Holy Family of Nazareth Sister M. Regina (Helen) Jaszwinski, 90, died May 17 at Nazarethville in Des Plaines.

 Born in Chicago, she entered the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth in 1948. In the Chicago area, she taught at St. Hyacinth; St. Ladislaus; Immaculate Heart of Mary; St. Hedwig; St. Patricia; St. Emily, Mount Prospect; St. Camillus; St. Gilbert, Grayslake; and St. Ann (Pilsen) schools. She also spent six years teaching in Texas. She retired from teaching in 2004 and ministered at St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital Center (now AMITA Health Sts. Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center) as a part-time receptionist for nine years.

In 2013, she transferred to Nazarethville, where she ministered to the residents, praying for and with them. She continued to be active for all 90 years of her life.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Ruth Mary Coleman, 87, died July 29 in Dubuque, Iowa.

Born in Oak Park, Sister Ruth Mary made her first religious profession in 1954 and her perpetual profession in 1957.

She taught in schools for 19 years and ministered in religious education for 21 years and spiritual direction for five years. Sister Ruth Mary found great joy in free verse poetry and shared her works with many.

She served in South Dakota, Illinois, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Alabama, Florida and New Mexico.

She is survived by two sisters, Susan O’Regan and Karen Schwartz.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Colleen (Mary Avia) McNicholas, 84, died Aug. 3 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

Born in Chicago, she made her first religious profession in 1956 and her perpetual profession in 1959. She taught for 10 years before transitioning into educational administration for the next 22 years.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Colleen taught at St. Luke, River Forest (1963-1966) and served the Sinsinawa Dominican congregation as director of sponsored ministry (1980-1985, 1989-1992). She served at Rosary College/Dominican University, River Forest, as education chair and faulty (1989-1995); dean of the School of Education (1995-2008); and director of the online graduate program (2008-2012). Sister Colleen served as volunteer research assistant at the Sister Mary Nona McGreal Center for Dominican Historical Studies, River Forest (2012-2016).

She also served in New Jersey, Iowa, Minnesota and New York.

She is survived by a sister, Sharon Peterson, and two brothers, John “Jack” McNicholas and James McNicholas.

Mercy Sister Nadine (Anna Mae) Hargadon died Aug. 4.

After graduating from Siena High School in Chicago, Sister Nadine entered the Sisters of Mercy in Des Plaines 69 years ago.

Sister Nadine was a graduate of Saint Xavier College (now University) and the School of Applied Theology at the University of California.

Sister Nadine was a teacher, principal and administrator at several Chicago schools. Later, she became a pastoral associate at St. Charles Lwanga and St. Martin de Porres parishes.

She went on to become an administrator and coordinator at Mercy Manor Aurora.

Upon the celebration of her 60th jubilee, Sister Nadine said that she depended on her motto, “Hope is my strength,” to help her address others’ needs.

She is survived by her siblings Patricia, James and Joseph.

BVM Sister Richard Ann Quilter, 95, died July 20 in Dubuque, Iowa.

She was born in Chicago and attended Our Lady of the Angels School and The Immaculata High School before entering the congregation in 1945. She professed final vows in 1953.

Sister Richard Ann was a first-grade teacher at St. Vincent and Our Lady of the Angels. She also taught in Iowa, Wisconsin and California.

She is survived by her brother, James Quilter.

Franciscan Sister of Chicago Mary Petronia (Leocadia) Budzinski, 99, died July 22.

Sister Mary Petronia entered the congregation as an aspirant while a high school student in 1934. She professed first vows in 1939 and perpetual vows in 1944.

She taught at St. Florian (1954-1956); St. Pancratius (1968-1970); and St. Louise de Marillac, LaGrange Park (1970-1987); and in East St. Louis and in Indiana.

She served in local leadership in many of her assignments. In 1987, she moved to the Lemont motherhouse, where she was a local superior and marketing assistant for Franciscan Village.

She moved to the assisted living section of Our Lady of Victory Convent in 2012.

Precious Blood Father Alphonse Spilly, 80, died July 27 in Ohio, where he had been recovering from an illness.

Born in Hammond, Indiana, he entered the Missionaries of the Precious Blood in 1953 at Brunnerdale, the missionaries’ former high school seminary near Canton, Ohio, and was ordained in 1967. 

Throughout his more than 50 years as a priest, Father Spilly was involved in education ministry and communications for the wider church.

After his ordination, he was an instructor at St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Indiana, and in 1968, he began advanced studies at the University of Chicago and earned a doctorate in biblical studies in 1977.  

He also served in his congregation’s senate. He was named director of the theologate and of formation in 1972. A scholar of the Old Testament, he also taught at Catholic Theological Union and Mundelein Seminary.

In 1984, he was appointed a special assistant to Cardinal Joseph Bernardin. After the cardinal’s death in 1996, he served as special assistant to Cardinal Francis George for two years. He then served as director of the Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Center for Theology and Ministry at CTU.

In 2000, Father Spilly’s two-volume compilation of Selected Works of Joseph Cardinal Bernardin was published by Liturgical Press. 

In 2002, Father Spilly joined the faculty of Calumet College of St. Joseph in Whiting, Indiana, as an associate professor of religious studies. He chaired the newly established social justice committee while assisting at four parishes in Whiting.

In 2013, Father Spilly moved to Assumption Seminary in San Antonio, where he became a special assistant to Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller.

Poor health forced his retirement to St. Charles Center, Carthagena, Ohio, in 2017, but he continued to work remotely with Archbishop García-Siller, assisting him with communications.

Mercy Sister Amadea (Florence Rose) Collins, 90, died June 22.

Born in Wheaton and raised in DuPage County, she became acquainted with the Sisters of Mercy when she worked in the kitchen at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Aurora on weekends while attending high school at Madonna. She entered the congregation a few months after she turned 16.

She taught for 25 years starting in 1948, with assignments at many schools in Illinois and a few in Wisconsin.

In 1973, she began working as the religious education coordinator at Our Lady of the Ridge in Chicago Ridge. She held that position until 1985, when she began managing the bookstore at Saint Xavier University.

Later in life, she volunteered by providing transportation to the elderly.

Jesuit Father Frederick “Fred” J. Deters, 83, died July 5.

Born in Cincinnati, he was a Jesuit for more than 65 years.

Father Fred entered the Society of Jesus in 1954. He was ordained in 1967 and took final vows in 1976 at Loyola University Chicago. He earned a doctorate of sacred theology from Catholic University of America in 1973.

He taught at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati (1962-1964). After ordination, Father Fred taught theology at Loyola University Chicago (1973-1980) before directing retreats in Ohio.

Beginning in 1982, Father Fred transitioned into hospital chaplaincy where, for more than 30 years, he used his gifts of listening, empathy and caring for others. He was a chaplain at Loyola University Medical Center (1982-1994) and in Indiana.

Father Fred was missioned to Colombiere Center in Michigan in 2013 to perform service for the Jesuit community.

Felician Sister Mary Yvonne (Janet, Mary Barnabia) Karczewski, 91, died on July 7, in Our Lady of the Angels Convent.

Born in Poland, she moved to Chicago before entering the Felician Sisters postulancy in 1946 and professing her final vows in 1954. She ministered as an elementary school teacher in various schools in Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. She also served as the art coordinator for the Felician archdiocesan schools.  

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at St. Helen (1953-1955, 1958-1960), Our Lady of the Garden (1957-1958), Holy Innocents (1962-1965), St. Joseph (1969-1977, 1982-1985), St. Stanislaus, Posen (1977-1980), Sacred Heart 1981-1982) and St. James (1986-1987).