Back to Exponent Menu Printer Friendly Page   Friday, September 26, 2008 September 26 Deaths Msgr. Homer Oliver, 92 A Mass of Christian Burial was offered Sept. 25 in Canton St. Joan of Arc Church for Msgr. Homer Oliver, 92, pastor emeritus, who died Sept. 19 in St. Joseph Care Center, Louisville. Monsignor Oliver was born Jan. 24, 1916, the son of Homer and Myrtle (Swan) Oliver. He attended Summit Street School, St. Joseph School, St. Peter School and the former St. John High School, all in Canton; St. Charles College, Catonsville, Md.; and St. Mary Seminary, Cleveland. He was ordained by Archbishop Edward F. Hoban on March 20, 1943. Following ordination, Monsignor Oliver served as assistant pastor at St. Aloysius Parish, East Liverpool, 1943-1953, and at Sacred Heart Parish, Youngstown, 1953-1955, before being named pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Salineville, 1955-1960. He served as pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Aurora, 1960-1965, Immaculate Conception, Ravenna, 1965-1970, and St. Joan of Arc, Canton, 1970-1986. He retired in 1986 and has served many parishes as pro-tem administrator since that time, including Alliance St. Joseph, Navarre St. Clement, Conneaut St. Frances Cabrini and Geneva Assumption. In addition, Monsignor Oliver has served on the Diocesan Liturgical Commission, the Diocesan Pastoral Council, and the Portage County Ecumenical Commission. He was a prosynodal judge for the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal, a CCD deanery director for Portage County, and a representative to the Priests’ Council. He has served on the Priests Retirement Board, the ’76 Synod Central Committee and the Diocesan Board of Education, which he served as vice president of the Stark/Portage Regional Board. He was named a Prelate of Honor in 1997. Sr. Madeline Shemo, H.M., 69 A Mass of Christian Burial was offered Sept. 19 at the Villa Maria Chapel in Villa Maria, Pa., for Humility of Mary Sister Madeline Shemo, formerly Sister Michaelene, 69, who died Sept. 14 at her home. She was the daughter of the late Michael M. and Irene (Kruper) Shemo. Sister Madeline joined the Sisters of the Humility of Mary on Oct. 6, 1957, and celebrated her Golden Jubilee on May 17 of this year. She entered the Humility of Mary Community from St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Parma, Ohio, and was a teacher at Magnificat High School in Rocky River, Ohio, Erieview Catholic High School in Cleveland, and Central Catholic High School in Canton. During her years of ministry, she also served as a caseworker at Westside Community Mental Health Center, Cleveland, and as co-director of the Templum House there. Sister Madeline was also ecumenical minister, program director, and executive director at West Side Ecumenical Ministry in Cleveland, and executive director at the Catholic Commission for Lake and Geauga counties. She was also the director of development and public relations for the Humility of Mary Community. Sister Madeline is survived by her brothers, Michael of Bratenahl, Ohio, and Edward of Cleveland. Fr. Robert Bruce, 89 A Mass of Christian Burial was offered Sept. 24 in St. Peter Church, Canton, for Father Robert Bruce, pastor emeritus of Saint Ann Parish, Sebring, who died Sept. 18. He was born March 17, 1919, a son of William and Carolyn Bruce in Huntington, Ind. Prior to entering the seminary he had been an Army finance officer during World War II and a funeral director in Harvey, Ill. He studied for the priesthood at St. Mary Seminary in Kentucky and St. Thomas University, the Angelicum, Rome, where he earned degrees in philosophy and theology. He was ordained in Rome on March 14, 1964, by Archbishop Ettore Cunial. His first assignment was at Our Lady of Victory Parish, Gloucestshire, England. He came to the Diocese of Youngstown in 1965 and served as chaplain at Mercy Medical Hospital, Canton. He served as associate pastor at St. Paul Parish, Canton, (1965-67) and St. Joseph Parish, Canton (1967-73), when he became vice rector of St. Columba Cathedral, Youngstown. He was named pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, East Palestine, in 1974, serving there until being named pastor of St. Peter, Canton, in 1981. In 1984 he became pastor of St. Ann Parish, Sebring, serving until his retirement in 1989. He then took up residence at St. Peter Parish, Canton, until 1998. Father Bruce was actively involved in parish ministry and often taught religion at St. Peter School. Following his time at St. Peter, Father Bruce moved to Emmaus House priest residence in Louisville. Father Bruce was a member of the Hall of Fame Luncheon Club, Knights of Columbus Council 1660 and a 4th degree member of the Cardinal Stritch Assembly K of C. He was preceded in death his parents, William and Carolyn Bruce,and his brother, Joseph Gomez. He is survived by his sister, Anita Palicki and nephews Michael Gomez and Terry Gomez. Attorney Armond V. Rossi, 85 A Mass of Christian Burial was offered Sept. 11 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Youngstown for Attorney Armond V. Rossi, 85, renowned area funeral director, who died Sept. 6 from complications of diabetes. Mr. Rossi was born June 8, 1923, in Youngstown, and was a lifelong area resident. He was a son of Louis Rossi Sr. and Isabella (Guglielmo) Williams. He followed in the family business with his brother, Louis Rossi Jr., as a funeral director and embalmer with the Rossi Bros. Funeral Home up until 2007. He then was an employee of (and mentor to) Chelsey Santucci, his two nephews, Louis and Joseph Rossi and the staff of the Rossi & Santucci Funeral Home on Market Street. Mr. Rossi was a graduate of East High School, received his bachelor’s degree from Youngstown College, his funeral directors and embalmers degree from Cleveland College of Mortuary Science (where he was president of his class), and his law degree (L.L.D.) from Youngstown State University. He was active in the community, serving as a member or past president of the Tri County Funeral Directors Association, Ohio Funeral Directors Association, National Funeral Directors Association, Arco Club, Amerital Club, Youngstown Sons of Italy Lodge No. 858, Julian Altier Lodge I.O.S.O.I. Alphi Phi Delta Alumni, Youngstown State University Alumni, YSU Penguin Club (trustee), Mahoning County Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association, ITAM Post No. 3, Wolves Club Den VI, Latin Culture Foundation, Knights of Columbus 3rd. and 4th. Degrees Council No. 3144, Firefighters Pension Board and the Cardinal Mooney Hall of Fame Committee and Athletic Boosters. Mr. Rossi was a member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Youngstown, where he was an usher, on the finance committee, parish council, vestibule club and festival committee. He was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran of World War II. He leaves his wife of over 67 years, Alice M. Sakovich, whom he married in 1941; his three children, Adrian A. Rossi of Columbus, Armond A. Rossi of Frostburg, Md., and Anne Marie Jarrett of Baton Rouge, La.; five grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a sister, Elvera Cannatti; and two nephews, Joseph Rossi of Canfield, and Louis Rossi of Youngstown. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Louis Rossi Jr.; an aunt, Marie Williams; and an uncle, Patrick L. Williams. Brother Roland A. Vigeant, 84 A Mass of Christian Burial was offered Sept. 20 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Chapel on the campus of Walsh University, North Canton, for Brother Roland A. Vigeant, a member of the Brothers of Christian Instruction community at Walsh. Brother Roland died Sept. 11 at Altercare of Hartville, Ohio. He was born in Fall River, Mass., on Dec. 8, 1923, a son of the late Roland A. and Alice Pelerin Vigeant. Brother Roland entered the novitiate of the Brothers of Christian Instruction in LaPrairie, Quebec, Canada, on Aug. 14, 1939. He made his final profession in Alfred, Maine, on June 29, 1945. He taught in schools in Montreal and Quebec; Plattsburgh, N.Y.; Biddeford and Waterville, Maine; Fall River, Mass.; and Detroit. He was a former principal of Msgr. Prevost High School in Fall River, St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Louisville, Ohio, and Mount Assumption in Plattsburgh, N.Y. In 1971 he joined the faculty in the English Department at Walsh College. Later he taught in the Education Department and retired as associate professor in 2003. Brother Roland continued to assist education students at Walsh University with audio visual production until his recent illness. In 2005 Walsh University bestowed on him the Distinguished Service Award, and the Alumni Association gave him its Lifetime Achievement Award. Brother Roland was preceded in death by a brother, Albert Vigeant; three sisters, Loretta Dufault, Florence D. Sherman, and Sister Florent Vigeant, RJM; and a nephew, Albert M. Dumont. He is survived by nephews Roland Dufault of West Orange, N.J., Raymond O. Dumont of Warwick, R.I., Jean P. Dumont of Jacksonville, Ala., and Ronald R. Dumont of Westfield, Mass.; nieces Therese R. Dumont-Cary of Harrisonville, Mo., and Elizabeth C. Baganz of Kingston, N.Y.; many grandnephews and grandnieces; and cousins Brother Albin Vigeant of Alfred, and Andre Gauthier of Fall River. Sr. Mary Electa Coleman, H.M., 99 A Mass of Christan Burial was offered Sept. 9 at the Villa Maria Chapel for Humility of Mary Sister Mary Electa Coleman, 99, who died Sept. 4 at the Villa Maria Community Center, Villa Maria, Pa. The former Mary (Mayme) Coleman, Sister Mary Electa was a teacher, principal, supervising teacher and tutor during her 62 years in ministry in the Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Youngstown dioceses. She was also Directress of the Juniorate for the sisters in college studies in Cleveland. She is survived by a brother, Paul V. Coleman of Bradenton, Fla., and five sisters, Margaret Shelton of Wheeling, W.Va.; Clare Mahler of Columbus; Madeline Frankl of Shelby, Ohio; Jeanne Panuncialman of Antioch, Ill.; and Agnes Prada of Parma Heights, Ohio; and many nieces and nephews and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Bertha (Fisher) Coleman; three brothers, Father William J. Coleman, M.M.; Francis S. Coleman; and Jerome A. Coleman; and two sisters, Rosemary Coleman and Humility of Mary Sister Veronica Coleman.   Back to Exponent Menu Printer Friendly Page   Other Articles of 2008   Please visit the Catholic Exponent new Web site: www.cathexpo.org   September 26 Deaths   August 8 Deaths   July 25 Deaths   July 11 Deaths   June 27 Deaths   June 13 Deaths   May 30 Deaths   May 16 Deaths   May 2 Deaths   April 21 Deaths   April 4 Deaths   March 21 Deaths   February 8 Deaths   January 25 Deaths   January 11 Deaths   Past Articles From 2007