Servant of the Holy Heart of Mary Sister Bernadette (Awilda) Pabon, 76, died June 22.

Sister Bernadette was born in Puerto Rico and, after her mother died, lived in several foster homes. As a teen, she attended Holy Family Academy in Beaverville, Illinois, where she met the Servants of the Holy Heart of Mary and began to consider religious life.

However, she married Nobel Pabon and raised a family. For more than three decades, Bernadette served as a catechist and trainer in the Archdiocese of Chicago. She was director of religious education at Holy Rosary Parish for 33 years.

After her husband died and her sons were grown, she pursued the call to religious life. Sister Bernadette made her vows in September 2020 and ministered in Batavia, Hopkins Park, Champaign and Kankakee.

She is survived by her sons, Frank, Rey, Joseph (Cynthia) and Robert (Alejandra), her daughter-in-law, Toni Pabon; 10 grandchildren; her brothers Alfred and Jose Oquendo; her sister Hedda Vazquez; and her adopted family the Suprenants.

Deacon Paul Telle, 86, of Park City, died May 29. He was ordained in 1990 and ministered at St. Dismas and Holy Family parishes in Waukegan. He also worked as a chaplain at Vista Medical System/Victory Memorial Hospital.

Born in Missouri, he married Barbara Muthig there before in earning a doctorate in nutrition. He was a member of the American Society of Animal Science, American Dairy Science Association, American Poultry Science Association, Professional Animal Scientist, American Dietetic Association and Professional Chaplain Association.

After retiring from active ministry as a deacon, he was an alderman in Park City from 2009 to 2013.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara; children Jennifer Hall, Cynthia Cassidy, Audrey Mackey, Patricia Telle and Paul Telle Jr.; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren, Klaira, Leyna, Emery, Timothy, Olivia and Scarlett.

Divine Word Father Khien (John) Mai Luu, 63, pastor of Resurrection of Our Lord in St. Louis, died in his sleep on May 26.

Father Khien, who devoted his priesthood to working in formation and pastoral ministries, was a missionary in Australia, Vietnam and the United States. He studied at Catholic Theological Union from 1987 until he was ordained in Techny in 1992.

“He was a kind and gentle person who always tried to bring peace and harmony to other people,” said Divine Word Father Quang Duc Dinh, provincial superior of the Chicago Province.

Born in Vietnam, he entered the seminary as a youth in 1969 and earned a certificate in philosophy from Pope John XXIII Seminary in My Tho, Vietnam, in 1979. His seminary studies were interrupted the following year when he left Vietnam, lived in a Thai refugee camp and finally settled in San Jose, California.

Shortly after arriving in the United States, he earned certificates in electronic assembly and electronic technology. In 1982, he enrolled in Divine Word College in Epworth, Iowa, where he continued his seminary training.

Providence Sister Elizabeth (Joseph Aloyse) Meyer, 90, died on June 1 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Indiana, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1950 and professed final vows in 1957. 

She was a teacher and school librarian in Indianan and Illinois. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served at St. Genevieve (1958-1964).

Deacon James Eugene Carroll, 88, died May 7. He was ordained in 2002 and served at Holy Cross, Deerfield, before moving to Iowa, where he ministered at the Church of the Nativity in Dubuque.

Deacon Carroll grew up in Philadelphia and attended Villanova University. He served in the U.S. Army from 1956 to 1958, then began a career in sales with Chesebrough Ponds, which eventually brought him to Chicago.

He married the late Janis Lee Opperman in 1961 and they raised four children together. After retiring, he was ordained a deacon and ministered to people with addiction, who were imprisoned and who had fallen away from the church.

He is survived by his children Jim Carroll, Joe Carroll, Mary Ellen Carroll and Shannon Krause; 11 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and his brother, Charlie Carroll.

Deacon Joseph Truesdale, 78, died May 18. He was ordained in 2003 and served at St. George Parish, Tinley Park.

A U.S. Army veteran, Deacon Truesdale is survived by his wife, Mary; three children; eight grandchildren; and siblings Marion McGrane, Arthur Truesdale; Dorie Compton; Ernest Truesdale, Bill Truesdale and George Truesdale.

Sister of Notre Dame de Namur Mary (Margaret Michele) Motz, 89, died Jan. 18 in Cincinnati.

Born in Cincinnati, Sister Mary taught for 10 years in parish schools before attending a Montessori training course in 1962. During her 47-year Montessori career, she served as administrator of Montessori schools, developed and directed Montessori teacher training programs and started new Montessori programs.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she was a coordinator and teacher at the Midwest Teacher Training Center in Evanston (1967-2010) while also working at other Midwestern schools.

Sister of Notre Dame de Namur Marianne (Robert Mary) Bobowski, 84, died Dec. 5, 2021, in Cincinnati.

A native of Chicago, Sister Marianne attended St. Helen School and Notre Dame High School for Girls. She began 43 years of teaching in 1957 and taught every grade from one through six. She also took additional courses in guidance and counseling. She taught at parish schools across Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, and Detroit, Michigan.

In 2000, Sister Marianne retired from formal education and received her certification/license as a massage therapist.

Sister of St. Casimir Marilyn Kuzmickus, 83, died April 30 in Lemont.

Born in Waukegan, Sister Marilyn attended St. Bartholomew School there. She made her first profession of vows in 1957 and her final profession in 1962.

Sister Marilyn ministered in the Archdiocese of Chicago for 50 years. She taught at St. George (31st Street, 1957-1959), Immaculate Conception (44th Street, 1959-1966), Sts. Peter and Paul (1966-1967), Providence of God (1967-1968) and Maria High School (1977-1978).

Sister Marilyn served the community as formation directress from 1971 to 1978. She then served in congregational leadership positions from 1978 to 1998, first as assistant general superior and then as general superior. In these roles, Sister Marilyn participated in the national Leadership Conference of Women Religious and regionally with formation directresses of both women’s and men’s communities in Illinois.

She was also a member of the Women Religious Executive Committee, initiated by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin to promote dialogue among women religious in the Archdiocese of Chicago.

During her time as assistant general superior, Sister Marilyn worked on the beatification cause of Mother Maria Kaupas, gathering historical material and testimonies as part of this work. As the cause progressed, she became the postulator.

From 2014 until her death Sister Marilyn provided the ministry of prayer and presence at Franciscan Village in Lemont.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Marie (Dominice) Condon, 92, died May 1 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

Born in Chicago, Sister Marie made her first religious profession in 1949 and her perpetual profession in 1952. She was a teacher, principal and tutor, and served as a pastoral minister, director of religious education, Catholic Charities staff member and assistant prioress at the Sinsinawa motherhouse.

She ministered in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Florida.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Marie taught at Visitation Grade School (1978-1983) and St. Cajetan (1983-1986). She served at Visitation Parish as parish staff (1978-1983) and on the pastoral team (1986-1991), and then as pastoral minister at St. Basil-Visitation Parish (1991-1992). Sister Marie was a tutor at Marillac House (2004-2005) and the Learning Center (2005-2012).