Franciscan Sister of Chicago Mary Josetta Kuczmarski, 95, died Feb. 26.

She entered the order in 1944 from Greenfield, Massachusetts, and made her first vows in 1947 and her final vows in 1952.

She did her novitiate in Lemont (1945-1946), taught as a novice at St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr (1946-1947), and then taught at Five Holy Martyrs (1947-1950) and St. Florian (1951-1954). She served at St. Pancratius (1988-1998) as a teacher, driver, extraordinary minister of Communion and lector. She also served in Indiana and Ohio before retiring to the Lemont motherhouse in 2015.

Benedictine Sister Amy (Romona Frances) Campbell, 99, died Feb. 27 at St. Scholastica Monastery.

Born in Denver, she attended St. Scholastica Academy in Cañon City, Colorado, and entered the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago in 1938 and made her final vows in 1943.

Sister Amy had a long career in education, mostly in the middle or primary grades, in both Colorado and Illinois.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Amy taught at St. Hilary (1940-1941, 1954-1957); St. George (1941-1943); Mother of God, Waukegan (1943-1948); and St. John Nepomucene (1957-1963).

Franciscan Father Venard (Alphonse) Kommer, 99, of Clarendon Hills, died March 2 in Hinsdale.

Born in Germany, he entered the Franciscan Friars of the Sacred Heart Province in 1940 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1946 in Teutopolis, Illinois.

After other assignments in Illinois and Michigan, he served in Chicago at Corpus Christi Parish, Corpus Christi High School and Hales Franciscan High School. 

He later served in schools and hospitals in DuPage County.

Adrian Dominican Sister Anastasia (John Leo) McNichols, 91, died March 4 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Chicago, she attended Trinity High School in River Forest and was in her 70th year of religious life.

Sister Anastasia ministered in education, congregation leadership and pastoral care in Michigan, Florida, Arizona, New Mexico, California and Illinois.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she was chapter prioress for the Upper Midwest Mission Chapter, Hometown (1985-1991); administrator of the Regina Dominican Convent, Wilmette (1992-1993); campus minister at Marist High School (1993-1997); a grief minister at Parkside Chapel (1997-1999); a volunteer at Little Company of Mary Hospital, Evergreen Park (2001-2008); and a minister of care in Oak Lawn (2008-2016).

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Ann (Michaud) O’Hara, 89, died Feb. 2 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

Born in Chicago, Sister Ann made her first religious profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican in 1950 and her perpetual profession in 1953. She taught for 38 years and served as a pastoral minister for 15 years. She served in Minnesota, Alabama, Wisconsin and Illinois.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Ann served as pastoral minister at Resurrection Life Center (1997-2004).

BVM Sister Joan (Magdaletta) Stritesky, 91, died Feb. 18 in Dubuque, Iowa.

Born in Chicago, she entered the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1946, from Mary Queen of Heaven Parish, Cicero. She professed first vows in 1949 and final vows in 1954.

She taught religious education at St. Celestine, Elmwood Park. She was a teacher and principal in Iowa, Tennessee, Colorado, California and in other towns in Illinois. She was an educational consultant for the Diocese of Memphis, Tennessee, the director of elementary schools for the Archdiocese of Denver, and a counselor for the Family Life Office of the Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa. She served the congregation as coordinator of BVM Associate Program. She is survived by a sister, Shirley Boone.

Father William P. Welsh, 85, died Feb. 14. He was retired after serving most recently as associate pastor of St. Lambert Parish, Skokie.

Born in Chicago, Father Welsh attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1960.

After ordination, Welsh was assistant pastor of St. Francis Xavier, Wilmette; St. Sabina; St. Benedict (Irving Park Road) and St. Emily, Mount Prospect. He then served as associate pastor of St. Theresa, Palatine; Infant Jesus of Prague, Flossmoor and St. Lambert. After he retired in 2004, he served as chaplain for the Carmelite Sisters in Des Plaines.

Holy Family of Nazareth Sister M. Barbara Ann Nowosielski, 81, died Dec. 18 at Nazarethville in Des Plaines.

Born in Chicago, she attended St. John Cantius and Holy Family Academy. She entered religious life in 1956 and professed her final vows in 1965. She earned a bachelor’s degree from De Lourdes in Des Plaines and a master’s degree from the University of Dayton in Ohio.

She began serving in education ministry in 1960 at St. Andrew, Calumet City, then moved to Immaculate Heart of Mary. She spent 17 years serving as a teacher and principal in Texas schools. In 1982, she returned to Chicago and taught at St. Ann. In 1985, she began serving at St. Emily, Mount Prospect, where she would minister for 34 years.

Adorer of the Blood of Christ Sister Marian Russo, 76, died Feb. 1, in Ruma, Illinois.

Born in Philadelphia, she made her first profession of vows in 1968 and her final profession in 1973.

She taught at St. Jerome, and she taught elementary and high school in Pennsylvania. She also worked in the province offices there.

For several years, Sister Marian worked as an administrative assistant with the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Marriage Tribunal Office.

She is survived by her mother, Marian Alice Russo Steele; and her brother, Arthur Russo.

Adrian Dominican Sister Denise (Thomas Irene) Devitt, 82, died Feb. 6 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Chicago, she graduated from Loretto Academy. She was in the 63rd year of her religious life.

She ministered in elementary and secondary education, in congregation leadership and as a pastoral minister.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Laurence (1962-1967); Aquinas High School (1970-1971, 1972-1978); and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Westchester (1978-1980). She was academy adviser and campus minister at Regina Dominican High School, Wilmette (1980-1982); chapter prioress for the Upper Midwest Chapter of her congregation, Hometown (1982-1985); pastoral counselor at St. Victor Parish, Calumet City (1987-1994), and St. Elizabeth Seton Parish, Orland Hills (1994-1995); director of pastoral care at Bethlehem Woods Retirement Center, La Grange Park (1999); hospice chaplain and bereavement counselor at Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood (2001); hospice chaplain at Hospice of North Shore, Evanston (2001-2002); assistant librarian at Regina Dominican High School, Wilmette (2002-2008); and chaplain at Glenbrook Hospital, Glenview (2009-2012).