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)
ALERDING, Michael P., 73, St. Joan of Arc, Indianapolis, March 29. Husband of Claudia Alerding. Father of Maggie Woods, Michael, Scott and Tony Alerding. Stepfather of Shelby and Dustin Hughbanks, Susie Litke, Courtney McGuirk, Jenny Scheffsky and Andy Fagan. Brother of Ann Fitch, Peggy Horton, Mary Schaffner, Joseph and R. James Alerding. Grandfather of 19. Great-grandfather of four.
DAY, Germaine (Gerry), 96, Holy Family, New Albany, April 3. Mother of Janice Rahiya and Gregory Day. Grandmother of three. Great-grandmother of nine.
KREUZMAN, Marjorie H. (Jockish), 88, St. Roch, Indianapolis, April 1. Mother of Anne, Adam, Blaise, Erik, Jerry, Patrick and Tom Kreuzman. Grandmother and great-grandmother of several.
LYON, Ruth, 102, Holy Family, New Albany, April 7. Mother of Janet Benvie, Linda Tucker and Joe Grantz. Grandmother of six. Great-grandmother of 15. Great-great-grandmother of three.
MASCHINO, Rosemary, 96, St. Joseph, Jennings County, April 1. Mother of Rose Riggle, Anna Marie, Albert, Joe and Mike Maschino. Grandmother of seven. Great-grandmother of six.
MAYER, Paul J., 61,
St. Roch, Indianapolis, March 31. Father of Angela Evans, Ella Rae and Stephanie Mayer. Brother of Kathy Delpha, Patty Ralston, Ann Marie, Margaret, Mary Lou and Richard Mayer. Grandfather of two.
MOUTOUX, Andrew, 86, St. Ambrose, Seymour, April 4.
Father of Catherine Elstun, Christine Miller, Andrew III
and Mike Moutoux. Grandfather of seven. Great-grandfather
of six.
NAHAS, David, 73, St. Michael the Archangel, Indianapolis, April 1. Brother of Sara Arthur, Debbie Bedillion, Jeri Rust, Brian, Dennis, John, Mark, Michael and William Nahas. Uncle of several.
PAULIN, Maurice C., 82, St. Paul, Tell City, April 9. Husband of Wanda Paulin. Father of Debbie Feix and Karen Jackson. Brother of Patricia Pringle, Sandy Silan and Bob Paulin. Grandfather of two. Great-grandfather of three.
ROBERTS, Donald L., 88, St. Paul, Tell City, April 10. Husband of Marjorie Roberts. Father of Sheila Staples and Don Roberts. Grandfather of four. Great-grandfather of one.
SCOTT, William¸76, Holy Angels, Indianapolis, March 7. Husband of Patricia Scott. Father of A’Esha McGowan and Walter Scott. Brother of Constance Palmer. Grandfather of five.
SHARY, JoAnn, 90, Christ the King, Indianapolis, Feb. 9. Mother of Diane Connaughton,
Cindy Cowdrey, Lisa and Mark Shary. Sister of Lois Merkle. Grandmother of seven.
Dominican Sister Kathleen Conlin served as a chaplain at St. Vincent Hospital
Dominican Sister Kathleen Conlin, a member of the Sinsinewa Dominican Sisters, based in Sinsinawa, Wis., died on March 19 at St. Dominic Villa in Hazel Green, Wis. She was 89.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on March 25 at the motherhouse chapel. Burial followed in the sisters’ cemetery.
Sister Kathleen was born on Nov. 24, 1932, in Columbus, Wis. She entered the novitiate of the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters in 1952, professed temporary vows on Aug. 5, 1953, and perpetual vows on Aug. 5, 1956.
Sister Kathleen earned a bachelor’s degree in education in 1959 at Edgewood College in Madison, Wis., and a certificate in theology in 1964 at Dominican University in River Forest, Ill.
In her 68 years as a member of her religious community, Sister Kathleen ministered in Catholic education for more than 36 years and in pastoral ministry for 21 years. In the archdiocese, she served as a chaplain at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis from 1980-81.
Sister Kathleen is survived by two sisters, Mary Ries and Patricia Thiesenhusen, and a brother, Bernard Conlin.
Memorial contributions may be sent to the Sinsinawa Dominicans, 585 County Road Z, Sinsinawa, WI, 53824-9701 or at www.sinsinawa.org/donate.
Providence Sister Donna Marie Fu was an educator in Indiana, China and Taiwan
Providence Sister Donna Marie Fu, a member of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, died on March 27 in New Taipei City in Taiwan. She was 89.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on April 18 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Taishan in Taiwan.
Sister Donna Marie was born on Jan. 18, 1933, in Chiang-su, China. She came to learn of the Sisters of Providence in a school in Kaifung, China, where the sisters were ministering at the time. Sister Donna Marie and her family and the Sisters of Providence in China moved to Taiwan after the communist takeover of China. She entered the Sisters of Providence on Dec. 27, 1953, and professed final vows on
Aug. 15, 1961.
Sister Donna Marie earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, a master’s degree in guidance at Indiana State University in Terre Haute and a doctorate in higher education administration at Indiana University in Bloomington.
During her 68 years as a member of the Sisters of Providence, Sister Donna Marie ministered for 55 years in Catholic schools and public universities in Indiana, Washington, D.C., China and Taiwan. She also served in different periods in leadership for the Sisters of Providence in Taiwan.
In the archdiocese, she served in Terre Haute at the former Sacred Heart School in 1956 and the former St. Ann School in 1972.
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.
Divine Providence Sister Mary Karen Bahlmann was principal at Jeffersonville school
Divine Providence Sister Mary Karen Bahlmann, a member of the Congregation of Divine Providence, based in Melbourne, Ky., died on March 23 at Holy Family House in Melbourne. She was 81.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on March 26 at the Immaculate Conception Chapel in Melbourne. Burial followed in the sisters’ cemetery.
Sister Mary Karen was born in 1940 in Buffalo, N.Y. She entered the novitiate of the Congregation of Divine Providence in 1959, professed temporary vows in 1960 and final vows in 1965.
Sister Mary Karen earned a bachelor’s degree in 1973 from Thomas More College in Crestview Hills, Ky., and two master’s degrees in 1979 and 1987 from the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio.
In her 61 years as a member of her religious community, Sister Mary Karen ministered in Catholic education for more than 50 years in Kentucky, Indiana and Maryland. In the archdiocese, she served as principal of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Jeffersonville from 2003-08.
Sister Mary Karen is survived by a brother, Jerry Bahlmann of New Albany, Ohio.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Congregation of Divine Providence, 5300 Saint Anne Drive, Melbourne, KY 41059.
Franciscan Sister Dolores Mary Meyer served in Catholic schools, parishes
Franciscan Sister Dolores Mary Meyer, formerly Sister Joseph Mary, a member of the Congregation of the Third Order of St. Francis in Oldenburg, died on April 3 at Reid Health Hospital in Richmond. She was 88.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on April 8 at the Motherhouse Chapel in Oldenburg. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
Sister Dolores was born on Feb. 7, 1934, in St. Louis. She joined the Sisters of St. Francis on Sept. 8, 1951, and professed final vows on Aug. 12, 1957.
Sister Dolores earned a bachelor’s degree in education at Marian University in Indianapolis and certifications at Harris-Stowe State University, Washington University and Marillac College, all in St. Louis, and Montana State University in Bozeman, Mont.
During 70 years as a member of the Sisters of St. Francis, Sister Dolores ministered in Catholic education for 27 years in Indiana, Missouri and Montana. She later served in parish ministry for 30 years in the Diocese of Evansville, Ind., Missouri and Montana, eventually retiring at the motherhouse in 2010.
In the archdiocese, Sister Dolores served in Indianapolis at St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower) School from 1953-55, St. Mark the Evangelist School from 1955-56 and at the former St. Mary Academy from 1959-61. She also served at St. Michael School in Brookville from 1956-57, the former Sacred Heart School in Clinton from 1958-59 and the former Catholic Central School in New Albany from 1976-80.
Sister Dolores is survived by a brother, Alvin Meyer of St. Louis.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of St. Francis, P.O. Box 100, Oldenburg, IN 47036-0100. †