Obituaries

A funeral Mass was celebrated March 2 at St. Vincent Ferrer Church in River Forest, Ill., for Father Benedict M. Ashley, a Dominican theologian and philosopher who had a major influence on Catholic theology and ethics in America through his writing, teaching and as a consultant with the U.S. bishops and other groups.

Father Ashley, 97, died Feb. 23 after a brief illness. He professed in the Order of Preachers in 1942 and was ordained a priest in 1948.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Dr. Evelyn Billings, who with her husband, John, pioneered research that led them to develop a form of natural family planning supported by the Catholic Church, died Feb. 16 after a short illness. She was 95.

A funeral Mass was celebrated Feb. 20 for Ursuline Sister Christine Bramlet at the Ursuline Convent Chapel in Alton, Ill. Sister Christine, 82, died at St. Anthony's Hospital in Alton on Feb. 15.

A native of Springfield, Ill., she entered the Ursuline Order in July 1948, making vows on Jan. 16, 1951. In the St. Louis Archdiocese, she taught young children in Kirkwood and secondary students in Jennings. She also taught in Arcadia, Mo., and Springfield, Ill.

A memorial Mass was celebrated Feb. 28 for Sister Eileen Gamache, CSJ, at Nazareth Living Center in south St. Louis County. Sister Eileen died Feb. 22 of pneumonia at Nazereth Living Center at age 85.

A St. Louis native, she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1945 and made her final profession in 1951. She earned a bachelor's degree in English from Fontbonne College in 1967 and a master's degree in physical science from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana in 1966.

A memorial Mass was celebrated March 1 for Sister Loretta Marie Greifzu, CPPS, at St. Joseph Chapel in O'Fallon. Sister Loretta Marie died Feb. 17 at Villa Theresa Haven in O'Fallon. She was 96.

A St. Louis native, she was baptized Mary Josephine Greifzu. She entered the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood of O'Fallon in 1934, making her first profession in 1937 and her final profession on Aug. 10, 1940. She earned a bachelor's degree in art from Fontbonne College in 1953 and master's degree in art from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana in 1962.

A funeral Mass was celebrated Feb. 12 for Deacon Lawrence C. Kelly at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Oakville. Deacon Kelly died Feb. 9 at age 79.

A St. Louis native, he was ordained to the Sacred Order of the Diaconate, on June 12, 1993, by Auxiliary Bishop Edward O'Donnell.

He married the former Concette (Connie) Pullizte on Jan. 16, 1960. He served for two years in the U.S. Army, in both the tank and artillery commands, and was employed as a sales representative in pharmaceutical sales with Scherwg Plough Corp. for more than 25 years.