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)
BISCHOFF, David J., 74, St. Louis, Batesville, Sept. 6. Husband of Mary Bischoff. Father of Taylor Schmidt, Lindsey Schornick and Corey Bischoff. Brother of Albert, Gene, Jim, Larry, Richard, Robert and Tom Bischoff. Grandfather of eight.
D’ANTONIO, Shannon (Sturgeon), 73, St. Charles Borromeo, Bloomington, Sept. 5. Mother of Justin Suer, Arthur III and Ryan D’Antonio. Grandmother of six.
FISCHER, Bradley J., 51, All Saints, Dearborn County, Sept. 8. Father of Carmen Fischer. Son of Bob and Betty Fischer. Brother of Katie Enneking.
KENNEDY, Judith A. (Bruce), 87, Our Lady of the Greenwood, Greenwood, Sept. 9. Mother of Vicki McPherson and Karen Pierce. Sister of Tom Bruce. Grandmother of three.
KRUER, Cindy, 65, St. John Paul II, Sellersburg, Sept. 6. Wife of Marion Kruer. Mother of Halle and Max Nauman and George Budd. Stepmother of Adam and Michael Kruer. Sister of Laura Beyerle and Richard Schroder. Grandmother of seven.
NIESE, Carol A., 74, St. Louis, Batesville, Sept. 11. Wife of Virgil Niese. Mother of Anthony and Matthew Niese. Sister of Marlene Riehle and Paul Roell. Grandmother of two.
POPP, Marcella R., 95, St. John Paul II, Sellersburg, Sept. 4. Mother of Rosemary Sanders and Kathleen Popp. Sister of Bernice Kleehamer. Grandmother of three. Great-grandmother of seven.
SCHRANK, Denis L., 85, Holy Family, Oldenburg, Sept. 6. Husband of Patricia Schrank. Father of Karen Berty, Cindy Gerstbauer, Lisa Nolan, Tina and Tim Schrank. Brother of Anita Brelage and Tom Schrank. Grandfather of 15. Great-grandfather of 10.
SCHUELER, Joan M., 96, St. Mary, New Albany, Sept. 1. Mother of Becky Banet, Kathy Becht and Robin Coulter. Grandmother of five. Great-grandmother of 15.
SLINGER, Paula A., 77, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, July 16. Wife of Deacon Michael Slinger. Mother of Brigid Bowers. Sister of Patty Talen. Grandmother of two.
SMITH, Christopher C., 91, Holy Spirit, Indianapolis, Aug. 6. Father of Christopher Smith, Jr. Brother of Cora Hughes and Tommy Smith. Grandfather of 12. Great-grandfather of 16.
STEIN, Thomas A., 76, St. Louis, Batesville, Aug. 22. Husband of Virginia Stein. Father of Amber Schell, Christopher and Scott Stein. Son of Elizabeth Stein. Brother of Cheryl Bitterman, Melissa Bradley, Mary Starost, Bill, Dave, Greg, Lawrence and Michael Stein. Grandfather of eight. Great-grandfather of four.
WEILER, Nicholas C., 43, St. Peter, Franklin County, Sept. 5. Husband of Jessica Weiler. Father of Allison, Macie and Garrett Weiler. Son of Allen and Robin Weiler. Brother of Josie Bonilla, Valarie Hoff, Tonya Hudepohl, Jacob and Michael Weiler. Grandson of Shirley Craig.
Edward L. Johnson, Jr., 85, was the father of Father Eric Johnson
Edward L. Johnson, Jr., the father of Father Eric Johnson, pastor of St. Mark the Evangelist Parish in Indianapolis, died on Sept. 10, 2026. He was 85.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Sept. 17 at St. Barnabas Church in Indianapolis. Burial followed at Calvary Cemetery in Indianapolis.
Johnson was born on June 28, 1941, in Indianapolis to Edward, Sr., and Dolores (Kistner) Johnson. He grew up as a member of the former Holy Trinity Parish on the near west side of the city.
Johnson went to high school at the former Latin School of Indianapolis and then continued his studies at Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in St. Meinrad. He later earned a master’s degree at the University of Notre Dame in northern Indiana.
Johnson married Carol Ann Koetter of Floyds Knobs in 1973.They became the parents of four children, all of whom survive: Emily Hatch, Carol, Father Eric and Jeff Johnson.
Johnson nurtured in his family’s home a life of joy, a mutual love of family members for each other and a love of music, literature and adventure.
In his professional life, Johnson managed medical and behavioral health practices and hospitals. In his final years before retirement, he served as a business manager at different periods for three Indianapolis parishes: St. Anthony, St. Philip Neri and Holy Trinity, which was merged with St. Anthony during that time.
In addition to his wife and children, Johnson is also survived by his sisters, Mary Michael and Jean Webb, his brothers Jim and Tim Johnson, and five grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Anthony Food Pantry, 377 N. Warman Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46222. †