Sister Helen Marie Schumacher, OSF

Funeral Mass for Sister Helen Marie Schumacher, OSF, 90, who died Thursday, May 5, was celebrated Tuesday, May 10 in the Motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity at Stella Niagara, New York. Burial was at the sisters’ cemetery.

She was born on Sept. 13, 1931 in Buffalo, New York to Gerard and Mary Louise (Seereiter) Schumacher.

She received a Bachelor of Science degree in education in 1958 from Rosary Hill College (now Daemen College) in Amherst, New York and a Master of Education degree in 1967 from Ohio University.

She entered the Stella Niagara Franciscan congregation on Aug. 4, 1950, made her first profession of vows on Aug. 18, 1953, taking the name Sister Mary Aquinas, and made her final profession on the same date in 1956.

In the Diocese of Columbus, she was a teacher (1956-1957) and principal (1964-1968) at Columbus St. Leo School, an administrator (1980-1981) at Columbus Pope John XXIII School and a teacher (1986-1988) at Columbus St. Catharine School.

She also was a teacher in the Diocese of Steubenville, in New York, New Jersey and West Virginia and at the St. Francis International School in Rome.

From 1988 until her death, she was mainly at the Stella Niagara Health Center, serving as its director from 1997 to 2003 and becoming a resident there after her retirement in 2005. She also was a pastoral minister for two years in West Virginia.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Gerard; and sisters, Mary Lou Gerold, Antoinette Herman and Virginia Wendel. Survivors include brothers, Joseph and William; sisters, Barbara Klocke and Margaret McManus; 37 nieces and nephews, 59 great-nieces and nephews and 11 great-great-nieces and nephews.

Sister Margaret Ann Zimmerman

Funeral Mass for Sister Margaret Ann Zimmerman, OSF, 101, who died Thursday. April 28 at the Our Lady of Angels Retirement Home in Joliet, Illinois, was celebrated Wednesday, May 4 in the chapel of Resurrection Cemetery, Romeoville, Illinois, followed by burial.

She was born in Hammond, Indiana, to Albert and Mary Margaret (Frye) Zimmerman. 

She graduated from Catholic Central High School in Hammond, Indiana and earned a Bachelor’s degree in biology and music and a Master of Arts degree in Franciscan theology from the College of St. Francis in Joliet.

She served as organist, choir director and liturgist at Columbus St. Mary, Mother of God Church from 1961-1985. She also spent seven years as an instructor and supervisor at Marybrook Academy for at-risk young women in Maumee, Illinois, and nearly 20 years  at Joliet Catholic Academy as a health officer.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Father Albert Zimmerman of the Diocese of Gary, Indiana; Father Thomas Zimmerman, CSC, a missionary in Bangladesh, and James; and a sister, Jane. She is survived by a sister-in-law and many nieces and nephews.

Mary T. Parsons

Funeral Mass for Mary T. Parsons, 84, who died Thursday, May 5, was celebrated Tuesday, May 10 at West Jefferson Ss. Simon and Jude Church. Burial was at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, West Jefferson.

She was born on Aug. 21, 1937 in Plattsburg, Ohio to Myrtle and Lawrence Thompson.

She was a member of the Ss. Simon and Jude parish council, served as a school room mother and Parent-Teacher Organization president and delivered Meals on Wheels.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, William; and sisters, Phyllis Colley, Sue Wolf and Jeanne Suplizio. Survivors include her husband, retired Deacon Ralph “Sonny” Parsons II; son, Ralph III (Meschelle); daughters, Janet Lohr and Julie (Harold) Walker; brother, Lawrence; five grandsons; three granddaughters and 22 great-grandchildren.

Richard J. Metzger

Funeral Mass for Richard J. Metzger, 68, who died Wednesday, April 13, was celebrated Monday, May 2 at Columbus Our Lady of Victory Church, with a memorial Mass that same day at Dennison Immaculate Conception Church. Inurnment was at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Dennison.

He was born May 2, 1954 in Dennison to the late Harry and Rita (Ortenzo) Metzger.

He graduated from New Philadelphia Tuscarawas Central Catholic High School in 1972 and was a retired member of the Southern Nevada Carpenters Union. 

Survivors include two brothers, Father William A. Metzger, pastor of Our Lady of Victory Church, and Bruce, and a niece and a nephew. 

Mary J. Voris Clark

Funeral Mass will be celebrated at a later date in Saginaw, Michigan for Mary J. Voris Clark, 92, who died Friday, May 6.

She was born in Vinton County on Sept. 30, 1929 and, after moving to Columbus in 1974, served as cook at St. Leo Church for several years.

She also was employed at Blosser’s Restaurant in Logan and Reeb’s Restaurant in Columbus and was manager of Omar bakery stores in Logan and Columbus and the Volunteers of America store in Columbus.

She is survived by sons, Father Francis Voris, OFM Cap, of Saginaw and Mark Voris, music director of Columbus St. Mary, Mother of God Church, and two granddaughters.


BATTOCLETTI, Martha R. (Hassey), 88, May 3

St. Paul Church, Westerville


BROWN, Marianne (Lehman), 81, April 14

St. Andrew Church, Columbus


DELANEY, Helen Barbara, 93, May 4

St. Francis de Sales Church, Newark


DROTOVICK, Joanne M. (Pauline), 90, May 2

Sacred Heart Church, New Philadelphia


GERARDI, John E., 72, May 2

St. John the Baptist Church, Columbus


KEFELI, Joan Marie, 86, May 11

St. Leonard Church, Heath


KENDALL, Lawrence A., 82, April 8

Resurrection Chapel, Lewis Center


LYNCH, Constance J. (Sailus), 93, May 6

St. Paul Church, Westerville


MacKINNON, Kathleen M. (McGinty), 72, April 7 

St. Catharine Church, Columbus


MATUSKA, Diane M. “Dee” (Faessel), 74, May 2

St. Brendan Church, Hilliard


McMULLEN, Freda M. (Welch), 92, May 8

St. Mary Church, Groveport

McNAMEE, Victoria H., 81, May 10

St. John Church, Logan


MIELY, Dr. William D., 97, May 2

St. Andrew Church, Columbus


MILYIORI, Janis (Jerome), 79, May 7

St. Joseph Church, Dover


OVERBY, Mary L. “Molly,” 75, May 8

St. Leonard Church, Heath


PINKERMAN, Brenda M., 64, May 5

St. Paul Church, Westerville


PINNIX NIXON, Catherine E., 78, April 23

St. Peter Church, Chillicothe


ROBERTS, David A., 59, April 20

Resurrection Cemetery Chapel, Lewis Center


STARKS, Rose M. (Childers), 84, May 6

St. Thomas Church, Columbus


VAN CULIN, Amy, (Graeff), 35, May 6

Church of the Resurrection, New Albany


ZAG, Andrew J., 90, April 26

St. Patrick Church, Columbus