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)
AMBERGER, Jacob, 17, St. Joseph, St. Leon, Oct. 6. Son of Charlie and Keri Amberger. Brother of Megan and Jason Amberger. Grandson of Jerry and Sheri Osterman and Dick and Jo Ann Amberger.
CESNIK, Charles, 76, St. Christopher, Indianapolis, Oct. 14. Father of Ellen Ferguson, Christopher, Michael and Robert Cesnik. Grandfather of nine. Great-grandfather of one.
EMERSON, Cecilia F. (Lewis), 67, St. Mary, Rushville, Oct. 30. Wife of Jim Emerson. Mother of Jodi Emerson. Sister of Laura Falascino, Jeannie Hill, Michael and Tommy Lewis.
HELMER, Christine Marie, 61, St. Christopher, Indianapolis, Oct. 14. Sister of Susan Fay, Mary Hougendobler, JoAnne Koss, James, Robert, Thomas and Vincent Helmer Jr., and Dennis Morrison.
HELMER, Patricia, I., 86, St. Christopher, Indianapolis, Oct. 14. Mother of Susan Fay, Mary Hougendobler, JoAnne Koss, James, Robert, Thomas and Vincent Helmer Jr., and Dennis Morrison. Grandmother of 12. Great-grandmother of 23.
JENNINGS, Brian F., 69, St. Matthew the Apostle, Indianapolis, Oct. 30. Husband of Susan (Walsh) Jennings. Father of Michelle Brady, Kelly, Maureen, Keith, Kevin and Matthew Jennings. Brother of Frances Bevan and Patricia Gallagher. Grandfather of eight.
JORDAN, Teresa Ann, 57, St. Michael the Archangel, Indianapolis, Nov. 3. Daughter of Thomas and Marylin Jordan. Sister of Rebecca Barrett, Amy Barton, Joan Hauk, Laura Jordan and Susan Lay. Aunt of several.
KINSER, Lura (Justis), 76, St. Charles Borromeo, Bloomington, Oct. 27. Wife of John F. Kinser. Mother of Anna Marie DeStefano, Valerie Scott and John Kinser. Sister of Lola Barnett, Lois Curry, Phyllis Deford and Richard Justis. Grandmother of four.
MARRONE, August L., 73, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Jeffersonville, Sept. 30.
MAY, Mary Rose, 84, St. Bartholomew, Columbus, Oct. 28. Mother of John, Larry and Rick May. Grandmother of eight. Great-grandmother of eight.
RICHMER, Raymond, 90, St. Mary, New Albany, Oct. 28. Husband of Joyce Richmer. Father of Mary Kay Campbell, John, Michael and Scott Richmer. Grandfather of 20. Great-grandfather of four.
STRIEGEL, Norma, 89, Holy Family, New Albany, Oct. 26. Wife of Raymond Striegel. Mother of Rozalyn Wolverton, Raymond, Reed, Richard, Roger and Ronald Striegel. Sister of Georgia Striegel. Grandmother of 24. Great-grandmother of 50. Great-great-grandmother of nine.
Franciscan Sister Alma Louise Kohnen taught at Catholic schools in two states for 49 years
Franciscan Sister Alma Louise Kohnen, a member of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis of Oldenburg, died on Oct. 28 at St. Clare Hall, the health care center at the motherhouse. She was 101.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Oct. 31 at the motherhouse chapel. Burial followed at the sisters’ cemetery.
The former Florence Eleanora Kohnen was born on April 28, 1911, in Newport, Ky.
She entered the congregation of the Oldenburg Franciscans on Dec. 27, 1928, and professed her final vows on July 2, 1934.
Sister Alma Louise taught at Catholic elementary schools in Indiana and Ohio for 49 years.
In the archdiocese, she taught at the former St. Mary-of-the-Rock School in Franklin County, the former St. Joseph School in St. Leon, St. Paul School in New Alsace, the former St. Martin School in Yorkville and the former St. Mary School in Lanesville.
After retiring from teaching, Sister Alma Louise volunteered in the communications office and archives at the motherhouse, and also helped care for sisters who were ill.
In 1997, she retired from active ministry, but continued to serve her community as a minister of praise until shortly before her death.
Surviving are two brothers, Clarence and Harold Kohnen.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the Sisters of St. Francis, P.O. Box 100, Oldenburg, IN 47036. †