A Mass of Christian Burial for Marianist Father Charles Bergedick, 80, was held at Emmanuel Church in Dayton on Sept. 27. Father Bergedick died in Dayton on Sept. 22. He was a Marianist for 62 years.

Father Bergedick was born in Hamilton and entered the Marianists in 1945. He professed first vows in 1946 and perpetual vows in 1952. In 1954 he began seminary studies in Fribourg, Switzerland, and was ordained in 1957.

He served as counselor, teacher, and admissions officer at St. John’s Home for Boys in Rockaway Park, N.Y. from 1959-61. The next three years of his career were spent in Ohio at St. Joseph High School in Cleveland and his alma mater, Hamilton High School.

Father Bergedick spent a decade ministering as a chaplain at St. Patrick’s College in Nigeria, and at Nkhata Bay Secondary School and Mzuzu Technical School in Malawi. He also taught at Chaminade-Julienne High School in Dayton.

He also spent nearly 30 years in parish ministry as a pastor, associate pastor, priest coordinator and guest celebrant. Father Bergedick ministered at Emmanuel Catholic Church and Queen of Apostles Church in Dayton; St. Catherine of Siena Church in Portage, Mich.; St. Francis de Sales Parish in Cincinnati; St. John Bosco Parish in Mattawan, Mich.; and St. Peter Church in Huber Heights. He also served as a part-time chaplain at the Allegheny County Jail and at several nursing homes in Pittsburgh.

He is survived by three sisters, Jo Ann Cristello, of Natrona Heights, Pa.; Nancy Meyer, of Terre Haute, Ind; and Judy Zeek of Ocala, Fla.

Interment was at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Dayton.

Deacon Paul Reeves

A Mass of Christian Burial for Deacon Paul Reeves was held on Oct. 7 at Ascension Church in Kettering. Deacon Reeves, 82, died on Oct. 3 at Hospice of Dayton.

A native of Ft. Thomas, Ky., Deacon Reeves served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army and co-founded P&R Communications of Dayton. He was ordained a deacon for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati on July 3, 1982 and served at St. Rita Parish in Dayton for 11 years, where he volunteered his time as a coach and served on various committees and councils.

He was a former pastoral care volunteer at Good Samaritan Hospital, worked with the blind and was member of the Marion Council #3754 of the Knights of Columbus.
Deacon Reeves is survived by his wife of 58 years, Joan, and children, Steve, Dave, Jan and Paula.

Interment was in Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Montgomery.

Sister Sally Smietanka

A Mass of Christian Burial for Precious Blood Sally (Salome) Smietanka, 89, was held at Salem Heights on Oct. 8. Sister Smietanka died Oct. 5 at the Maria Joseph Living Care Center in Dayton. She had been a Sister of the Precious Blood for 74 years.

A native of Cleveland, Sister Sally (formerly Sister Mary Ambrosine) spent more than 50 years in education, the majority of that time teaching in primary grades. In Ohio she taught at St. John Local in Maria Stein, Assumption in Dayton (where she was principal), St. Peter and Paul in Norwood, and St. Joseph in Wapakoneta.

She also taught in California and Indiana.

She retired in 1996 but continued as an office aide. In 2000 she returned to Salem Heights where she remained until declining health this year necessitated her move to Emma Hall at the Maria Joseph Center.

She is survived by a sister, Adele Tetzloff, of Parma.

Interment was in Salem Heights Cemetery.

Sister Mary Xavier Grieshop

A Mass of Christian Burial for Franciscan Sister Mary Xavier Grieshop was celebrated on Oct. 3 at the motherhouse chapel of the Sisters of St. Francis, Oldenburg, Ind. Sister Mary Xavier, 100, died Oct. 1 at St. Clare Hall, the congregation’s health care facility.

Born Anna Hildegarde in Batesville, Ind., Sister Mary Xavier entered the Oldenburg Franciscan community in 1938 and professed her final vows in 1944. She served as a business teacher at the former St. John High School in Middletown, followed by 22 at the former Our Lady of Angels High School in St. Bernard, Ohio. In 1984 Sister Mary Xavier entered semi-retirement at the Oldenburg motherhouse, where she ministered in the community archives until full-retirement in 1993.

Sister Mary Xavier is survived by her sister, Bertha Hoelker.

Interment was in the motherhouse cemetery.

Sister Mary Violetta Schwertner

A Mass of Christian Burial for Precious Blood Sister Mary Violetta Schwertner, 97, was held at Salem Heights on Oct. 3. Sister Mary Violetta died Sept. 29 at the Maria Joseph Living Care Center in Dayton. She had been a Sister of the Precious Blood for 76 years.

Born Mary Teresa in Glandorf, Ohio, she entered the Sisters of the Precious Blood in 1931. She spent nearly 60 years in the classroom teaching primary and elementary school children. While she taught in Indiana and North Dakota, the majority of her educational ministry was spent in Ohio. Her teaching assignments included: St. Joseph Home and St. Mary School in Dayton; Queen of Peace in Millville; and Our Lady of the Rosary in St. Marys.

Sister Mary Violetta returned to Salem Heights in 1992 and lived there until declining health necessitated her move to the Maria Joseph Living Care Center in 2001.

Interment was in Salem Heights Cemetery.

Sister Frances Paula Brandner

A Mass of Christian Burial for Sister of Notre Dame de Namur Frances Paula (Margaret) Brandner was held on Oct. 8 at Mount Notre Dame Healthcare Center in Reading. She died on Oct. 5 at the age of 87.

Sister Frances, a native of Hamilton, spent 69 years in religious life. Her educational ministry spanned decades, and she taught at Cathedral School and St. Aloysius in Columbus; St. Joseph School in Hamilton; St. John School in Logan, Ohio; St. Victor in Calumet City, Ill.; St. Michael in Sharonville; Sts. Peter and Paul and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart schools in Reading; and St. James of the Valley in Wyoming.

Sister Frances is survived by her sister, Frances Hall.

Interment was in the convent cemetery.