.
COLLINS, Mary C., 89, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, May 29. Mother of Connie Tatalovich, Mary Beth, Patty, Bob and John Collins. Grandmother of 10. Great-grandmother of four.
CONNER, Theresa A., 70, Most Holy Name of Jesus, Beech Grove, June 2. Mother of Jeanette Daniels, Christine Ordaz, Paul and Shawn Conner. Sister of Dawna Conner-Burrin, Angela Padgett, Deborah, Gerald, Joseph and Robert Conner. Grandmother of five. Great-grandmother of four.
FAHEY, Elaine, 86, Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Jeffersonville, May 26. Mother of Joan Thieman and Bernard Fahey Jr. Sister of Laverne Watts and John Littrell. Grandmother of five.
FOLEY, Kathleen A., 87, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, May 29. Mother of Irene Emmick, Maureen, Patricia, Dennis and Kevin Foley. Sister of Alice Scott, John and Thomas Ryan. Grandmother of 10. Great-grandmother of nine.
FOPPE, William H., 80, St. Matthew the Apostle, Indianapolis, May 12. Father of Susan Matthews and David Foppe. Brother of Celeste Riehle, Charlotte Schultz, Rosemary Sturm, Patricia Von Korff and Robert Foppe. Grandfather of two. Great-grandfather of four.
GERLACH, Allen, 54, St. Paul, Tell City, May 16. Son of Amy Gerlach. Brother of Vicki Deom, Mark, Mike and Paul Gerlach. Uncle of several.
KIRBY, Helen Louise, 90, Good Shepherd, Indianapolis, May 29. Mother of Don Tapp, Clarence, Johnny and Michael Kirby. Sister of Mary Cotton, Beatrice Jones, Eugene and Mayburn Mayes. Grandmother of seven. Great-grandmother of 14. Great-great-grandmother of four.
LAWLESS, Charles F., Jr., 69, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, May 6. Brother of Robert Lawless Sr.
LAWLESS, Robert M., Jr., 42, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, May 6. Son of Robert Lawless Sr. and Julie Lawless. Stepson of Bobbie Lawless. Brother of Katteryn and William Lawless.
LEE, Elizabeth L., 76, Good Shepherd, Indianapolis, May 12. Mother of Ronald Weavel, Frank, Mark and Paul Lee. Sister of Annette Hamilton. Grandmother of eight. Great-grandmother of one.
MASCARI, Marion J., 82, St. Roch, Indianapolis, May 26. Wife of Frank Mascari. Mother of Andy Hart, Liz Schoettle, Rita, Threse, Chris, Joe, Mike and Nick Mascari. Sister of Regina Isenberg, Christine Mazza, Anthony, Charles and Mike Mazza. Grandmother of 14. Great-grandmother of four.
MORRIS, John Franklin, 82, St. Mark the Evangelist, Indianapolis, May 14. Husband of Barbara (Ryan) Morris. Father of Karen Smith, Frank and Michael Morris. Grandfather of six. Great-grandfather of eight.
ORTMAN, Robert J., 64, St. Susanna, Plainfield, May 27. Brother of Judy and David Ortman.
PAVEY, Sara (Thompson), 76, Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Jeffersonville, May 3. Mother of Garry, Jeff, Larry, Mark and Mike Pavey. Sister of Carolyn Klosterman and Joy Warren. Grandmother of 10.
Great-grandmother of five.
PHILLIPS, Jacqueline L. (Romano), 68, St. Roch, Indianapolis, May 28. Mother of Angie Edington, Tammy O’Korn and Steven Phillips. Sister of Jerrie Romano-Davis and Rosalie Schneider.
PHILPOT, Dorothy L., 88, St. Mary, Lanesville, May 31. Mother of Elaine Basham, Dorothy Ott, Susan Rhea, Carol Uesseler, Joyce, Bob and David Philpot. Sister of Martha Bleau and Clarence Bezy. Grandmother of 24. Great-grandmother of 40.
RIGGLE, Pauline V., 88, St. Mary-of-the-Knobs, Floyds Knobs, May 31. Mother of Deborah Magee and Elizabeth Ruths. Sister of Cathleen Beasely and Charles Vandevelde.
RODEWIG, Kenneth E., 72, St. Mary, New Albany, May 25. Husband of Marlene (French) Rodewig. Father of Jeffrey, Kenneth Jr. and Russell Rodewig. Brother of Freida Campbell, Katherine Kemp, Bill, Bob and Richard Rodewig. Grandfather of six.
SPICKLEMIRE, Patricia, 86, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, May 9. Mother of Gerald, Kenneth and Stephen Spicklemire. Sister of Alice Haupt, Mary Ellen Keegan, John and Joseph Hanley. Grandmother of eight.
SPRAUER, Anna M., 85, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, May 4. Mother of David, Gregory, Jeff and William Sprauer.
STEINER, Ruth L., 91, Most Precious Blood, New Middletown, May 21. Mother of Donnie and Paul Steiner. Sister of Imogene Clemens, Mildred Payton, Bonnie Wright and Russell Hunter. Grandmother of 10. Great-grandmother of 16. Great-great-grandmother of one.
STITES, Sharon L., 65, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, May 1. Wife of Andrew Stites. Mother of Fanzini, Sarah, Jonathan and J. Michael Stites. Sister of Lee Jr. and Ronald Back. Grandmother of one.
SWALLOW, Nancy A., 84, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, May 5. Wife of William Swallow. Mother of Sally and Chris Davis. Grandmother of six.
VON ALLMEN, Oscar C., Jr., 87, St. Joseph, Clark County, May 25. Father of Chris Von Allmen. Brother of Margie Wehder. Grandfather of eight. Great-grandfather of seven.
WAHLSCHMIDT, Forrest F., 65, St. Bernadette, Indianapolis, May 22.
WELLMAN, Richard L., 78, St. Luke the Evangelist, Indianapolis, May 22. Husband of Sondra Wellman. Brother of Robert Wellman.
St. Joseph Sister Josita O’Donnell was a teacher and principal
St. Joseph Sister Josita O’Donnell died on May 26 in Camilla Hall at St. Joseph Center in Tipton, Ind., following a lengthy illness. She was 81.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on May 31 at the St. Joseph Center Chapel in Tipton. Burial followed at the St. Joseph Center Cemetery.
The former Barbara Jean O’Donnell was born on March 12, 1930, in Gary, Ind.
She attended St. Joseph Academy in Tipton then entered the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Tipton on Sept. 1, 1946.
She received the congregation’s religious habit in 1947 and was given the name Mary Josita in honor of St. Joseph, the community’s patron. She made her final profession of vows on July 2, 1952.
Sister Josita earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education at St. Francis College in Fort Wayne, Ind., and master’s degree in elementary education at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind.
She ministered in Catholic education for 44 years as a teacher or principal from 1949 until 1993.
In the archdiocese, Sister Josita served at St. Ambrose School in Seymour.
She was called by her sisters to the role of congregational leadership, and served for a period of time as a member of the Administrative Council of the Sisters of St. Joseph.
In 2002, she retired from full-time ministry and returned to St. Joseph Center in Tipton, where she attended to the needs of the sisters, lay residents and guests.
Surviving are six nieces and nephews as well as several great-nieces and great-nephews.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of St. Joseph, 1440 W. Division Road, Tipton, IN 46072. †