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)
BANET, Marilyn P., 91, St. Mary-of-the-Knobs, Floyd County, Jan. 4. Mother of Brenda, JoAnn, Carl and
Rex Banet. Grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother of several.
BENDER, Mark J., 66, Christ the King, Indianapolis, Dec. 19. Husband of Kerry Bender. Father of Joseph and Michael Bender. Brother of Jeanette Burman, Laura, Chuck, Jim, John and Paul Bender.
BEST, Robert L., 79, St. Mary, Greensburg, Dec. 25. Father of Tracy Ruble, James and Robert Best. Grandfather of 13. Great-grandfather of several.
BRAND, Jacqueline, 94, All Saints, Dearborn County, Dec. 21. Mother of Julie Grove and Jeff Brand. Grandmother of six. Great-grandmother of 11.
CHESTERTON, Edgar T., 90, St. Jude, Indianapolis, Jan. 4. Husband of Maryann Chesterton. Father of Carla Knight, Joanne Soller and Daniel Chesterton. Brother of Jodi Erlenbaugh and Ruthann Kiermeyer. Grandfather of six. Great-grandfather of four.
CREWS, Robert M., 67, SS. Francis and Clare of Assisi, Greenwood, Dec. 20. Husband of Sandy Crews. Father of Megan Mariner, Christopher, Eric and Matthew Crews. Brother of Cindy Fesselmeyer, Jim and Tony Crews. Grandfather of four.
DIERCKMAN, Ronald F., 78, St. Mary, Greensburg, Dec. 28. Father of Leslie and Monique Dierckman. Brother of Anna Mae Callahan, Myrtle Hillenbrand, Carol Knue, Thelma Schornick, Arnold and Roger Dierckman.
FICHT, William E., 83, American Martyrs, Scottsburg, Dec. 22. Uncle of several.
FITZGERALD, Patricia A., 89, St. Simon the Apostle, Indianapolis, Dec. 23. Mother of Brian, Daniel and Timothy Fizgerald.
HAPP, Kristi J., 75, St. Malachy, Brownsburg, Dec. 31. Wife of Linus Happ. Mother of Aaron Happ. Sister of Jenny and Terry.
HEINES, Mary C., 93, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Dec. 2. Mother of Diana Tyree, Shirley Wright, Patricia and Stephen Heines. Grandmother of two.
HICKS, Mary Margaret, 87, St. Martin of Tours, Martinsville, Dec. 25. Mother of Pamela Jusice, Patty Jo Waddell and Mark Hicks. Grandmother of 11. Great-grandmother of 22. Great-great-grandmother of one.
HORNEK, Norbert J., 90, St. Mark the Evangelist, Indianapolis, Nov. 18. Husband of Mary Lynn Hornek. Father of Terri Rogier, Alan, Daniel, James, Mark and Michael Hornek. Grandfather of 14. Great-grandfather of five.
HUTCHINS, Patricia, 84, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Bright, Dec. 26. Mother of Patrick and Sean Hutchins. Sister of Peggy Darling. Grandmother of six.
JOHNSON, Paula S., 91, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Nov. 22. Mother of Tammy Gregg, Daniel, David and Terry Johnson. Sister of Jay Norris. Grandmother of 10. Great-grandmother of 16.
KITE, Helen C., 81, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Nov. 17. Mother of Karen Sensney and James Kite. Sister of Mary Rose Rorick. Grandmother of three.
KRAUS, Mildred, 79, All Saints, Dearborn County, Dec. 27. Mother of Krista Ferry-Wilbur, Heather Walter, Michael and Patrick Ferry. Stepmother of Melissa Hoffman and Teresa Reksel. Sister of Carol Anthony, Wilma Minger, Dale and Roy Barth. Grandmother of 10. Great-grandmother of three.
MCDANIEL, Catherine, 70, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Richmond, Jan. 1. Mother of Erin and Paul McDaniel. Sister of Cindy Lawrence and Tommy Rogers. Grandmother of one.
MILLER, Joyce, 86, St. John the Baptist, Osgood, Dec. 13. Wife of Ralph Miller. Mother of Terri Stein, Merri Stephens, Sheri Works, Jim and Jon Miller. Grandmother of 23. Great-grandmother of 40.
MUNN, Ronald L., 88, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Nov. 7. Father of Linda Chapman, Christina LaRoche, Rhonda Leardi, David, Dean, John and Steven Munn. Stepfather of Danny King. Grandfather of 19. Great-grandfather of 18.
POOLER, Phyllis J., 81, St. John Paul II, Sellersburg, Dec. 14. Sister of Cheri Begley. Grandmother of three.
REA, James B., 70, Christ the King, Indianapolis, Dec. 18. Husband of Jane Rea. Father of Katie DeBrota, Jennifer Klee, Karen McCann, Matthew, Mickey and Stephen Rea. Brother of Julie Hedlund, Mary Anne Kelley, Pauline Rea-Turner, Helen Secor, Cathy Wagner, Joe and Tom Rea. Grandfather of seven.
SCHARFENBERGER, Dee Ann (Kinney), 89, St. Michael the Archangel, Indianapolis, Jan. 1. Mother of Janis Boltz, Jodee Crace, Julianna Newland, Jennifer Snyder and James Scharfenberger. Sister of Maurice Kinney. Grandmother of 12. Great-grandmother of two.
SCHOETTMER, Diana S., 79, St. Mary, Greensburg, Dec. 24. Mother of Bernard Schoettmer II. Grandmother of three.
SHREFFLER, Patricia, 94, St. Mark the Evangelist, Indianapolis, Dec. 13. Mother of Rita Cobbs and Daniel Shreffler. Sister of Nancy Fernandes. Grandmother of five. Great-grandmother of nine. Great-great-grandmother of six.
SIMS, John, 86, St. Anthony of Padua, Clarksville, Dec. 9. Husband of Joyce Sims. Father of J.R. II, Rex and Robin Sims. Grandfather of five. Great-grandfather of five.
SOWDER, Eleanor L. (Fishel), 92, St. Mark the Evangelist, Indianapolis, Dec. 20. Mother of Vicki Day. Grandmother of two. Great-grandmother of one.
SPANKE, David L., 67, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Dec. 12. Husband of Margaret Spanke. Father of Katherine Spanke. Brother of Mary Ellen Boerner and Jane Walker.
STULLER, Paul A., 88, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Nov. 19. Husband of Helen Stuller. Father of Angie Moss and Shane Stuller. Stepfather of Mary Davis, Michelle Fagan, Theresa Hoffman, Larry and Ray Littleton. Step-grandfather and step-great-grandfather of several.
TRUMPEY, Judith V., 84, St. Luke the Evangelist, Indianapolis, Dec. 25. Mother of Julie Avellana and Joe Trumpey. Grandmother of six. Great-grandmother of four.
TUCKER, Harold J., 79, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Dec. 5. Husband of Patricia Tucker. Father of Molly North, Margaret Sullivan, Kathleen Tamayo and Bridget Tucker. Brother of Marilyn Tucker. Grandfather of eight.
VANDIVER, Mary V., 77, St. Ambrose, Seymour, Dec. 21. Mother of Sherilyn Locke. Sister of Clara Imlay and Donald French.
VARGO, Barbara J., 93, St. Michael the Archangel, Indianapolis, Dec. 27. Aunt of one.
WETHINGTON, Mary Jean, 79, All Saints, Dearborn County, Dec. 29.
Franciscan Sister Jan Kroeger served in Catholic schools for 36 years
Franciscan Sister Jan Kroeger died on Dec. 7
at the motherhouse of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in Oldenburg. She was 88.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Dec. 29 at the Motherhouse Chapel in Oldenburg. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
Sister Jan was born on Oct. 6, 1937, in Cincinnati. She joined the Sisters of St. Francis on Sept. 8, 1963, and professed final vows in on Aug. 12, 1969. Sister Jan studied at Marian University in Indianapolis and Xavier University in Cincinnati.
Sister Jan ministered for 36 years in Catholic schools in Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio. The last 16 years of her ministry before she retired to the motherhouse in 2016 were at an assisted living facility in Cincinnati.
In the archdiocese, Sister Jan served as a teacher at the former St. Andrew School in Richmond (now Seton Catholic Jr./Sr. High School) from 1965-67 and the Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception in Oldenburg from 1996-2002.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of St. Francis, P.O. Box 100, Oldenburg, IN 47036-0100.
Franciscan Sister Noreen McLaughlin was a missionary in Papua New Guinea for 31 years
Franciscan Sister Noreen McLaughlin died on Dec. 1 at the motherhouse of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in Oldenburg. She was 97.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Dec. 9 at the Motherhouse Chapel in Oldenburg. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
Sister Noreen was born on Oct. 18, 1928, in New Albany where she grew up as a member of St. Mary Parish. She joined the Sisters of St. Francis on Sept. 8, 1946, and professed final vows in on Aug. 12, 1954. Sister Noreen studied at Marian University in Indianapolis and Xavier University in Cincinnati.
Sister Noreen ministered for 31 years as a missionary in Papua New Guinea in both education and youth ministry. While in the island nation in Oceania, she also helped develop the ministry of the Franciscan Sisters of Mary, a community of women religious native to the country. Sister Noreen also served in education and parish ministry in Indiana and Kentucky.
In the archdiocese, Sister Noreen served in Indianapolis at the former St. Francis de Sales School from 1948-52 and at the former Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary School from 1952-55. She retired to the motherhouse in 2006.
Surviving is her brother, Robert McLaughlin.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of St. Francis, P.O. Box 100, Oldenburg, IN 47036-0100.
Mary Schliessmann, 94, was the mother of Father Thomas Schliessmann
Mary A. (Pietrus) Schliessmann, the mother of Father Thomas Schliessmann, pastor of St. Joan of Arc Parish in Indianapolis, died on Dec. 31, 2025. She was 94.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Jan. 9 at St. Luke the Evangelist Church in Indianapolis. Burial followed at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery in Indianapolis.
Schliessmann was born on June 24, 1931, in Pierre, S.D., to Charles and Lucy (Summer) Pietrus. After graduating from Pierre High School in Pierre, she studied at St. John’s School of Nursing in Huron, S.D., and completed anesthesia training in Omaha, Neb., becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). She worked as a nurse and CRNA in South Dakota, North Dakota and Indiana.
On Oct. 12, 1957, she married Jack Schliessmann at SS. Peter and Paul Church in Pierre. They lived in several states before settling in Indianapolis in 1971 where they became members of St. Luke the Evangelist Parish.
The couple became the parents of five children, all of whom survive: Lucia Mach, James, Martin, Richard and Father Thomas Schliessmann. Jack Schliessmann died on Sept. 7, 2011, after sharing 53 years of marriage with Mary.
After retiring, Schliessmann volunteered at the St. Augustine Home for the Aged in Indianapolis and participated in prayer and Bible study groups at St. Luke.
In addition to her children, Schliessmann is also survived by four grandchildren. †