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)

BAKER, Roberta L., 75, Holy Angels, Indianapolis, July 24. Mother of Krystal Baker, Dennis Boyd, Allen and Damon Pope. Sister of Eva Baker, Alberta Johnson and Mildred Wilson. Grandmother of 16. Great-grandmother of 27.

BLAND, Paul F., 88, St. Louis, Batesville, Aug. 7. Husband of Ruth (Selke) Bland. Father of Deborah Sherman, Michael and Thomas Bland, and Jeffrey Selke-Minogue. Grandfather of eight. Great-grandfather of two.

EVANS, Charlotte Rose, 86, St. Roch, Indianapolis, Aug. 2. Mother of Joan Essex, Karen Jackson and Timothy Evans. Grandmother of eight. Great-grandmother of 19. Great-great-grandmother of one.

FLEDDERMAN, Charles H., 86, St. Mary-of-the-Rock, Franklin County, July 27. Father of Ginny Bateman, Patsy Oehlman, Peggy Race, Linda Riselman, Chuck, Jim and Tom Fledderman. Brother of Ruth Beesley and Earl Fledderman. Grandfather of 21. Great-grandfather of seven.

HEERSCHE, Catherine H., 93, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, July 26. Mother of Sandy Mourey. Grandmother of three.

KIDWELL, Mary E., 50, Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Jeffersonville, July 29. Wife of Donald Kidwell Sr. Mother of Donna, Peppy, David, Dennis and Donald Kidwell, Justin Meredith and David Stepp. Daughter of Barbara Prince. Stepdaughter of Ivan Prince. Sister of Tish Richey, Karen Sample, Joan Sutherlin, Richard and Robert Biesel. Grandmother of seven.

KRIEG, Sotera Carmen, 74, St. John the Evangelist, Enochsburg, Aug. 2. Wife of Robert Krieg. Mother of Angel Grunkemeyer, Connie Gunter, Gary and Mark Krieg. Sister of Laura de la Fuenta Rodriquez, Conchita and Florentina de la Fuente. Grandmother of five.

MAYER, Norbert, 82, St. Jude, Indianapolis, July 28. Husband of Mary Ann Mayer. Father of Denise Todd, Kathy Zimmer, Becky, Diane, Dan, David, Kevin, Steve and Tim Mayer. Grandfather of eight. Great-grandfather of four.

MILTO, Cynthia Diane, 57, SS. Francis and Clare, Greenwood, July 21. Mother of Shannon Dugan and Melissa Dyer. Sister of Jo Anna Hayes. Grandmother of two.

ORTMAN, Sylvia C., 96, St. Mary, Greensburg, Aug. 8. Mother of Mary Jane Buening, Susan McPherson, Debra Vanderbur, Patricia Van Dorn, Dale and Gary Ortman. Grandmother of 16. Great-grandmother of 18.

RAMEY, Paul, 70, St. Joseph, St. Leon, July 17. Husband of Rosemary Ramey. Father of Rebecca, Adam, Anthony and Paul Ramey. Brother of Louise Bledsoe, Evelyn Brown, Faye Taylor, Danny and Tommy Ramey. Grandfather of four. Great-grandfather of one.

SANDERS, Anne W., 94, St. Barnabas, Indianapolis, Aug. 1. Sister of Matilda Sparenblek.

SEARING, Donna K., 70, St. Joseph, Universal, July 29. Wife of Garry Searing. Mother of Marla Searing. Sister of Ron Lamb.

SMITH, Jennifer Lynn (Krider), 36, St. Michael, Bradford, July 21. Wife of Aaron Smith. Mother of Caden, Cameron and Collier Smith. Daughter of Frank and Jean Krider. Sister of Karen Carney, Kathy Schroeder and Steve Krider. Granddaughter of Loretta Tabler.

SPALDING, Florence E., 87, St. Vincent de Paul, Shelby County, July 31. Mother of Mary Burns, John Jr., Mark, Michael and Rick Spalding. Grandmother of 10. Great-grandmother of four.

TADDEO, Carmine, 85, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, July 21. Husband of Grace Taddeo. Father of Francene Taddeo. Stepfather of Hubert, James and John Riedeman. Brother of Michael Taddeo. Grandfather of five. Great-grandfather of three.

Oldenburg Franciscan Sister Mary Emmett Lawrence served as a teacher and principal for 47 years

Franciscan Sister Mary Emmett Lawrence died on July 28 at St. Clare Hall, the health care facility for the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, in Oldenburg. She was 93.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on July 31 at the motherhouse chapel. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.

The former Mary Jane Lawrence was born on March 23, 1916, in Dayton, Ohio.

She entered the Oldenburg Franciscan community on Dec. 8, 1935, and professed her final vows on July 2, 1941.

During 47 years of ministry at Catholic grade schools, Sister Mary Emmett served as a teacher or principal from 1938-85.

In the archdiocese, she taught or served as a principal at St. Joseph School in Shelbyville, St. Mary School in Rushville, St. Michael School in Brookville, the former St. Mary School in Lanesville, the former St. John School in Dover, the former St. Joseph School in St. Leon and St. Lawrence School in Lawrenceburg.

She also ministered at Catholic grade schools in Ohio and Missouri.

Sister Mary Emmett entered semi-retirement in 1985 at the motherhouse, where she was engaged in community service as a secretary for the Life Development Office and as a librarian for the Special Collections Office.

In 2003, Sister Mary Emmett entered full retirement as a resident of St. Clare Hall.

Surviving are many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of St. Francis, P.O. Box 100, Oldenburg, IN 47036. †