Jerrald “Jerry” Freewalt
Funeral Mass for Jerrald “Jerry” Freewalt, 51, director of the diocesan Office for Social Concerns, who died Thursday, June 11, was celebrated Wednesday, June 19 by Bishop Earl Fernandes at Columbus St. Joseph Cathedral. Burial was at Sunset Cemetery, Galloway.
Freewalt was employed by the office for 24 ½ years, serving as its director from 2018 to Aug. 1, 2021 and from November 2022 until his death. From late 2021 until his return to the diocesan position, he was director of the Catholic Conference of Ohio, a public policy organization representing the bishops of all of Ohio’s Catholic dioceses and eparchies.
He was born on Oct. 5, 1972 in Van Wert to Larry and Cheryl Freewalt. As a young man, he was chief squire for Ohio of the Columbian Squires, a Knights of Columbus youth organization, and a member of the Boy Scouts. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Xavier University in Cincinnati and a Master’s degree in public policy and management from Ohio State University.
He was involved with many agencies promoting Catholic social teaching on human life, anti-poverty, global solidarity and environmental causes, serving as board chair of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, a co-founder of ARCH (Accompanying Returning Citizens with Hope) and a member of the boards of JOIN (the Joint Organization for Inner-City Needs), SPICE (Special People in Catholic Education), the Governor’s Faith-Based Initiatives program, the Immigrant Worker Project and the Ohio Food Policy Council, the Ohio Department of Education’s nonpublic superintendent’s advisory committee, and a trustee of the Providence Fund of the Sisters of St. Francis at Stella Niagara, New York.
In 2019, he received the Champion of Children award from the Ohio Family and Children’s First Coordinators Association for his efforts on behalf of young people with complex behavioral health needs. He was one of the lead advocates for Ohio’s RISE (Resilience Through Integrated Systems and Excellence) program and served on its advisory council.
He led the Notre Dame Urban Plunge, in which University of Notre Dame students work with Columbus service agencies, for 20 years and the annual Good Friday Walking Stations of the Cross in downtown Columbus since 1996.
He was a member of Columbus St. Margaret of Cortona Church, coached baseball, flag football and girls basketball for his children’s teams and was a Boy Scout troop committee member.
He is survived by his parents; his wife, Karen; daughter, Hannah; sons, Alexander and Charles; brother, Jason; and sister, Rachel Reed.
Father Vincent McKiernan, CSP
Funeral Mass for Father Vincent “Father Vinny” McKiernan, CSP, 93, who died Monday, June 10 at the Mohun Health Care Center, was celebrated Friday, June 14 at Columbus St. Josephine Bakhita Parish at St. Elizabeth Church. A second funeral Mass will be celebrated later at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in New York City, followed by inurnment at St. Thomas the Apostle Cemetery, Oak Ridge, New Jersey.
Father McKiernan lived in Columbus from 1990 until his death. He was an associate director at the Columbus St. Thomas More Newman Center until July 2022.
He was born on Jan. 15, 1931 to Patrick and Elizabeth (Coogan) McKiernan. His priestly formation took place at St. Charles College in Baltimore, St. Peter’s College in Jersey City, New Jersey and St. Paul’s College in Washington, where he earned his undergraduate degree.
He entered the novitiate of the Paulist Fathers on Aug. 24, 1950, made his first promises on Sept. 8, 1951 and his final promises on the same date in 1954 and was ordained a priest on May 11, 1957.
Before coming to Columbus, he served as associate pastor of Good Shepherd Church in New York City; a faculty member at St. Peter’s College; the Paulists’ assistant director and director of novices at Oak Ridge; and on the staff of the Paulist Center in Boston.
He conducted many prayer workshops and retreats and was known for the short sayings he called “Vin-a-mins,” which were combined into spiral-bound volumes in the style of a daily desk calendar.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and siblings Patrick, Robert, John and N. Anne McKiernan, Mary (May) Teates and Sister Kathleen McKiernan, SC. He is survived by a sister-in-law, Peggy McKiernan, and many nieces and nephews.
Sister Francis Clare Perry, OSF
Funeral Mass for Sister Francis Clare Perry, OSF, 94, who died Tuesday, June 11, was celebrated Thursday, June 20 at the chapel of the Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity in Stella Niagara, New York, followed by burial in the sisters’ cemetery.
She was born on March 11, 1930 in Buffalo, New York to the late Edward and Anna (McMahon) Perry.
She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education in 1960 from Rosary College (now Daemen College) in Amherst, New York.
She entered the Stella Niagara Franciscan congregation on Sept. 2, 1947 and made her first procession of vows on Aug. 18, 1950, taking the name Sister Majella, and her final profession on Aug. 15, 1953.
In the Diocese of Columbus, she was a teacher and principal at Columbus Sacred Heart (1955-1957), Columbus St. Leo (1960-1963 and 1972-79), New Lexington St. Rose (1963-1971 and 1984-1987), Lancaster St. Bernadette (1971-1972) and Delaware St. Mary (1983-1984) schools.
She also taught at schools in the Diocese of Buffalo and served, after her retirement in 2000, as a school volunteer there. She had been a resident of the Stella Niagara Health Center since 2012.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Sister Mae Perry, RSM, Sister Luranna Perry, RSM, Sister Rose Perry, OSF, Patricia Hinterberg and Ursula; and brothers, Edward, Eugene, John, Nelson and Robert. She is survived by a sister, Anna, and nieces and nephews.
Sister Sharon Paul, OSF
Funeral Mass for Sister Sharon Paul, OSF, 80, who died Sunday, June 16, was celebrated Saturday, June 22 at Cambridge Christ Our Light Church. Burial will be at a later date at the Holy Family Convent, Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
She was born on May 3, 1944 in Zanesville to Norbert and Virginia (Coyle) Paul.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Holy Family College in Manitowoc, a Master of Arts degree from the University of Dayton and a degree in pastoral studies from Loyola University of New Orleans.
She entered the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity in Manitowoc in 1962 and professed her vows in 1964.
In the Diocese of Columbus, she was a teacher at Zanesville St. Nicholas School while also caring for her parents. In the Diocese of Steubenville, she taught at schools in Mingo Junction and Steubenville and was a principal at Cambridge, where she later served as a religious educator and pastoral minister. She also was a teacher and religious educator in several Wisconsin parishes and a pastoral care minister in Nebraska.
She is preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Marilyn. Survivors include a brother, Wayne (Cassie); sisters, Pamela Freihofer, Diane Bruckner and Cynthia (John) Hatfield; and nieces and nephews.
Sister Maxine Shonk, OP
Funeral Mass for Sister Maxine Shonk, OP, 80, who died Thursday, June 13, will be celebrated Tuesday, July 2 at Reynoldsburg St. Pius X Church. Burial will be at St. Joseph Cemetery, Columbus.
She was born on Oct. 4, 1943 in Lancaster to Earl and Bernardine (Tooill) Shonk.
She was a graduate of Lancaster St. Mary elementary and high schools and earned a Bachelor’s degree in education from St. Mary of the Springs College (now Ohio Dominican University) in 1968, a Master’s degree in religious studies from Providence (Rhode Island) College in 1980, a Master’s degree in pastoral studies from Loyola University of Chicago in 1991 and certification in spiritual direction from the Institute for Spiritual Leadership in Chicago.
She entered the congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Mary of the Springs (now the Dominican Sisters of Peace) in 1962 and professed her vows on Aug. 15, 1965, taking the name Sister Theodore.
In the Diocese of Columbus, she was a teacher at Columbus Christ the King (1965-1966 and 1975-79), Columbus St. Thomas (1967-1969), Columbus St. Philip (1969-70), Newark Blessed Sacrament (1970-1972) and Columbus St. James the Less (1972-1975) schools, an administrator with the Spirituality Network (1991-1997), pastoral associate at Grove City Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church (1997-1999), an adjunct professor of theology (2003-1010) and a spiritual director (2003-2013) at Ohio Dominican, and Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults director (2014-2021) and pastoral minister (2021-2024) at St. Pius X Church. She also taught at schools in Connecticut and the Diocese of Steubenville and was a spiritual director in Kansas.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and brothers Bernard, Philip, Theodore and Lawrence. Survivors include brothers James, David, Mark, John (Kathy), Thomas (Debbie), Dr. Richard (Susan), Christopher and Kevin (Karen) and a sister, Jane (Leo) Thimmes.
Sister Maureen Cannon, OP
Funeral Mass for Sister Maureen Cannon, OP, 91, who died Tuesday, June 11 at the Mohun Health Care Center, will be celebrated Friday, June 29 at the Motherhouse of the Dominican Sisters of Peace. Burial will be at a later date in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Philadelphia.
She was born on Feb. 7, 1933 in Philadelphia to Bernard and Florence (Droughman) Cannon.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Albuquerque (New Mexico) in 1967, and Master of Arts degrees in psychology from the Catholic University of America in 1971 and theology from the University of Dayton in 1978.
She entered the congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de’ Ricci (now the Dominican Sisters of Peace) in 1952 and professed her vows on Feb. 13, 1955, taking the name Sister Marie Bernard.
She served in Dayton, Florida, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin in retreat houses, in various roles at parishes and diocesan offices, as a campus minister and in prayer ministry. She also was a congregational director of formation and novice director.
She was preceded in death by her parents, and brothers Bernard and Joseph. Survivors include a brother, Paul; sisters, Florence Delaney and Toni Taylor, and nieces and nephews.
ALESIANO, Josephine (Contini), 95, June 9
St. Joseph Church, Dover
BEADER, Linda M., 83, June 5
St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Zanesville
COSGRAVE, Thomas Sr., 93, May 20
St. Rose of Lima Church, New Lexington
FEDOR, Marianne F., 95, March 9
St. Paul the Apostle Church, Westerville
GARCIA-VELEZ, Juan Carlos "Kaki," 60, June 7
St. Rose of Lima Church, New Lexington
HALL, Elsie Imogene, 85, May 26
St. Mary Church, Marion
HOOKER, Donald Howard Sr., 63, June 3
Holy Spirit Church, Columbus
HORD, Robert Dale "Bob," 70, June 11
St. Mary Church, Marion
LONG, Monica L. (Hodgson), 91, June 4
St. Michael Church, Worthington
LOPRESTI, Dolores M. (DeLuca), 81, June 7
St. Paul the Apostle Church, Westerville
McNICHOLS, Irene, 84, June 14
Sacred Heart Church, Coshocton
METZGER, Joseph Anthony, 86, June 15
St. Mary Church, Marion
O'DANIEL, Joseph, 92, June 4
St. Paul the Apostle Church, Westerville
PITTROFF, John R. “Jay,” 82, June 8
St. Joseph Church, Plain City
PYLES, Charles H., 85, June 5
Resurrection Cemetery Chapel, Lewis Center
RIDENOUR, Harold E., 92, June 5
St. Catharine Church, Gahanna
ROBIE, Patrick, 67, May 26
St. Joseph Church, Dover
RODICH, Teresa A., 74, June 7
Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption, Lancaster
ROHRKEMPER, Donald L., 97, June 8
St. Elizabeth Church, Columbus
SKROBOT, Paula, 78, June 8
Holy Spirit Church, Columbus
WHISSEL, Marlene, A., 83, June 30
St. Nicholas Church, Zanesville
WOLLENBERG, James, 87, June 2
St. John XXIII Church, Canal Winchester
WOLSHIRE, Michael, 74, June 2
St. Bernadette Church, Lancaster
