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)

ALBIN, Jr., Albert F., 86, St. Christopher, Indianapolis, June 16. Husband of Patricia Albin. Father of Nancy Hanley, David and Michael Albin. Brother of Loretta Morrison. Grandfather of five. Great-grandfather of five.

BENNETT, Geraldine H., 81, St. Lawrence, Indianapolis, May 23. Wife of Howard J. Bennett, Jr. Mother of Cindy Uhlman, Christine, Howard and James Bennett. Sister of Linda Durden and Richard Holody. Grandmother of seven. Great-grandmother of two.

BOSWELL, Donald, 97, American Martyrs, Scottsburg, July 13. Husband of Beatrice Boswell. Father of Karen Alexander, Anna Jentzen, James and Steve Boswell. Grandfather of 22. Great-grandfather of 26. Great-great-grandfather of three.

BOWER, Bradley, 65, St. John Paul II, Sellersburg, May 19. Son of Alice Bower. Brother of Karen Bower and Cynthia Camacho. Uncle of several.

BROCKMAN, Rita A., 94, Holy Family, Oldenburg, July 5. Mother of Margaret Arceneaux, Theresa Doll, Mary Gentry, Cathy Nobbe, Cindy Stansifer, John, Larry, Martin and Paul Brockman. Grandmother of 22. Great-grandmother of 22.

BRODNAX, William, 81, St. Thomas Aquinas, Indianapolis, June 17. Father of Shana Reid and Cory Brodnax. Brother of Jacquelyn Turner. Grandfather of one.

COGHLAN, Dr. Charles Y., 87, St. Charles Borromeo, Bloomington, July 2. Husband of Helen Coghlan. Father of Shannon Eades, Karen Matacale, Kevin and Michael Coghlan. Brother of Nancy Baron. Grandfather of nine. Great-grandfather of 14.

COOPER, Catherine J., 48, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, June 26. Daughter of Stephen and Marianne Cooper. Sister of Angela Camper, Elaina Loncarevic, Andrew, Sean and Stefan Cooper. Aunt of several.

CORDER, Alfred L., 91, St. Christopher, Indianapolis, July 3. Father of Julie Pruitt and Jeff Corder. Brother of Pat Dietzler and Don Corder. Grandfather of one.

DESCHRYVER, Roberta J., 94, Christ the King, Indianapolis, July 1. Mother of Mary Carlson, Suzanne Knighton, Charles and Robert DeSchryver. Grandmother of seven. Great-grandmother of one.

ETIENNE, Jr., Charles, 88, St. Mark, Perry County, June 25. Husband of Jean Etienne. Father of Pam Gill, Kandi Weber, Jeremy Kessens and Charles Etienne. Brother of Mary Cardinal, Joan Hess, Duane, Jerry and Ron Etienne. Grandfather of one. Great-grandfather of two.

HELMS, Sr., Raymond S., 73, St. John Paul II, Sellersburg, June 23. Husband of Linda Helms. Father of Jennifer Mumaw, Charlie, Kenneth, Rick and Steve Helms. Brother of Troy Helms. Grandfather of 10.

HENEGHAN, Bernadette M., 84, St. Lawrence, Indianapolis, May 8. Mother of Chris Davis and James Heneghan III. Grandmother of three. Great-grandmother of three.

HOPP, Bernice, 92, St. Luke the Evangelist, Indianapolis, June 29. Stepmother of Teresa Stark, Jeffrey and Michael Hopp. Grandmother of two.

ITTENBACH, Janet, 80, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, June 12. Mother of Lynn Hammond. Sister of Alice Hedden, David and Tom Armstrong.

KERR, Agnes M., 85, Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Indianapolis, June 18. Wife of Clyde Kerr. Mother of Patty Hinchman, Anna and David Watson. Grandmother of three. Great-grandmother of two.

KIEL, Ronald F., 85, Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Indianapolis, June 14. Husband of Vivan Kiel. Father of Eve Alexander, Michael and Stephen Kiel. Brother of Bettie Jackson, Andrew, John and Maurice Kiel. Grandfather of eight. Great-grandfather of 14.

KOHTZ, Alan B., 74, St. Christopher, Indianapolis, June 2. Husband of Bridget Kohtz. Father of Meghan, Matt, Dr. Patrick and Col. Shane Kohtz. Brother of Susan Heiden, Cathy Nelson, Bob and John Kohtz. Grandfather of five.

LECHER, Edith M. (Bedel), 75, St. Catherine of Siena, Decatur County, Aug. 1. Wife of Steve Lecher. Mother of Mary Beth Busken, Cindy Gallagher, Angie Hudepohl, Rita Hudepohl, Michelle Scheidler, Melissa, Alvin, Andrew, Carl, Luke and Patrick Lecher. Sister of Marilyn Freyer, Carolyn Rennekamp, Ambrose, Bob, Mark, Maurice, Pete, Tom and Tony Bedel. Grandmother of 33. Great-grandmother of one.

LEISING, Bradley, 54, St. Mary, Rushville, July 9. Husband of Kim Leising. Son of Harold and Diana Leising. Brother of Karen Geise and Joseph Leising. Uncle and great-uncle of several.

MOELLER, Joseph A., 43, Holy Family, Oldenburg, July 9. Father of Mykella Lewis and Ava Moeller. Son of Dennis and Wilma Moeller. Brother of Christina Stahley. Grandfather of one.

MURPHY, Kathie J., 81, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Richmond, July 13. Mother of Mindy Schroeder, Jerry and John Murphy. Grandmother of three.

PFISTER, Elizabeth L., 98, St. Mary, Lanesville, June 30. Mother of Janet Hamilton, Teresa Pittman, Louise Richmer, Patricia and James Pfister. Grandmother of 11. Great-grandmother of six. Great-great-grandmother of one.

PROCK, Shelly, 39, St. Malachy, Brownsburg, May 22. Daughter of Mark Pettersch and Marrianne Wheeler. Sister of Alyssa Schucker, Catheryn and Thomas Pettersch. Granddaughter of Richard and Barbara Wagner.

RIDDLE, Mary Ellen, 87, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, June 2. Mother of Lisa Lynch, Greg, Mike and Tom Riddle. Grandmother of eight. Great-grandmother of one.

SCHEIL, Jay K., 62, Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Indianapolis, June 19. Husband of Betty Scheil. Father of Abbey, Gabby, Maddie and Parker Scheil. Brother of David and Stan Scheil.

SCHLARMANN, Patricia A., 88, All Saints, Dearborn County, July 7. Mother of Amy Bauer, Jenny Westendorf, Terri, Bernie and Mark Schlarmann. Grandmother of seven. Great-grandmother of five.

SIMMERMEYER, Carol L., 66, St. Michael, Brookville, June 15. Wife of Dan Simmermeyer. Mother of Aimee Brunemann, Abby Kennedy, Jenna Whittington, Andy Meyer and Josh Simmermeyer. Sister of Kim Campbell. Grandmother of 18.

SMITH, Daniel J., 68, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, June 24. Husband of Anita Smith. Father of Jenna and Eric Smith. Brother of Dorene Perry, Cheryl Spencer, Jimmy and Pat Smith.

STEINMETZ, Dorothy C., 89, All Saints, Dearborn County, June 29. Mother of Della Baynum, Diane Lykins, Dorothy Mobrley, Denise Scheider, Debra Scudder, Devonna Smith, Eldon, Eric, Ernie and Eugene Steinmetz. Sister of Edwin Gies. Grandmother of 26. Great-grandmother 24.

SUDHOFF, Paul W., 92, Prince of Peace, Madison, July 2. Father of Scott and Steven Sudhoff. Brother of Mary Knapke and Ray Sudhoff. Grandfather of five. Great-grandfather of seven.

SVEC, Jozef, 75, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, June 9. Husband of Josephine Svec. Father of Christopher and Justin Svec. Grandfather of seven. Great-grandfather of two.

WARD, Mary Lou, 84, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, June 28. Wife of Robert Ward. Mother of Janet Bolner, Michael and Robert Ward. Sister of Joseph and Thomas Withem. Grandmother of eight. Great-grandmother of 14.

WILSON, Jerry, 72, St. Mary-of-the-Knobs, Floyd County, June 29. Husband of Sherry Wilson. Father of Marsha Sneed and Maggie Walker. Brother of Mary Brothers, Linda Leffler, Janet Plantz and Elmer Wilson. Grandfather of five.

WINTERNHEIMER, Foy, 94, St. Mary-of-the-Knobs, Floyd County, June 29. Father of Cheryl Roberts and Mark Winternheimer. Grandfather of seven.

Providence Sister Brigid Ann Bonner served in education and social work

Providence Sister Brigid Ann Bonner, a member of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, died on July 23 at Mother Theodore Hall on the campus of her religious community’s motherhouse. She was 85.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on July 31 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at the motherhouse in St. Mary-of-the-Woods. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.

Sister Brigid was born on April 15, 1940, in Whiting, Ind. She entered the Sisters of Providence on Jan. 6, 1958, and professed final vows on Aug. 15, 1965.

Sister Brigid earned a bachelor’s degree in education at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, a master’s degrees in education at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., and a master’s degree in social work at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Ky.

During her 67 years as a member of the Sisters of Providence, Sister Brigid ministered as an educator in Catholic schools for 15 years in Illinois and Indiana. She then served in social work in Indiana and Kentucky for 28 years. After retiring in 2010, she lived near Louisville serving as a substitute teacher, social worker and volunteering in ministry in her parish and to the homeless for 12 years. Sister Brigid returned to the motherhouse in 2022, where she dedicated herself entirely to prayer.

In the archdiocese, she served at Our Lady of the Greenwood School in Greenwood from 1967-69, St. Michael School in Greenfield from 1971-74 and in Indianapolis at the former St. James School from 1970-71 and St. Philip Neri School from 1977-79. Sister Brigid also ministered as a social worker at the Providence Retirement Home in New Albany from 1982-91.

She is survived by a sister, Providence Sister Eileen Rose Bonner of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, and a brother, Neil Bonner of Oceanside, Calif.

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. †