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)

ANDRYSIAK, Kathleen Marie (Sivak), 56, St. Joseph, Indianapolis, May 18. Wife of Harry Andrysiak. Mother of Jeffrey, Kenneth and Matthew Andrysiak. Sister of Barbara Bartel, Jeane Cole, Patricia Gustaffson, Marian Fritza, Hugh and Tim Sivak. Grandmother of two.

BUTLER, Carol Ann, 72, Holy Family, New Albany, May 21. Mother of Theresa Butler and Mary Carmel McCauley. Sister of Norma Jean Link. Grandmother of four. Great-grandmother of one.

CONNOR, Mary Louise, 89, St. Luke the Evangelist, Indianapolis, May 17. Mother of Karen Matters, Jerry, Jim and John Connor. Grandmother of seven.

DARLING, Robert L., Jr. 60, St. Augustine, Jeffersonville, May 18. Husband of Billie Darling. Father of Robert L. Darling III. Stepfather of Patricia Klug, Rita Treadway and Michael Hibbs. Son of Nanette Petrie. Brother of Dan, John and Michael Darling. Grandfather of four.

DWYER, Victoria Ann, 89, St. Lawrence, Indianapolis, May 19.

EMMERKE, Dorothy D., 92, St. Augustine, Jeffersonville, May 18. Mother of Philaine McCauley, Ann Smith and William Emmerke. Grandmother of five. Great-grandmother of six.

HOELKER, Louis R., 93, St. Louis, Batesville, May 24. Husband of Bertha (Grieshop) Hoelker. Father of Angie Raeon and Rita Hoelker. Grandfather of six. Great-grandfather of two.

HUNTER, Thomas A., 87, St. Joseph, Corydon, May 12. Husband of Lucile (Riley) Hunter. Father of Veronica Alstott, Mary Geswein, Dianna Redden, David, Greg, Mike, Richard and Steven Hunter. Brother of Dorothy Ernst and Josephine Lasley. Grandfather of 18. Great-grandfather of eight.

KOKOS, Mary Jane, 84, Christ the King, Indianapolis, May 20. Mother of Melissa Derbyshire. Grandmother of three. Great-grandmother of seven.

McKAY, Alyce L., Indianapolis, May 9. Mother of Stacie Goggans, Linda McKay, Hope McMullen, Sandra Stewart, Rick, Robert and Stephen McKay. Sister of Phyllis Maher. Grandmother of four.

MENDEZ, Barbara Rose (Bogardus), St. Roch, Indianapolis, May 19. Wife of Joseph Mendez. Mother of Connie McLaughlin and Michael Mendez. Grandmother of five. Great-grandmother of three.

PEARSEY, George William, 84, St. Mary, Rushville, May 20. Brother of Jeanine Hilt. Uncle of several.

SCHUCK, Frances, 97, St. Joseph, St. Leon, May 16. Mother of Ann Marie and Carl Schuck. Sister of Romilda Hoff and Carl Haas.

STENGER, Leo, 88, St. Joseph, St. Leon, May 21. Father of Rita Cutter, Betty Fischer, Marilyn Heffelmire, Marty Johnson, Emily Seamon, Franciscan Sister Bernice Stenger, Albert, Leo Jr. and Orville Stenger. Brother of Lucille Bischoff. Grandfather of 22. Great-grandfather of nine.

WHITSETT, Betty E., 87, Holy Name of Jesus, Beech Grove, May 21. Wife of Robert Whitsett. Mother of Julie Shoultz, Edward, Patrick and Robert Whitsett. Grandmother of six.

Providence Sister Deidre Clements was a teacher for 51 years

Providence Sister Deidre Clements died on May 15 at Union Hospital in Terre Haute. She was 86.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on May 21 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery at the motherhouse.

The former Rosada Clements was born on Oct. 17, 1921, in Washington, Ind. She entered the congregation of the Sisters of Providence on Jan. 5, 1939, professed first vows on Aug. 15, 1941, and final vows on Aug. 15, 1947.

Sister Deidre earned a bachelor’s degree at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and a master’s degree at Marquette University in Milwaukee.

During 69 years as a Sister of Providence, she ministered for 51 years as a teacher at Catholic schools in Indiana, Illinois and Washington, D.C.

In the archdiocese, Sister Deidre taught at St. Joan of Arc School in Indianapolis from 1947-49, Holy Cross School in Indianapolis from 1953-55, Our Lady of Providence High School in Clarksville from 1957-59 and 1970-71, and the former Schulte High School in Terre Haute from 1962-64 and 1969-70.

In 1993, Sister Deidre retired to the motherhouse and contributed to community life in a variety of ways. In 2004, 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. †