April 28, 2023

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)

ADAMS, George R., 79, St. Vincent de Paul, Bedford, April 6. Husband of Patricia Adams. Father of Steve Adams. Grandfather of four.

BELL, Michael, 51, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Richmond, April 5. Husband of Artina Bell. Brother of Angela Reed, Juliana Wilson and John Bell. Uncle of several.

BOWMAN, Charlene E., 79, St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Aurora, April 12. Mother of Caroline Reeves. Sister of David Wolker. Grandmother of two.

CARSON, Phyllis A., 85, All Saints Parish, Dearborn County, April 11. Mother of Julie Kern, Janna Stonebraker, James and John Carson. Sister of Ruth Back and Darlene Phillips. Grandmother of 12. Great-grandmother of nine.

CLARK, Dorothy A., 74, St. Jude, Indianapolis, April 8. Mother of Denise Shank, Dana and David Clark. Sister of Kathleen Babinski, Tracey Campbell, Paula McAfee, Margaret Rodenhiser and Albert Johnson. Grandmother of four.

ECKERT, Judy D., 57, St. John Paul II, Sellersburg, April 10. Wife of Mike Eckert. Mother of Emily and Benjamin Eckert. Daughter of Ben Hurst. Sister of Brad, Brian and Scott Hurst.

FLYNN, Stephen V., 57, St. Jude, Indianapolis, March 30. Husband of Shannon Flynn. Father of Brigid and Patrick Flynn. Brother of Sue Hambrick, Sharon Smith, Mary, Dan, David, John and Matt Flynn. Uncle of several.

GEIS, Carolyn, 87, St. Gabriel, Connersville, March 30. Mother of Mary Godar, Janet Miller, Audrey Snyder, Donna Templeton and Jerome Geis. Sister of Joseph Cook. Grandmother of 11. Great-grandmother of six.

HOLIDAY, Steven K., 61, St. John Paul II, Sellersburg, April 11. Husband of Nancy Holiday. Father of Christina Smith and Jeffrey Holiday. Brother of Sarah Holiday, Jami Snawder, and Shannon, Brad and Jeff Hinton. Grandfather of two.

KELLY, Barbara, 64, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, April 9. Sister of Bill, Bob and Tom Levell. Aunt of several.

KERR, John R., 97, St. Malachy, Brownsburg, April 14. Father of Paula, Brian and Christopher Kerr. Grandfather of five. Great-grandfather of five.

MARTIN GASPAR, Domingo A., infant, St. Ambrose, Seymour, April 2. Son of Pascual Martin and Apolonia Gaspar. Brother of Maria J., Maria M. and Daisey Gaspar.

PEAK, Jr., Louis L., 65, St. Mary, New Albany, April 3. Father of Eileen Javed, Marie and Matthew Peak. Grandfather of 10. Great-grandfather of one.

PLUCHAR, Charles, 92, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, April 11. Husband of Joan Pluchar. Father of Rosanne Eichholtz, Theresa Langsenkamp, Michael and Tom Pluchar. Grandfather of 11. Great-grandfather of seven.

POZEK, Janko, 88, St. Jude, Indianapolis, April 13. Husband of Josefina Pozek. Father of Katrina Matthews and Angi Sullivan. Brother of Mayda and Slavica Pozek. Grandfather of seven. Great-grandfather of three.

ROBERTS, Kenneth W., 73, Immaculate Conception, Millhousen, April 13. Husband of Mary Roberts. Father of Michelle Brogan and Cynthia Roberts. Brother of Charles and James Roberts. Grandfather of two.

ROEHLING, Sandra, 77, St. Jude, Indianapolis, April 12. Wife of Edward Roehling. Mother of Melissa McGrath, Kris, Dennis and Jerry Roehling. Sister of Ginny Powers and Mike Harms. Grandmother of 16.

VOGEL, Jim, 41, St. Ambrose, Seymour, April 2. Son of Joyce Vogel. Brother of Jennifer and Matthew Vogel. Grandson of Patricia Stout.


Franciscan Sister Rachel Lindenmaier ministered in Catholic schools for 33 years

Franciscan Sister Rachel Mary Lindenmaier, a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in Oldenburg, died on April 7 at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati. She was 86.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on April 13 at the Motherhouse Chapel in Oldenburg. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.

Sister Rachel was born on June 20, 1936, in Indianapolis. While growing up there, she attended St. Roch School, the former Sacred Heart of Jesus School and the former St. John Academy.

Sister Rachel joined the Sisters of St. Francis on Sept. 8, 1955, and professed final vows in on Aug. 12, 1961. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education at Marian University in Indianapolis.

During 67 years as a member of the Sisters of St. Francis, Sister Rachel ministered in Catholic education and other educational settings for 33 years in Indiana and Ohio. Her ministry also included domestic work for the elderly, media ministry with St. Anthony Messenger in Cincinnati, promoting vocations with the Franciscans of the St. John the Baptist Province in Cincinnati and as a housekeeping supervisor at the motherhouse.

In the archdiocese, Sister Rachel served at St. Gabriel School in Connersville from 1959-64, St. Lawrence School in Lawrenceburg from 1970-71, the former Sacred Heart School in Clinton from 1975-76, and in Indianapolis at the former St. Rita School from 1976-80 and at St. Christopher School from 1980-84.

She is survived by her twin sister, Franciscan Sister Evelyn Lindenmaier of Oldenburg, and a brother, Norbert Lindenmaier of Indianapolis.

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


Franciscan Sister Sharon Sheridan served in Catholic schools and family life ministry

Franciscan Sister Sharon Sheridan, a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in Oldenburg, died at the motherhouse on March 28. She was 91.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on April 4 at the Motherhouse Chapel in Oldenburg. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.

Sister Sharon was born on Nov. 13, 1931, in Indianapolis, where she grew up as a member of St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower) Parish.

Sister Sharon joined the Sisters of St. Francis on Sept. 8, 1950, and professed final vows in on Aug. 12, 1956. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education at Marian University in Indianapolis and a master’s degree in educational administration at St. Louis University in St. Louis.

She served in Catholic schools in Indiana, Missouri and Ohio and in family life ministry in Michigan and West Virginia.

In the archdiocese, Sister Sharon served in archdiocesan offices from 1972-76, at St. Louis School in Batesville from 1977-81, at St. Monica School and at Marian University, both in Indianapolis, from 1983-84, and again at Marian University from 2000-04 and 2008-09.

She is survived by a sister, Connie Lane.

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

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