August 12, 2022

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)

BOWMAN, Ronald L., 81, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, July 14. Husband of Elizabeth Bowman. Father of Bill, Jeff, Matt and Rick Bowman. Grandfather of 15. Great-grandfather of six.

CONDON, Mary Ann, 87, St. Roch, Indianapolis, July 8. Mother of Paula Reiss, Nickolas and Robert Condon. Grandmother of 16. Great-grandmother of five. Great-great-grandmother of two.

DAVIS, Sean C., 38, St. Paul, Tell City, July 15. Son of Randy and Barbara Davis. Grandson of Betty Hess.

DEGITZ, Robert, 84, St. Jude, Indianapolis, July 13. Husband of Sue Degitz. Father of Cheryl Cherry, Julie Newell, Andy, Mark and Tim Degitz. Brother of Mary Gibbs and Jerry Degitz. Grandfather of eight.

DIGENOVA, Aaron, 85, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Richmond, July 8. Husband of Gerri DiGenova. Father of Sherry Pardo and Andy DiGenova. Brother of MonaLee Rance, Danny and Null DiGenova. Grandfather of six.

DIVISH, Patricia A. (Dolan), 80, American Martyrs, Scottsburg, Nov. 15, 2021. Mother of Julie McClellan, Margaret McMillan, Carolyn Waninger, Barbara, Bill, Chris and Edward Divish. Sister of Gene, Paul and Tom Doland. Grandmother of 16. Great-grandmother of two.

DIXON, Ruby M. (Riat), 90, St. Paul, Tell City, July 12. Mother of Lena Harper, Barbara and Michael Dixon. Grandmother of five. Great-grandmother of several. Great-great-grandmother of one.

EDWARDS, Linda P., 73, St. Vincent de Paul, Bedford, June 30. Mother of Ashea Williams. Sister of Jo Ann McPherson, Shari Mundy and William Folmer III. Grandmother of two.

FICHT, Marialane, 76, American Martyrs, Scottsburg, Dec. 20, 2021. Wife of William Ficht.

FOLEY, Tim, 81, St. Simon the Apostle, Indianapolis, July 5. Husband of Patricia Foley. Father of Allison, Jennifer, Isaac and Michael Foley. Grandfather of 13.

FOX, William F., 87, St. Luke the Evangelist, Indianapolis, July 6. Father of Andrew, James and William Fox. Grandfather of six.

FOY, David B., 90, St. Luke the Evangelist, Indianapolis, July 13. Husband of Gayle Foy. Father of Colleen Foy-Gudgel, Catherine Foy-Roussos, Maureen Foy-Tornay, Mary Ann Foy-Wang, Margaret Meinhart, Christine Purich, Karen Semler, Brian, Christopher and Kevin Foy. Grandfather of 29.

GARRY, Kathlyn M., 84, Holy Family, New Albany, July 13. Mother of John Garry and Joe Prestigiacomo. Grandmother of three.

GERVASIO, William E., 90, St. Jude, Indianapolis, July 13. Father of Jane, David and John Gervasio. Brother of Joseph Gervasio. Grandfather of four.

GOOTEE, Judith, 78, St. Vincent de Paul, Bedford, June 19. Mother of Emily Eagan and Scott Gootee. Sister of Gene, Jerry and Rusty Abel. Grandmother of eight.

KOLB, Edward P., 92, St. Michael, Brookville, July 6. Father of Donna Talbert, Dennis, Mark and Randy Kolb. Brother of Clara Jordan and Liz Stenger. Grandfather of 21. Great-grandfather of 17.

KOORS, Joan M., 91, St. Mary, Greensburg, July 6. Mother of Mary Kay Dinn. Grandmother of three. Great-grandmother of 11.

MCGROTTY, Sean P., 54, Mary, Queen of Peace, Danville, July 14. Father of Ashley Mobley, Collin and Sean McGrotty. Son of Carole McGrotty. Brother of Erin Dotson, Heather Shade and Kevin McGrotty. Grandfather of two.

MILLER, William E., 93, Christ the King, Indianapolis, June 30. Husband of Mary Katherine Miller. Father of Susan Hoff, Andy, Joe and Steve Miller. Brother of Jim Miller. Grandfather of 10. Great-grandfather of 15.

MOONEY, Shiela (Moynihan), 82, St. Joan of Arc, Indianapolis, July 2. Mother of Kathleen Jeffers, Patricia Lautenbach, Maura Lee, Bridget McIntyre, Eileen Walthall, Erin Young, Robert and William Mooney. Sister of Maura Brogan and Mary Louise Turner. Grandmother of 28.

MONSOUR, David, 90, American Martyrs, Scottsburg, Oct. 27, 2021. Uncle of several.

NANCE, Steven L., 64, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, New Albany, July 7. Husband of Sandy Nance. Father of Jamie Thomassen, Brian and Craig Nance. Brother of Carol Coulter and Dottie Kraft. Grandfather of eight.

NIEHOFF, Mildred (Andres), 90, St. Mary-of-the-Knobs, Floyd County, July 7. Mother of Janice Schneider, Diana Traub and Leo Niehoff, Jr. Sister of Ann Andres, Judith Bowe, Rita Nolot, Elmer and Melford Andres. Grandmother of seven. Great-grandmother of 13.

NOEL, Larry D., 79, St. Mary, Rushville, July 11. Father of Carol Clement and Annette Snoddy. Brother of Sherry Geis, Frances Marshall and Mark Noel. Grandfather of eight. Great-grandfather of 17.

NOLL, Gerald, 91, St. John Paul II, Sellersburg, June 30. Husband of Joycelyn Noll. Father of Dina Floyd, Denice and Donna McCandless, Denise McNary, Debbie Popp, Doug Coffman and Ronald Noll. Brother of Clifford Noll. Grandfather and great-grandfather of several.

RADER, Richard, 80, SS. Francis and Clare of Assisi, Greenwood, July 11. Husband of Mary Rader. Father of Laura Rader and Gina Sylvester. Brother of Ros Ida Peel.

RUNGE, Charlene M. (Gualdoni), 87, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, April 7. Mother of Jody Hall, Jill Miller, Julie and Thomas Runge. Sister of Charles Gualdoni. Grandmother of five. Great-grandmother of seven.

SCHROEDER, Marilyn, 84, St. Mary, Rushville, July 16. Mother of Sally Adams, Andrew, Greg and Ken Schroeder. Sister of Marlene Wolter. Grandmother of eight. Great-grandmother of four.

SHABER, Mark E., 81, St. Vincent de Paul, Bedford, June 26. Father of Melissa Shaber.

SHEEHAN, Joan L., 95, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, June 15. Mother of Mary Sheehan Horton, Genny Sheehan-Short, Maggie, Kevin and Tony Sheehan. Grandmother of 12. Great-grandmother of 19. Great-great-grandmother of two.

SMITH, Norma J., 90, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Richmond, July 12. Wife of John Smith. Mother of Debra Doggett and Timothy Smith. Grandmother of four. Great-grandmother of five.

STEINER, Vincent P., 60, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, July 9. Son of Robert Steiner. Brother of Mary Beth Medford, Becky, David and Mark Steiner.

TREVINO, Isabel, 60, St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower), Indianapolis, June 22. Mother of Daniel and Fernando Trevino and James Wayne. Sister of several.

VREELAND, Nichole J., 46, St. Bartholomew, Columbus, July 11. Wife of Richard Vreeland. Mother of Tora, Cole and Dakota Vreeland. Daughter of Frank and Vicki Ganley. Sister of Jacqui Eberhart, Charity and Chaz Ganley.

WEHDER, Dr. Haley R., 29, St. John Paul II, Sellersburg, July 11. Daughter of Kyle and Beverly Wehder. Granddaughter of Margie Wehder.

WELSH, Michael A., 63, St. Gabriel, Connersville, July 7. Son of Mary Ann Snyder. Brother of Douglas, Eric, Patrick and Paul Welsh.


Ramona Pfaff, mother of Father Aaron Pfaff, died on July 14 in Jasper, Ind.

Ramona K. (Seng) Pfaff, the mother of Father Aaron Pfaff, pastor of St. Bernard Parish in Frenchtown, St. Joseph Parish in Crawford County and St. Michael Parish in Bradford, died on July 14 at Northwood Good Samaritan Retirement Community in Jasper, Ind. She was 77.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Aug. 4 at St. Raphael Church in Dubois, Ind. Burial followed in the church cemetery.

Pfaff was born on June 6, 1945, in Huntingburg, Ind., to Ben and Henrietta (Dischinger) Seng. She worked for German American Bank for more than 30 years and was a member of Holy Family Parish in Jasper.

A generous person, Pfaff had a passion for cooking, baking and her family, friends and neighbors. She enjoyed hosting gatherings at her home, where she lived for 52 years.

She is survived by her children, Renee Vincel of Bloomfield, Ind., Father Aaron Pfaff and Ross Pfaff of Fort Worth, Texas, her sisters, Jane Benda, Marilyn Seng, Benedictine Sister Paulette Seng and Mike Seng and three grandchildren.

Memorial gifts may be sent to Monastery Immaculate Conception, 802 E 10th St, Ferdinand, IN 47532, or to a favorite charity.


Franciscan Sister Dominica Doyle served at St. Michael School in Brookville for 40 years

Franciscan Sister Dominica Doyle died on July 23 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 Aug. 1 at the Motherhouse Chapel in Oldenburg. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.

Sister Dominica was born on May 22, 1925, in Indianapolis, where she grew up as a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish. She joined the Sisters of St. Francis on Sept. 8, 1942, and professed final vows in on Aug. 12, 1948. Sister Dominica earned a bachelor’s degree in education at Marian University in Indianapolis, a master’s degree at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., and continued her education later at Wheeling University in Wheeling, W.V., and in Cincinnati at the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University.

During 79 years as a member of the Sisters of St. Francis, Sister Dominica ministered in Catholic education for 61 years in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio before retiring to the motherhouse in 2010.

In the archdiocese, she served at the former St. Mary School in New Albany from 1956-59. Beginning in 1965, Sister Dominica began 40 years of ministry at St. Michael School in Brookville, returning to live at the motherhouse in 2005. There, she served in the finance office of the Oldenburg Academy of the Immaculate Conception until 2015.

Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of St. Francis, P.O. Box 100, Oldenburg, IN 47036-0100. †

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