A Mass of Christian Burial for Franciscan Sister Mel (Elaine Marie) Hoffmann was celebrated July 16 at the motherhouse chapel of the Sisters of St. Francis, Oldenburg, Ind. Sister Mel, 74, died July 13 at the motherhouse.

A native of Cincinnati, she attended elementary school at Sacred Heart in Camp Washington and went on to attend the former Our Lady of Angels High School. She entered the Oldenburg Franciscan community in 1951 and professed her final vows in 1957.

Sister Mel taught in two primary schools in Indiana prior to the 37 years she spent in ministry in Papua New Guinea (1964-2001). Sister Mel ministered at Mother of the Divine Shepherd in Mendi, New Guinea, and at St. Mary in Kagua, New Guinea. The last 30 years, from 1971 to 2001, Sister Mel worked in establishing and developing St. Joseph’s Tari High School in Papua.

One sister, Marilyn Rourke of Lebanon, survives her.

Interment was in the motherhouse cemetery.

Jerome L. Jaspers

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated July 12 for Jerome L. Jaspers, 76, at St. Ignatius Church in Cincinnati. He died July 7.

He was a former teacher at Princeton High School and a coach at St. Therese the Little Flower Grade School in Cincinnati.

He is survived by his wife Jean; his daughter Joyce Snyder; and son Jerry Jaspers Jr.-