Deacon Peter C. Labita
Funeral Mass for Deacon Peter C. Labita, 80, who died Friday, April 12, was celebrated Wednesday, April 17 at Columbus Christ the King Church. Burial was at St. Joseph Cemetery, Columbus.
Deacon Labita was ordained to the diaconate at Columbus St. Joseph Cathedral on Oct. 12, 1980 by Bishop Edward Herrmann and spent his entire diaconal ministry at Christ the King until his retirement in 2021. He served as facilities manager for the parish during much of that period and had lived in a home a short walk from Christ the King since 1985.
One of his most notable accomplishments there was helping start the parish Appalachian Service Project, which continues today. He also served as diocesan Scout chaplain and was a procurator and advocate for the diocesan Tribunal.
He originally was from Suffern, New York. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1966 to 1970, finishing his military career at the former Lockbourne Air Force Base in Columbus. He graduated from Capital University in 1970 with a Bachelor’s degree in English and received a Master’s degree in pastoral studies from Loyola University of New Orleans.
He spent most of his secular career in the insurance business, working for several companies and running his own agency.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Paula (Masys); a son, Nick; daughters, Andrea, Kirstin and Corinne; and eight grandchildren.
Deacon Joseph V. Salvo
Funeral Mass for Deacon Joseph V. Salvo, 89, who died Monday, April 1, was celebrated Saturday, April 6 at Dover St. Joseph Church. Burial will be at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery, Seville.
Deacon Salvo was ordained to the diaconate on May 19, 1990 by Bishop Thomas Welsh of Allentown. Pennsylvania. He served at the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena in Allentown from then until 1996 and was special advocate for the Diocese of Allentown Tribunal during that period.
He was incardinated into the diaconate for the Diocese of Dallas on March 16, 2001 and served at St. Ann Church in Coppell, Texas until his retirement in early 2010, when he moved to Summerville, South Carolina. He moved in 2020 to Dover to be closer to the family of his son, Phil.
He had a 30-year career as a personnel manager with Bell Telephone Labs and served in the U.S. Army for two years.
He was born in Brooklyn, New York on Oct. 12, 1934 to the late Joseph and Phyllis (Scotti) Salvo.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Mary (Ragone); sons Phil (Jodi) and Joe (Candice); daughter Maria (Dave) Diefenderfer; sisters Rosemay (John) Murello and Anice Campagna; eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Sister Rosemary Wack, SNDdeN
Funeral Mass for Sister Rosemary Wack, SNDdeN, 95, who died Sunday, March 24, will be celebrated Wednesday, May 1 at the chapel of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Provincial Motherhouse, Cincinnati. Burial will be in Piqua.
She was born on Feb. 18, 1929 to Edward and Mary Margaret (O’Brien) Wack.
She was a 1947 graduate of Dayton Julienne High School and received a Bachelor of Science degree in education from the University of Dayton in 1958, a Master of Education degree from Marquette University in 1963 and an Associate of Nursing degree from Sinclair Community College in Dayton in 1983.
She entered the congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1947 and made her first profession of vows on Jan. 28, 1950 and her final profession on Aug. 13, 1955.
She was a teacher for 13 years, including from 1959 to 1963 at Columbus St. Aloysius School. She also taught students in the Archdioceses of Cincinnati and Chicago.
In 1963, she was elected to the congregational leadership team. She spent the next six years living in Rome and traveling extensively to advise and support sisters in worldwide ministries.
After her leadership term ended, she served as head of school at a teacher training college in Kenya. After earning her nursing degree, her second career placed her in care of patients at hospitals in Kentucky, Ohio and Zimbabwe. She retired in 2012.
Elizabeth A. O’Rourke
Funeral Mass for Elizabeth A. O’Rourke, 78, who died Sunday, March 31, was celebrated Friday, April 12 at Delaware St. Mary Church. Burial was at St. Mary Cemetery, Delaware.
She was born in Columbus on March 16, 1946 to John and Marie (Kauderer) Tankovich.
She was a second-grade teacher from 1997 to 2002 at Columbus St. Anthony School.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers Anthony and David and a sister, Mary.
Survivors include a son, Joseph (Linda) and daughters Jennifer (Jerry) Walraven and Anna (Randy) Helpman; brothers John (Paula), Steve, Jerry (Karen) and George (Cherryl); a sister, Cecilia (Mike) Longenbaker; one grandson and three granddaughters.
Douglas K. McGeorge
Funeral Mass for Douglas K. McGeorge, 76, who died Monday, April 1, was celebrated Wednesday, April 10, at Our Mother of Sorrows Chapel on the grounds of St. Joseph Cemetery, Columbus.
He was a longtime employee of Columbus Holy Family Church.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ivan and Emily McGeorge, and his wife, Laura and is survived by a brother, Robert.
ANDRADE, Maria Concepcion, 46, March 7
St. James the Less Church, Columbus
APPLEGATE, Linda, 73, March 25
St. Joseph Church, Sugar Grove
AUGUSTUS, John, 89, March 24
St. Patrick Church, Columbus
BENSON, Rose, 87, April 1
St. Bernadette Church, Lancaster
BRADER, Jeffrey L., 67, April 2
St. John Neumann Church, Sunbury
BUCKLEY, Karen E., 79, March 23
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Grove City
BURNS, Carl C., 69, April 4
St. Patrick Church, London
BYRNE, Dorothy A. (Deibel), 89, April 8
St. Patrick Church, Columbus
CODISPOTI, Joseph J., 87, April 1
St. Brigid of Kildare Church, Dublin
GOODWIN, Delores A. “Dee” (Whicker), 70, March 30
Our Mother of Sorrows Chapel, Columbus
GRIFFITH, James, 74, February 27
St. Bernadette Church, Lancaster
GUTRIDGE, Virginia Rose “Ginny,” 80, April 9
St. Nicholas Church, Zanesville
HARVEY, William G., 76, March 31
St. Catharine Church, Columbus
HAVENS, Lois, M., 86, April 7
St. Nicholas Church, Zanesville
KING, Winifred, 91, April 6
Buckeye Lake Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church
LUKIE, Richard, 92, March 15
Ss. Simon and Jude Church, West Jefferson
MANNION, Patrick C., 88, April 8
Church of the Resurrection, New Albany
MERCURI, Assunta, 86, March 29
Our Mother of Sorrows Chapel, Columbus
NASH, Richard A. “Dick,” 84, March 25
St. Rose of Lima Church, New Lexington
NASH, Kathleen (Sullivan), 86, April 1
St. Rose of Lima Church, New Lexington
O’BRIEN, Dr. Mary Jane (Cooper), 100, April 9
St. James the Less Church, Columbus
RABER, Jean, 84, April 10
Sacred Heart Church, Coshocton
SAULTZ, Robert A., 76, April 6
Sacred Heart Church, Columbus
SHERER, James K., 91, March 31
St. Agatha Church, Columbus
WATSON, Terry Lee, 80, April 11
St. Francis de Sales Church, Newark
