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)
ADRIAN, George, 95, St. Roch, Indianapolis, March 31. Husband of Effiemae Adrian. Father of Julie Adrian‑Aumen, Anna Adrian‑Murphy, Janet Adrian‑Nixon, George, Mark and Philip Adrian. Stepfather of Karen Etcitty, David and Mark Kingen. Brother of Irene McDuff, Francisan Sister of Christian Charity Paulita and Paul Adrian. Grandfather of seven. Step-grandfather of six. Great-grandfather of 18.
ARCEO, Aqueda (Eleazar), 86, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, March 24. Wife of Jeremias Arceo. Mother of Lourdes Williams, Estella, Maria, Luis, Philip and Rupert Arceo. Grandmother of three. Great‑grandmother of one.
BENNETT, Dylan, 22, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Albany, March 25. Husband of Desiree Bennett. Father of Madalyn Bennett. Son of James Bennett and Shannon Thomas. Stepson of Dawn Bennett. Brother of Amber Jarvis, Dakota and Santana Bennett. Grandson of Jim Bennett, Pat Messenger, Anselm Thomas and Nancy Jones. Step‑grandson of Bill Messenger and Anna Thomas.
BOTOS, Thomas, 71, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Indianapolis, April 1. Father of Michael and Thomas Botos. Brother of Loretta Dels and Jack Botos. Grandfather of one.
CURTSINGER, Lorena E.,
94, St. Anthony of Padua, Clarksville, March 31. Mother of Doug Lopez. Grandmother of two. Great-grandmother of five. Great-great-grandmother of two.
DICKMAN, Rosemary (Holman), 88, St. Paul, Tell City, April 2. Mother of Ardella Foster, Debbie Mulzer and Mike Smith. Sister of Regina King. Grandmother of six. Great-grandmother of nine.
DILLON, Sharon M., 54, St. Luke the Evangelist, Indianapolis, April 8. Wife of Vincent Dillon. Mother of Grace and Arthur Dillon. Daughter of Shirley Shafer. Sister of Chris, Mark and Ted Shafer.
DILLON, Steve R., 61, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Indianapolis, April 8. Husband of Theresa Dillon. Father of Christina Cromer, Melissa Downham, Katherine Graf, Matthew and Steve Dillon, Jr.
Brother of Brenda Eads, Tracie Russell and Gene Dillon. Grandfather of 12.
DIMOND, Robert E., 93, St. Luke the Evangelist, Indianapolis, April 6. Husband of Doris Dimond. Father of Julie Apple, Laura Kelly, Ann Wrenne and Daniel Dimond. Grandfather of six.
DUGAN, Barbara J. (Hesselgrave), 78, St. Christopher, Indianapolis, March 30. Mother of John and Michael Dugan. Sister of
Michael and Phillip Hesselgrave. Grandmother of five.
GOODE, Laura L., 33, St. Joseph, Shelbyville, April 6. Mother of Lauren Gaines and Leah Henderson. Daughter of Tommy Gaines and Juanita Gaines. Sister of Sheila Easteby, Dakota and Jordan Gaines.
HERBERT, Marvin B., 75, St. Mary, Greensburg, March 31. Husband of Nancy Herbert. Father of Steve Herbert. Grandfather of four.
JOHNSON, George W., Jr., 69, St. Charles Borromeo, Bloomington, March 31. Husband of Dana Johnson. Father of You Zhou, Alison and Cody Johnson. Brother of Arleen O’Mullane, Dannie, Jack and Tyler Johnson. Grandfather of eight. Great‑grandfather of one.
KERSEY, Thomas L., 83, St. Roch, Indianapolis, April 4. Father of Carol Schlueter, Rebecca, Donald and Thomas Kersey, Jr. Grandfather of one. Step-grandfather of four.
KUEBEL, Eugene P., 96, All Saints, Dearborn County, April 3. Husband of Anna Mae Kuebel. Uncle of several.
KUEHR, Richard A., 80,
St. Simon the Apostle, Indianapolis, April 5. Father of Joanne Cassada, Janet Farmer, Loretta Gruner, Lisa Ramsey, Greg and Tim Kuehr. Brother of Carol Tucker. Grandfather of 11. Great-grandfather of seven.
KUNKEL, Margaret M. (Bulach), St. Bridget of Ireland, Liberty, April 7. Mother of Christyna Barker, Nancy Jackson, Karen Kuhn and LeeAnn Newton. Sister of Ellen Bulach, Ruth Gaynor, Joan Hoffmeir and Betty Ripberger. Grandmother of 12. Great‑grandmother of 12.
LYNCH, Marian L., 95, St. Charles Borromeo, Bloomington, April 4. Mother of Margaret Hollers, Judy Kelley and Charlene Lynch. Sister of Mary Ann Bear, Wilma McKay, Joan Tucker and Anthony Hertz. Grandmother of four. Great‑grandmother of eight. Great-great-grandmother of one.
MCHUGH, Thomas J., 77,
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Indianapolis, April 1. Father of Mary Catherine Temple. Brother of Mary Ellen Reed and Michael McHugh. Grandfather of three.
MILLER, Theresa M., 53,
St. Anthony of Padua, Clarksville, April 3. Daughter of Anna Miller. Sister of Patti Hollkamp, Jaime Lamkin, Daniel, David, John, Kenneth and Timothy Miller. Aunt of several.
PARIS, Kenneth, 79, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Albany, March 27. Husband of Janet Paris. Father of Beth Harper, Cindy McCain, Debbie Rorrer and Brent Paris. Brother of Nancy Banet, Elizabeth Castleman, Charles, David and Larry Paris. Grandfather of 16. Great-grandfather of nine.
PITMAN, Richard L., 81, St. Christopher, Indianapolis, March 27. Husband of Beverly Pitman. Brother of Kathryn Dotlich and Charles Norman. Uncle of several.
PRATT, Dr. Ralph M., Jr., 96, Prince of Peace, Madison, April 4. Father of Cynthia Pratt Graft, Ralph III and Robert Pratt. Grandfather of eight. Great-grandfather of four.
RUDOLPH, Charles M., 82, St. Michael, Cannelton, April 5. Father of Jackie DuPont, Diana Lain, Marilyn Rhodes, Manette VanWinkle, Charlena Williams, Dr. Bill, Don, Loel, Mel and Noel Rudolph. Grandfather and
great-grandfather of several.
RYAN, Margaret, St. John the Apostle, Bloomington, April 3. Wife of John Ryan. Sister of Cathy Bell and Irene Minucci. Aunt of several.
STEWART, Shirley, 81, St. Monica, Indianapolis, April 4. Mother of Jacqueline Telfer and Marc Stewart. Grandmother of one.
SULEIMAN, Dr. Louise W., 87, St. Mary, New Albany,
April 3. Mother of Ann and
Carolyn Suleiman. Grandmother of one.
TODD, Clarence M., Sr., 76, Holy Angels, Indianapolis, April 5. Husband of Pauline Todd. Father of Renee and Clarence Todd, Jr. Brother of Alfred Porter. Grandfather of nine. Great-grandfather of four.
TRULOCK, Jacob E., 18, St. John Paul II, Clark County, March 28. Son of Sonny Trulock and Donna Trulock‑Jones. Brother of Madelyn and Wyatt Trulock.
WATHEN, John L., 88, St. Vincent de Paul, Bedford, April 5. Father of Kathleen Foster, Rebecca Murphy, Vicki, James and Michael Wathen. Brother of Gordon Wathen. Grandfather of four. Great‑grandfather of seven.
WINTZ, Stephen P., 56, St. Louis, Batesville, April 6. Husband of Tammi Wintz. Father of Allison Baum, Becca, Brooke and Jason Wintz. Son of Bob and Geraldine Wintz. Brother of Joanne Dickman, Jim and Sam Wintz. Grandfather of one.
Providence Sister Rita Lerner served in Catholic schools for 43 years
Providence Sister Rita Lerner died on March 25 at Mother Theodore Hall at St. Mary-of-the-Woods. She was 97.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on April 6 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at the motherhouse in St. Mary-of-the-Woods. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
Rita Clara Lerner was born on Dec. 5, 1919, in Chicago. She entered the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods on Jan. 8, 1938, and professed final vows on Aug. 15, 1946.
Sister Rita earned a bachelor’s degree at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, and a master’s degree at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind.
During her 79 years as a member of the Sisters of Providence, Sister Rita ministered in Catholic education for 43 years in schools in California, Illinois, Indiana and Washington, D.C. In 1983, she returned to the motherhouse to minister as a nurses’ aide. After retiring in 1990, she continued to serve as director of activities and as librarian for her community. She dedicated herself entirely to prayer beginning in 2006.
In the archdiocese, Sister Rita served at St. Matthew the Apostle School in Indianapolis from 1977-83, in addition to ministering at the motherhouse.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of Providence, 1 Sisters of Providence Road, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, St. Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876.
Ruth Meyer, 93, was the mother of Father John Meyer
Ruth M. (Kaiser) Meyer, the mother of Father John Meyer, St. Mary Parish in Greensburg, died on April 7 at The Waters, a nursing home and retirement facility in Batesville. She was 93.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on April 12 at St. Mary Church in Greensburg. Burial followed at River View Cemetery in Aurora.
Meyer was born on May 22, 1923, in Dover, Ind., growing up as a member of the former St. John the Baptist Parish. She later attended secretarial school.
She married her husband, William Meyer, on Feb. 8, 1943, in Dover. He preceded her in death on Dec. 7, 1997. In their 54 years of marriage, they were blessed with three daughters, Carla, Kathryn and Paula, and three sons, James, Father John Meyer and Mark.
They lived in Aurora and were members of St. Mary Parish. After William’s death, Ruth lived in Madison, where Father Meyer was serving as pastor of Prince of Peace Parish. She later moved to Greensburg when her son became pastor of St. Mary Parish. She was a member of that faith community at the time of her death.
Ruth was a devoted wife, loving mother and grandmother. She also enjoyed gardening, especially raising violets and orchids, reading, raising canaries, knitting, crocheting and sewing.
She is survived by her daughters Kathryn Ryan of Seabrook Island, S.C., and Carla Meyer Stillwell of Madison; her son, Father Meyer; and 12 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren.
Memorial gifts may be sent to Friends of Shawe and Pope John Schools, Inc.,
305 W. State Street, P.O. Box 806, Madison, IN 47250, or to the St. Mary Catholic Church Building Fund, 1331 E. Hunter Robbins Way, Greensburg, IN 47240. †