Reverend Jacqueline Means

Reverend Jaqueline Allene (Ehringer) Means passed away at St. Frances South Hospital on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at the age of 88. She was born August 26, 1936, in Peoria, Illinois to the late Theodore and Minette Ehringer.

Jackie was a trailblazing, spirited soul who broke the glass ceiling for women within the Episcopal church and everywhere else that she ventured. On January 1, 1977, she became the first woman to be ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church. As a priest, Jackie’s accomplishments were many from leading her own congregation at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Plainfield, Indiana, to being active in prison ministry work where she cared for the inmates at the Indiana Women’s Prison. As a result of her work, Jackie was appointed as the director of national prison ministries under the bishop for Armed Forces and Federal Ministries. In this role she served as an advocate for the incarcerated, visiting prisons all over the country. Jackie was a part of the Critical Incident Response Team which was formed by the Episcopal Church to help support dioceses and parishes affected by the 9/11 attacks. For the past eight years, Jackie served as the Affiliated Priest at Saint Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Indianapolis. Jackie’s ministry work stretched far and wide. She was tireless in her work with the Waycross Episcopal Camp and with the Craine House of Indianapolis for the reform and support of formerly incarcerated women with children. Jackie’s outreach to her fellow man ranged from starting food pantries to holding services and feeding the homeless on the streets of Indianapolis. Her tireless commitment to the less fortunate was unending. Her ministry knew no bounds. Jackie truly lived her life by the saying with which she often concluded her worship services, “Give food to the hungry, shelter the homeless, and love the unlovable.”

Jackie was preceded in death by her husband, William Lyons; her parents, Theodore and Minette Ehringer; her siblings: Patti Hageman of New Jersey and Rebecca Bussell of Indianapolis; Jackie’s children: Patrick Means and Deborah Means, her grandchildren: Shannon Means, Shawn Means, and Michelle Means all of Indianapolis. She is survived by her brother, Michael (Diana) Ehringer of Georgia; and her sons: David (Cindy) Means and Delton (Sharon) Means, a stepson, William Kershaw Lyons; her grandchildren: Zachary Means, Shea Means, Matthew Means, David and Angela Davies of Canada, and several great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Services for the Reverend Jaqueline Means will be held on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at St Timothy’s Episcopal Church located at 2601 E. Thompson Road, Indianapolis, Indiana. A visitation for family and friends will be held from 9:00 – 10:00AM, and the funeral service will immediately follow the visitation. Legacy Cremation & Funeral Services - Indianapolis assisted the family with the arrangements.