Providence Sister Rita (Edward Clare) Lerner, 97, died March 25 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Chicago, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1938 and professed final vows in 1946.

She ministered in elementary schools and in health care in Indiana; California; Washington, D.C.; and Illinois.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served at Our Lady of Sorrows (1945-1946, 1952-1958); St. Mel-Holy Ghost (1958-1965); St. Leo (1965-1969) and St. Agnes (1969-1977).

School Sister of St. Francis Sylvia (Reginata) Smith, 90, died March 20 in Milwaukee.

Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Sister Sylvia was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1944 and made final vows in 1952.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Benedict (Irving Park) (1948-1951); St. Martin (1958-1961); and St. Joseph, Wilmette (1961-1969). She also served St. Joseph Parish as religious education coordinator (1969-1983), pastoral minister (1983-1993) and sacristan (1993-2006). Sister Sylvia is survived by a sister, Jeannette Hunter.

Franciscan Sister of Chicago M. Marinella (Josephine) Gubala, 101, died March 20.

Born in Ohio, she was taught in elementary school by the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago and joined the community in 1929, three months shy of her 14th birthday. She entered the novitiate the following year and professed perpetual vows in 1937.

Sister M. Marinella taught for more than 52 years, starting in 1932 at age 17. She taught at St. Florian School and St. Pancratius School, before starting at Madonna High School in 1953. She taught algebra, business math, religion and U.S. history for the first three years, and then taught English exclusively from 1956 until she retired from teaching in 1985.

At the age of 70, Sister M. Marinella went to Wisconsin for clinical pastoral education, then served in pastoral care at Mount Alverna Home in Parma, Ohio, for 17 years.

In 2002, after 70 years of service, Sister M. Marinella retired to Our Lady of Victory Convent, Lemont.

BVM Sister Elaine (St. Lillian) Wojcik, 89, died March 15 in Dubuque, Iowa.

Born in Chicago, she entered the BVM congregation from St. Mark Parish and professed first vows in 1953 and final vows on July 16, 1958.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Elaine taught elementary and middle school at Annunciation; Our Lady of Angels; St. Vincent Ferrer, River Forest; and Mater Christi, North Riverside. She also was a substitute teacher and nursing home/hospice volunteer in Melrose Park, and taught and was a principal in Kansas City, Missouri.

Deacon Dushan J. "Duke" Vemich, 96, died April 13. He was ordained in 1976 and served at All Saints-St. Anthony Parish until he retired.

He is survived by his daughter, Judith; his sisters, Helen Ball, Margaret Ceane and Sophia Martinez; and two grandchildren.

Deacon Michael "John" O’Malley, 83, died April 11 at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

He was born in Chicago and served as a deacon at St. Emily, Mount Prospect, and St. Mary of the Annunciation, Fremont Center.

His family said he enjoyed fishing and flying single engine aircraft and was also a member of the Knights of Columbus.

John is survived by his wife, Marie Joan; his children Michael, Craig and Shawn O’Malley; his sister Jane Arcuri; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Adrian Dominican Sister Kay (Angela Patrice) Muzzy, 69, died June 10 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Michigan, she was in the 50th year of her religious life. She ministered in Illinois, Iowa, California and New Mexico.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she was assistant librarian at Regina Dominican High School, Wilmette (1969-1970) and a teacher at St. Ailbe (1970-1973).

Sister Kay is survived by two brothers, Kenneth and Larry Muzzy.

Felician Sister Mary Therese (Therese, Mary Sebastiana) Lukas, 89, died on June 1 at Our Lady of the Angels Convent.

Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, she entered the Felician Sisters in 1946 and professed final vows in 1954.

For most of her religious life she ministered as an elementary teacher and later as director of religious education in parishes in Illinois and Wisconsin.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at St. Mary Magdalen (1948-1949, 1952-1959), St. John of God (1949-1950), St. Joseph (1960-1961), Good Shepherd (1961-1965) and Our Lady of Ransom, Niles (1968-1976).

Holy Cross Sister Alice (M. Arthura) Lamping, 90, died May 31 in Notre Dame, Indiana.

Born in Chicago, she graduated from Visitation High School in 1945 and entered the congregation in 1946. Sister Alice spent her life in the Midwest, as an educator in Catholic elementary schools for 37 years, and as a home visitor and pastoral associate for 18 years in Indiana, Illinois and Iowa. She is survived by her sisters, Holy Cross Sisters Geralda Lamping and Mary Ann Lamping.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Mary James "Gus" Griffin, 75, died May 29 in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin.

Born in Oak Park, Sister Gus made her first profession in 1962 and her final profession in 1967. She taught for 13 years, served as a pastoral minister for 12 years and ministered in social services and housing assistance for 26 years. She served in South Dakota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and Mississippi.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Gus taught at St. Mary, Evanston (1971-1972), and Visitation (1977-1978). She was pastoral associate at St. Agatha Parish (1980-1988) and an English as a second language teacher at Blessed Sacrament (1988-1990).

She is survived by two sisters, Dominican Sister Marie Malachy Griffin and Jean Crimmins.