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)

ABRAHAM, Katalin M., 86, St. Bartholomew, Columbus, Dec. 6. Mother of George, Norbert, Jr., and Robert Abraham. Grandmother of two.

ARMSTRONG, Bruce A., 64, Our Lady of the Greenwood, Greenwood, Dec. 1. Husband of Susan Armstrong. Father of Nicholas and Ryan Armstrong. Son of Joan Armstrong. Brother of Nancy Mesler.

BERNZOTT, Ann, 85, St. Gabriel, Connersville, Dec. 6. Mother of Pam Copeland, Becky Fischesser, Dr. Cheri Schiano, Beth Schnelle, Chris and Dr. Jay Bernzott. Grandmother of 14. Great-grandmother of 10.

BOEHMER, Robert, 90, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, Nov. 25. Father of Theresa Fairchild, Anne Hunneman, Sarah, Christopher, Eric, John and Mark Boehmer. Grandfather of eight. Great-grandfather of seven.

BRAWNER, Patrick N., 51, Prince of Peace, Madison, Dec. 4. Father of Kayla Baker and Brady Brawner. Son of Paul Jo and Janet Brawner. Brother of Kathy Phillips, Karen Sinders, Greg, Tim and Tony Brawner.

BRUNS, JoeAnn, 85, St. Michael, Brookville, Dec. 11. Wife of Lester Bruns. Mother of Denise Busony, Debbie Moore, Diane Pennington, Donna and Doug Bruns. Grandmother of nine. Great-grandmother of 11.

CARNAGHI, Angelo, 95, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, Nov. 15. Father of Jan, Jill, Mark and Mike Carnaghi. Brother of Katie McClaren. Grandfather of four.

CHASE, James R., 77, St. Barnabas, Indianapolis, Dec. 13. Father of Michelle Schoettle. Brother of William Chase. Grandfather of four.

COOPER, Jerry T., 74, St. Roch, Indianapolis, Dec. 12. Father of Darlene Hawk, Amy Kendall, Stacy O’Gara and Keith Cooper. Stepson of Donald Keith. Brother of Brenda Turk. Grandfather of eight. Step-grandfather of five. Great-grandfather of three. Step-great-grandfather of eight.

DONOVAN, Patrick M., 72, Christ the King, Indianapolis, Nov. 28. Husband of Molly Donovan. Father of Brian, Dan and Kevin Donovan. Brother of Kathleen, Dennis, Jimmy and Timothy. Grandfather of three.

ERNST, Sandra L., 76, St. Jude, Indianapolis, Dec. 12. Mother of Brenda and Steve Ernst. Sister of Jim Allen. Grandmother of six.

FRYE, Bernard, 80, St. Joseph University Parish, Terre Haute, Dec. 6. Husband of Myrthel Frye. Father of Jessica Brady, Gretchen Gallion, Cheryl Garrett, Aimee Jacobs, Theresa Kane, Heidi Leonard, Elizabeth Meny and Lester Frye. Brother of Edna Helms. Grandfather of 11. Great-grandfather of five.

GREULICH, Leroy J., 89, St. Meinrad, St. Meinrad, Dec. 3. Husband of Bettye Greulich. Father of Susanna Board, Cynthia, Gregg and Randy Greulich. Brother of Omer Greulich. Grandfather of eight. Great-grandfather of nine.

GROTE, Guenter A., 80, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Bright, Dec. 6. Husband of Ursula Grote. Father of Cornelia Berkemeier, Annette, Edmund and Guenter Grote, Jr. Brother of Siegfried Grote. Grandfather of 14. Great-grandfather of eight.

HASSFURTHER, Charlotte A., 76, St. Meinrad, St. Meinrad, Dec. 5. Wife of Thomas Hassfurther. Mother of Melissa Braunecker. Sister of Tammy Lillipop, Karen, Rojean, Clyde, Gerald, Leon, Lynn and Stewart Brenner. Grandmother of one.

KING, Jane A. (Bixler), 86, Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Indianapolis, Dec. 6. Wife of Richard King. Mother of Teresa Axthelm, Mary Ginder and Peter Bixler. Stepmother of Pamela Kirkham, Linda Nolting, Jeffrey, Phillip, Robert and Rodnick King. Grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother of several.

LEISING, Paul A., 83, St. Mary, Rushville, Dec. 2. Husband of JoAnn Leising. Father of Angela Buckley, Tammy Jackman and Doug Leising. Brother of Norma Miller, Arnold, Harold, Mark, Marvin and Raymond Leising. Grandfather of six.

LEWIS, Terry L., 62, Prince of Peace, Madison, Dec. 7. Husband of Karen Lewis. Father of Michelle Lewis. Brother of Debbie Miles, Vickie Wehner, Bill, Steve and Wayne Lewis.

LILLY, Ralph M., 68, Holy Family, New Albany, Dec. 5. Husband of Mary Pat Lilly. Father of Andrea Cotton and Crista Steier. Son of Ralph and Juanita Lilly. Brother of Donnie and Mike Lilly. Grandfather of four.

LITTELMANN, Mary P., 75, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Bright, Dec. 7. Wife of Ray Littelmann. Mother of Angela Meyer, Doug and Todd Littelmann. Sister of Linda Jones. Grandmother of eight.

LYNCH, Robert M., 83, St. Mark the Evangelist, Indianapolis, Dec. 1. Father of Jeannie Massing and Marty Lynch. Grandfather of six. Great-grandfather of seven.

NIEMAN, Robert I., 87, St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Aurora, Dec. 14. Father of Elizabeth Brookbank and Clifford Nieman. Grandfather of four. Great-grandfather of three.

PRESNAL, Maribeth (Maloof), 56, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, Dec. 4. Wife of Mike Presnal. Mother of Lucy, Andrew, Michael and Sam Presnal. Daughter of Shelby Chapdeliane. Sister of Mark Maloof.

SHIRLEY, Jerry F., 83, St. Mary-of-the-Knobs, Floyd County, Dec. 3. Father of Geri and Dale Shirley. Brother of Alvin and Rob Shirley. Grandfather of two.

SONDGERATH, Patrecia A., 91, St. Jude, Indianapolis, Dec. 4. Mother of Mary Kirkman, Ruth Niezgodski, Rachel, Paul and Tyler Lockhart. Stepmother of Michelle Miller, Heidi Tapley, Thane and Todd Sondgerath. Sister of Alice Butts, Mary Knapp and Shirley Sondgerath. Grandmother of 28. Great-grandmother of eight.

SORG, James, 84, Most Precious Blood, New Middletown, Oct. 9. Husband of Delores Sorg. Father of Connie Davis, Brenda Englert, Kimberly Graves, Lisa Whyland, Tonya, Carl, Michael, Rick and Timothy Sorg. Brother of Jeanie Blackburn, Theresa Blevins, Mary Catherine Deppe, Winifred Goelz, Amy Rebello, Anthony, Charles, Joe and John Sorg. Grandfather of 21. Great-grandfather of 12.

TUGGLE, Robert, 83, St. Pius V, Troy, Dec. 12. Father of Bob and John Tuggle. Brother of Jack Tuggle. Grandfather of one. Great-grandfather of two.

WERNSING, James H., 72, Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, Indianapolis, Dec. 2. Husband of Carol Wernsing. Father of Francheska Campbell, Erica Collins, Wendy Manubay, Patricia Marsella, Jennifer Palic and Scott Hogue. Brother of Ed Wernsing. Grandfather of 16.

WORL, Laura, 75, St. Pius X, Indianapolis, Nov. 23. Mother of Gail Books, Stacy Wessel, Brian Russell and Adam Worl. Sister of Eunice Shell, Clara Welch and Donna Wright. Grandmother of 10. Great-grandmother of five.

ZAPP, Patricia, 94, Most Holy Name of Jesus, Beech Grove, Dec. 5. Wife of Dale Zapp. Mother of David, Douglas and Patrick Zapp. Grandmother of five. Great-grandmother of 16.

Providence Sister Ann Stephen Stouffer served for 44 years in Catholic schools

Providence Sister Ann Stephen Stouffer, a member of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, died on Dec. 9 at Clinton Gardens in Clinton. She was 82.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Dec. 21 at the Church of the Immaculate Conception at the motherhouse in St. Mary-of-the-Woods. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.

Sister Ann Stephen was born on Feb. 26, 1939, in Wabash, Ind. She entered the Sisters of Providence on Feb. 2, 1960, and professed final vows on Aug. 15, 1967.

Sister Ann Stephen earned a bachelor’s degree at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and a master’s degree at Indiana University in Bloomington.

During her 62 years as a member of the Sisters of Providence, Sister Ann Stephen ministered for 44 years in Catholic schools in Illinois, Indiana and California. After retiring from ministry in education, she returned to the motherhouse where she served as administrator of Providence Hall. In 2019, she dedicated herself entirely to prayer.

In the archdiocese, Sister Ann Stephen served at the former St. Mary-of-the-Woods School from 1963-64, at St. Malachy School in Brownsburg from 1969-75 and at the motherhouse from 2008-15.

She is survived by two brothers, John Stouffer of McCormick, S.C., and Stephen Stouffer of Indianapolis.

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.

Franciscan Sister Patricia Zartman discerned religious life after vocation as a wife, mother and educator

Franciscan Sister Patricia Zartman died on Dec. 19 at the motherhouse of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in Oldenburg. She was 92.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Dec. 23 at the Motherhouse Chapel in Oldenburg. Burial followed at Arlington Memorial Gardens in Cincinnati.

Patricia Hankey was born on June 19, 1929, in Cleveland. She studied nursing as a young adult and married William Zartman after he had been discharged from the U.S. Navy after World War II. The couple was blessed with four children. Patricia later earned a bachelor’s degree in education and taught at St. Ann School in Cincinnati, where her children were educated.

After the children completed their education, were married and started families of their own, William Zartman died in 1984.

Patricia received solace for the grief of her loss in her growing relationship with the Oldenburg Franciscan sisters and eventually discerned that God was calling her to share their vocation.

She became a postulant in 1986, but left the community in 1990. After her son Joseph died unexpectedly at age 43 in 1996, Patricia experienced a desire to return to the Oldenburg Franciscans, which she did in 1998, professing final vows on Nov. 30, 2002.

From 1999-2006, Sister Patricia ministered in parish and hospital ministry in Cincinnati. She also assisted in the phone room at the motherhouse from 2002 until fully retiring from ministry in 2019.

She is survived by her daughter Patricia Zartman of Cincinnati, her sons Douglas Zartman of Nokomis, Fla., and William Zartman of Fairborn, Ohio, and several grandchildren.

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