Deacon Robert Boharic, 79, died Jan. 12. He was ordained in 1999 and served at St. Paul VI Parish, formerly at St. Mary, Riverside.

Born at Misericordia Maternity Home in Chicago and then adopted, he attended St. Sabina Parish and Leo High School.

A former U.S. Marine, Deacon Boharic was a prosecutor and a judge in Cook County. He told Chicago Catholic in 2012 that his journey to the diaconate began after his son, Bobby, died of a childhood cancer in 1982.

At that time, he and his wife, Kathleen, began to dig deeper into their faith and became more active in their parish.

Deacon Boharic is survived by his wife, his children Father Thomas Boharic, Marie Schwarzenberger, Margaret Boharic and John Boharic; and seven grandchildren.