Obituaries

Deacon Craig A. Smith

Funeral Mass for Deacon Craig A. Smith, 64, who died Monday, Feb. 19, was celebrated Tuesday, Feb. 27 at Columbus St. Elizabeth Church. Burial was at Resurrection Cemetery, Lewis Center. 

He was born on July 13, 1959 to the late Robert and Marcia Smith, was a 1977 graduate of Columbus Northland High School and received a Bachelor’s degree in political science from Ohio State University in 1981 and his juris doctorate from the university in 1984.

He was ordained a deacon by Bishop Frederick Campbell on Jan. 29, 2005 and served his home parish, Columbus St. Anthony Church, until its closing in October 2023, when he was assigned to Columbus St. Elizabeth and St. Matthias churches. He was a St. Anthony parishioner from its founding in 1963 until its closing and served as parish administrator pro tem in 2008.

He also had been a procurator/advocate on the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal since 2011.

He was a junior partner of the Columbus law firm of GambleHartshorn LLC before becoming in-house counsel for Interim HealthCare, and was a drummer in a 15-piece band and a small combo from high school through law school and bryond. He also was a fourth-degree member of the Knights of Columbus, a member of Sertoma and the Elks and past president of the Franklin County Young Republicans.

Survivors include his wife, Lori (Gillard); son, Nathaniel; daughter, Jennifer; and brothers, Robert (Anne); Doug and Kirk (Wendy).

Sister Irene Eckerman, OP 

Funeral Mass for Sister Irene Eckerman, OP, 95, who died Tuesday, Feb. 20 at the Mohun Health Care Center, was celebrated Friday, March 1 at the Motherhouse of the Dominican Sisters of Peace. Burial will be at a later date in Holy Cross Cemetery, Akron.

She was born Lucille Eckerman on Nov. 16, 1928 in Akron to Felix and Catherine (Steinbach) Eckerman.

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education from St. John’s College in Cleveland in 1956 and completed postgraduate studies at Kent State University and Siena Heights College in Adrian, Michigan.

She entered the congregation of the Dominican Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (now the Dominican Sisters of Peace) on Sept. 8, 1945 and professed her vows on April 13, 1948.

She was a teacher at schools in Akron, Alliance and Barberton, a pastoral associate in Phoenix and a religious education director in Tempe, Arizona.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Divine Word Missionary Father Felix Eckerman, SVD, and Joseph; and sisters, Victoria Foley and Cecelia Barich. She is survived by sisters Mary Kay Goodley and Terry Falter.

BOCH, Cindy, 77, Feb. 15

St. Bernadette Church, Lancaster

CARPICO, Cynthia M. (Pawlowski), 87, of Gahanna, Feb. 12

St. Agnes Church, Mingo Junction

FRACASSO. Kathleen A., 79, Feb. 23

Church of the Ascension, Johnstown

KANDEL MORRISON, Sharon (Hutton), 79, Feb. 20

St. Bernadette Church, Lancaster

KILBARGER, Marjorie (Anderson), 95, Feb. 21

St. Colman of Cloyne Church, Washington Court House

LEWIS, George M., 86, Feb. 18

St. Joseph Church, Sugar Grove

McCAGUE, Robert, 80, Feb. 17

Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption, Lancaster

McKOWN, Betty (Bigler), 97, Feb. 27

St. Brendan Church, Hilliard

RADER, Dorothy (Trott), 98, Feb. 27

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Grove City 

SIMPSON, Katherine, 40, Feb. 25

St. Joseph Cathedral, Columbus

SOUCH-O’NEIL, Norma J. (DiPaolo), 92, Feb. 26

Immaculate Conception Church, Columbus

VINGLE, John J., 86, Feb. 25

St. Pius X Church, Reynoldsburg