Indiana Marriages, 1780-1992
Edith M. Graves
June 24, 1917 – January 19, 2011
Edith M. Graves, 93, of Glenwood, Minn., died Jan. 19.
She was born on June 24, 1917, on the family farm, a daughter of the late Hans and Perlena (Tukvum) Halverson of Minnesota.
As a young woman she worked at Liberty Mutual Insurance Company in Minneapolis. She married Lyle Walter Graves in 1943 and after World War II they moved to Glenwood. Mrs. Graves was an active member of the community, serving as a Girl Scouts leader and council member, a member of the Hospital Auxiliary and the Legion Auxiliary, a Red Cross volunteer and election board volunteer. She had many roles in the Glenwood Lutheran Church, especially in functions in which Norwegian cooking and customs were involved. Mrs. Graves enjoyed camping and travel and made many trips in the United States and to Norway and Germany. She was a founding member of the Glenwood Golf Club’s Women’s League, and enjoyed bowling, gardening and food preservation, sewing, needlework, crafts, reading and bridge.
Survivors include her daughters, Diane Lynn (husband, David) Steele of Knightstown, Janet Kay (husband, Douglas) Tielbur of Marshfield, Wis., and Patricia Ann Graves of River Falls, Wis.; grandchildren Kristen Kay (husband, Kevin) Giebel of Marshfield, Drew Davies Steele of St. Louis, Kalleen Halverson Steele of Harker Heights, Texas, Derick Walter Graves, Alexander Jose and Zachary Luis Martin of River Falls; and great-grandchildren Kari Ann and Kyle Robert Giebel of Marshfield. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Graves was preceded in death by her husband, five sisters and her grandson, Robert Christopher Petersen.
Visitation was on Jan. 24 and funeral services were held on Jan. 25 at Glenwood Lutheran Church with Rev. Randy Chrissis officiating. Burial was in Glenwood Cemetery. Arrangements were with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Lyle W. and Edith M. Graves Memorial Scholarship Fund or the Glacial Ridge Hospital Foundation in Glenwood.
Howard E. Sturwold
August 17, 1921 – January 20, 2011
Howard E. Sturwold, 89, of Knightstown died Jan. 20.
He was born August 17, 1921, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to the late Edward and Alma (Meyer) Sturwold.
He attended school in Mays and was a World War II Army veteran. Mr. Sturwold worked at Manning’s Appliance in Knightstown in the 1950s and ‘60s and later purchased and operated the business. He retired from RCA in Indianapolis. He was an avid reader and woodworker and loved classical music.
Survivors include his daughter, Dawn Sturwold (husband, Chet Reid) of Bellingham, Wash.; and nieces and nephews Joyce Dollarhide of Rushville, Bruce Adams, and Chris, Tom and Mary Jane Johnson.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Sturwold was preceded in death by his wife; his daughter, Kathaleen Nolen; and his sister, Betty Adams.
Friends may visit Friday, Jan. 28 from 12-2 p.m. at the Todd Funeral Home in Knightstown. Funeral services will be private.
Norma Louise Logan Richmond
July 1, 1926 – January 29, 2011
Norma Louise Logan Richmond, 84, of Carthage died Jan. 29 at Hancock Regional Hospital.
She was born July 1, 1926, in Lewis County, Ky., a daughter of the late Benjamin Frank and Rhoda Jane (McClurg) Logan.
Mrs. Richmond was a member of the Knightstown Church of God for 60 years. She enjoyed gardening, crafts, cooking, music, traveling, shopping and crocheting. She also loved spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Survivors include a son, Raymond Lathurn (wife, Janet) Richmond of Robinson, Ill.; a daughter, Rita Kay Richmond of Greenwood; three grandchildren, Scherrie (husband, Dave) Chamblin, Shawn Allen (wife, Robin) Richmond, Sondra Sonja-Kay (husband, Greg) Bricker; six great-grandchildren, Blake, Harley and Ian Richmond, Shaida and Amara Bricker, and Zachary Logan Chamblin, all of Robinson; and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 47 years, Homer Richmond; three brothers, John, Bill, and Arthur Logan; and six sisters, Pearl Burchett, Opal Osborne, Zelma Enix, Jewel Zornes, Bertha McDonald and Ethel Sweet.
Visitation was Jan. 31 with services on Feb. 1 at Hinsey-Brown Funeral Service with Brothers Early Hall and Tim Hensley officiating. Burial followed in Glen Cove Cemetery.
Audrey E. Smith
February 19, 1916 – January 28, 2011
Audrey Huffman Smith died Jan. 28 at Rush Memorial Hospital.
She was born Feb. 19, 1916, in Fayette County to the late John and Wanda (Fielding) Huffman.
She was a 1934 graduate of Rushville High School. Mrs. Smith was known as a loving mother. She enjoyed gardening and was a talented seamstress. She was a member of the Center Christian Church, the Martha Poe Chapter # 143 of the OES since 1934 and the Pan & Platter Home Ec Club in Anderson.
Survivors include sons Terry (wife, Sandy) Smith of Walkerton and Ronnie (wife, Sherry) Smith of Mays; daughters Carol (husband, Jack) Gilbert of Indianapolis, Marcia (husband, Max) McGrew of Greenfield and Denise (husband, Michael) Dora of Rushville; brother Delza Huffmar of Rushville; sisters, Norma Dux of Indianapolis and Marjorie Brett of Franklin County; 17 grandchildren and numerous great- and great-great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, Mrs. Smith was preceded in death by her husband of 69 years, Porter L. Smith.
Visitation is 4-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 3 at Moster Mortuary in Rushville. Funeral services are at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 4 with Pastor Mick Saunders officiating. Burial will follow in Raleigh Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the donor’s favorite charity.
Judy C. Coomer
July 30, 1952 – January 26, 2011
Judy C. Coomer, 58, of Oakland City died on Jan. 26.
She was born on July 30, 1952 in Henderson, Ky., a daughter of the late Raymond Eugene and Mary Cleo (Pruitt) Chandler.
Mrs. Coomer graduated from Webster County High School in Dixon, Ky., and from Oakland City College. She was most recently an accountant for PAC 2000 and was a payroll analyst at American General Finance. She was a former director of the Knightstown Public Library. She was a member of Mt. Olive General Baptist Church in Winslow and associate member of the Oakland City First General Baptist Church. She was the treasurer of the Flat Creek Association of General Baptists and a board member of the Flat Creek General Baptist Youth Camp.
Survivors include her husband of 40 years, Leslie Coomer; son, Paul (wife, Amanda) Coomer of Oakland City; daughter Rebecca "Becky" Coomer of Hong Kong; grandson Lucas Coomer; and three brothers, Vernon and Jimmy Chandler both of Poole, Ky., and Donald Chandler of Sebree, Ky.
Visitation was Jan. 30 at the Corn-Colvin Funeral Home in Oakland City and services were on Jan. 31.
Alexander William Aiden Miller
December 21, 2010 – January 20, 2011
Alexander William Aiden Miller, infant, died Jan. 20 at St. Vincent’s Women’s Hospital.
He was born Dec. 21, the son of Candace Miller of Knightstown and Christian Tibbs of New Castle.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by his maternal grandparents, Schelly Cook and Mike (wife, Kim) Miller of Cumberland; his paternal grandparents of New Palestine; great-grandmother Becky Cook of Carthage; and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by great-grandparents Bill and Candy Cook.
Visitation was Jan. 26 and a graveside service followed at Park Cemetery in Greenfield.
Memorial contributions may be sent to the Alexander Miller Memorial Fund c/o Stillinger Family Funeral Home, 1780 W. Main Street, Greenfield, IN 46140.
Zollie Alson Johnson
November 17, 1947 – February 5, 2011
Zollie Alson Johnson, 63, of Greenfield died Feb. 5.
He was born Nov. 17, 1947 in Jabez, Ky., the son of the late Zollie and Dolorus Johnson.
Mr. Johnson was a member of the Smith Grove United Baptist Church of Faubush, Ky.
He is survived by his wife, Sue Johnson; son, Joe Corsaro; sisters Sherlene (husband, Bobby) Gadberry and Sharon McQueary of Jabez; nieces Jolene (husband, David) Bernard of Jabez and Brooke (husband, Jeremy) England of Jamestown, Ky.; two great-nieces, Abby Bernard and Taylor England; and two great-nephews, Daniel Bernard and Tyson England.
Services were Feb. 8 at Hinsey-Brown Funeral Service Knightstown Chapel with Pastor Randy Gross officiating. Burial followed in Glen Cove Cemetery. Calling was Feb. 7.
Father Severin Messick, O.S.B.
(July 12, 1954 - September 28, 2011)
On September 28, 2011, Father Severin Messick, O.S.B. age 57, monk and priest of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, died peacefully in the Lord, after struggling eight months with cancer and the consequent chemotherapy.
Father Severin was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on July 12, 1954, to Henry and Anna (McGuire) Messick, and was given the name Mark Stephen at his baptism. After completing his elementary education at Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Indianapolis, he attended Chatard High School in that city. Father Severin entered Saint Meinrad College in 1973, graduating four years later with a B.A. degree in the Classics. He was invested as a novice in 1977, and professed his simple vows on August 6, 1978. Father Severin was ordained to the priesthood on May 2, 1982.
After his ordination, Father Severin completed a year of graduate studies in classics at The Catholic University in Washington, D.C. Following this, in the late summer of 1983, he was assigned to teach at Trinity High School in Whitesville, Kentucky, in the Diocese of Owensboro. Also at this time he was named associate pastor of St. Mary-of-the-Woods Parish in Whitesville, the first of many parish assignments Father Severin would fulfill in three dioceses.
In 1985, Father became associate pastor of St. Ann Parish, Morganfield, Kentucky. The following year he was called to service in the Diocese of Evansville, and so ministered to the people of St. Mary Parish, Huntingburg, Indiana, for six years. He returned to the Diocese of Owensboro and to his former parish of St. Ann in 1992, where he exercised his first pastor-ship. In 1996 he moved into the Archdiocese of Indianapolis as co-pastor of a three-parish cluster in Southern Indiana, composed of St. Paul’s (Tell City), St. Michael’s (Cannelton), and St. Pius V (Troy). The following year he was named administrator of St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (Little Flower) in Indianapolis. In 1998, he began his longest pastoral assignment; pastor of St. Michael’s in Greenfield, Indiana, the parish he tended faithfully until his death. While serving in that capacity, Father served also as Judge of the Metropolitan Tribunal for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis for nearly seven years.
Although Father Severin spent most of his monastic life in parish ministry, he was proud of his confreres and his monastery. A caring and loving pastor, he was quick to share his love of the priesthood with the young people in his parish. On more than one occasion he traveled the considerable distance from his parish in Greenfield to Saint Meinrad with carloads of kids in tow, delighted in giving them a personal tour of the Archabbey Church, the seminary, and the grounds.
Father Severin accepted his cancer with a spirit that could only have been of-and sustained by-God. When he was diagnosed in January 2011, he knew that long-term survival would be a long shot. Yet, no matter the odds and the painful twists and turns, Father Severin fought the good fight and ran the good race. Whenever he reported on his worsening condition, he did so with a calm voice and a trusting heart in God’s unsearchable ways. Father Severin required extensive care in his final weeks, but caretakers from his parish were never in short supply-an indication of the concern and affection his people had for him. Whenever these people were thanked for their loyal service to Father during the many months of his illness, they made it clear that "it was an honor to have an opportunity to care for one who had been so caring of us."
Shortly after Father Severin had been diagnosed, the schoolchildren of his parish presented him with a prayer and a promise. Their prayer for him would be, in their words, "everywhere, every day." They took the promise from the words written by Saint James in his first chapter, "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." Father Severin persevered, and in so doing he inspired the many who stood with him through his trials. May he now wear the victor’s crown with all the saints!
Father Severin is survived by his mother, Anna of Greenfield; his sister-in-law, Suzanna of Indianapolis; two nieces, Michelle (Steve) Johnson of Carmel and Cynthia (Scott) Lee of Indianapolis, two great nieces, 1 great nephew and one great great-niece.
Visitation will be in the church at St. Michael’s in Greenfield from 1:00pm to 7:00pm on Sunday, October 2 with the Rosary at 4:00 p.m. and the Vigil Prayer Service at 7:00pm (also in the church). There will be a memorial Mass at St. Michael’s at a later date. Arrangements have been entrusted to Stillinger Family Funeral Home, Pasco Chapel of Greenfield.
The Office of the Dead will be prayed at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, October 3, in the Archabbey Church. The Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 4, in the Archabbey Church. Burial will follow in the Archabbey Cemetery. For the repose of his soul, three Masses will be offered by each monk of the Archabbey. The customary suffrages are recommended to all monks of our Congregation.
In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial contribution be sent to: St. Michael’s Catholic Church, 519 Jefferson Blvd, Greenfield, Indiana, 46140 or Saint Meinrad Archabbey, 200 Hill Drive, St. Meinrad, Indiana, 47577.
