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Sr. Louise Schroeder
Providence Sister Louise (Margaret Ann) Schroeder, 93, died Jan. 19 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.
Born in Indiana, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1943 and professed final vows in 1950.
Of her 76 years as a Sister of Providence, she ministered as a primary teacher for 46 years in schools in Indiana, Illinois and California. Retiring from teaching, she came to the motherhouse in 1991 and served in a variety of capacities.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at St. Andrew (1945-1948), Maternity BVM (1962-1965) and Immaculate Conception (1988-1991).
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Sr. Mary Agnes Moczarnik
Sister of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Agnes Moczarnik, 83, died Nov. 11, 2018, in Texas.
Born in the Hegewisch neighborhood of Chicago, she discerned a religious vocation as a teenager and entered the order of the Sisters of St. Francis in Dubuque, Iowa, taking the name Jucunda. During the next three decades in Iowa, Ohio and Kentucky, she taught grammar school.
In her 50s, she questioned her calling and left the sisterhood. She continued to teach school and participate in spiritual activities, including serving as an extraordinary minister of Communion at St. Columba Parish. In her 60s, she realized again that God was calling her to religious life and was received into the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity. She served in this order in New Mexico and Texas until her death.
She is survived by her sister Victoria Szuflita and her brother Adam Moczarnik.
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Sr. Margaret Anne Puhek
School Sister of St. Francis Margaret Anne (Verena) Puhek, 93, died Dec. 14, 2018, in Milwaukee.
Born in Milwaukee, Sister Margaret Anne was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1943 and made her final vows in 1951.
Sister Margaret Anne ministered as an educator in Illinois and Wisconsin for more than seven decades. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Glenview (1946-1954), and at Holy Angels School (1960-1963).
Sister Margaret Anne is survived by a sister, Eileen Hackney.
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Sr. Mary Ruth Schweisthal
School Sister of St. Francis Mary Ruth Schweisthal, 99, died Dec. 24, 2018, in Milwaukee.
Born in Aurora, Illinois, Sister Mary Ruth was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1938 and made her final vows in 1946.
Sister Mary Ruth ministered in education in Illinois, Wisconsin and Nebraska for more than eight decades. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Martin (1944-1946); St. Benedict High School (1953-1956 and 1967-1968); Alvernia High School (1958-1967 and 1970-1973), where she also served as financial manager (1983-1987); and De LaSalle Institute (1969-1970). She served as secretary (1976-1977) and treasurer (1977-1983) for her congregation’s Holy Name Province, based in Chicago. She also served in Chicago as office manager for Friends of the Children (1990-1994), and as building manager for St. Priscilla Convent (1994-1995), where she also was as a receptionist and driver (1995-2002)
In retirement, Sister Mary Ruth served in the ministry of prayer and presence at St. Joseph Convent, Campbellsport, Wisconsin (2002-2013), and at Sacred Heart in Milwaukee from 2013 until the time of her death.
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Sr. Mary Quinn
Daughter of Charity Mary (Mary Elizabeth) Quinn, 93, died Dec. 30, 2018, in Evansville, Indiana.
Born in Chicago, Sister Mary graduated from St. Patrick High School before entering the Daughters of Charity in St. Louis from Our Lady of Sorrows Parish.
She taught in schools and served as a house mother in homes in Alabama, California and Missouri. She then served as a social worker and group home coordinator in Michigan and Alabama, where she was also local community superior.
She then returned to Chicago, where she was Daughter of Charity Liaison for St. Joseph Health Centers and Hospital (1988-2001) and coordinator of volunteers at Marillac Social Center (2001-2005).
She is survived by her brothers Vincent Quinn, James Quinn and Vincentian Father Bernard Quinn; and her sisters Pauline Brewer, Joan Scully and Daughter of Charity Katie Quinn.
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Sr. Nora Brady
Adrian Dominican Sister Nora (Marie Phelim) Brady, 93, died Jan. 5, in Adrian, Michigan.
Born in Ireland, she was in the 70th year of her religious life.
Sister Nora ministered in Michigan and Illinois.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Denis (1972-1981, 1982-1992) and served St. Denis Parish as hospitality minister (1992-2006).
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Sr. Cecilia Marie Brown
Adrian Dominican Sister Cecilia Marie (Barbara Jane Mary) Brown, 95, died Jan. 5 in Adrian, Michigan. Born in Rockford, Illinois, she was in the 76th year of her religious life.
She ministered in Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Edmund, Oak Park (1955-1956); St. Denis (1963-1966); St. Albert the Great, Oak Lawn (1967-1969); St. Mary Star of the Sea (1970-1971); and St. Collette, Rolling Meadows (1971-1972). She also was plant manager at the Immaculata Congregational Home, Bartlett (1990-1991).
She is survived by a sister, Rosemary Naill.
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Sr. Mary Matthew Janciar
Adorers of the Blood of Christ Sister Mary Matthew (Bridgit) Janciar, 93, died Jan. 6 in Pennsylvania.
She entered the Adorers of the Blood of Christ in 1939 as a high school student. She professed first vows in 1942 and final vows five years later.
As a young sister, she taught primary grades at St. Jerome School and in schools in Missouri and Pennsylvania.
She later taught high school and college, directed scholastics in her community, and served as a local and provincial coordinator. She then served in Hispanic and parish ministry in Pennsylvania.
Sister Mary Matthew is survived by a stepbrother, Leonard Kuzbel.
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Sr. Mary Hemeyer
Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Mary (Muritta) Hemeyer, 88, died Jan. 7 in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin.
Sister Mary made her first religious profession in 1950 and her perpetual profession in 1953.
Sister Mary served in Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Wyoming.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Mary taught at Visitation (1950-1953) and served as secretary at Trinity High School, River Forest (1981-1982).
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Fr. John Crocker
Jesuit Father John R. (Jack) Crocker, 88, died Jan. 8.
Born in Chicago, he was a Jesuit for 70 years.
After earning his doctorate, Father Jack taught in the Department of Clinical Psychology at the Child Guidance Center in Hines VA Hospital (1967-1969). He then spent eight years at Loyola University Chicago, where he was the director of the Speech Pathology Center at the medical center and was an assistant professor of physical medicine and associate professor of psychology.
While he was at Loyola University, he spent a year at the Rome Center (1973-1974).
After spending two years in Chicago as the provincial assistant for planning and higher education (1992-1994), he returned to Rome and was the socius to the Delegate for International Houses for one year before becoming the superior and director of the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Jerusalem (1995-1998).
After another two years in Chicago, Father Jack returned to Italy, where he was the assistant to the rector of the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome (2000-2001) and the minister of the Anthony Baldinucci Community in Florence.
In 2004, Father Jack returned to the United States for the last time and focused on spiritual and pastoral ministries: the Jesuit Center for Spiritual Growth, Wernersville, Pennsylvania (2004-2006); Jesuit Retreat Center at Milford, Ohio (2006-2008); in the Chicago area (2008-2012); and at Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House, Barrington (2012-2013). He moved to Colombiere Center in Michigan in 2013.
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Sr. Mary Suzanne Bacia
Felician Sister Mary Suzanne (Sandra Mary) Bacia, 74, died Jan. 9 at Our Lady of the Angels Convent.
Born in Chicago, she attended Sts. Peter and Paul School and St. Joseph High School. She entered the Felician Sisters in 1962 and professed her final vows in 1970. She ministered in elementary schools as a teacher and librarian in Illinois and Wisconsin.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at St. Bruno (1965-1966, 1982-1985); St. Hubert, Hoffman Estates (1967-1967); St. John of God (1967-1968, 1985-1986); Sacred Heart (1968-1971); St. Bronislava (1971-1972); St. Stanislaus, Posen (1973-1978); Good Shepherd (1978-1980); and St. Helen (1987-1989).
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Sr. Marielle Schmitt
Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Marielle Schmitt, 100, died Jan. 15 in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin.
Born in Wisconsin, she made her first religious profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican in 1938 and her perpetual profession in 1941.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Marielle taught at St. Luke, River Forest (1945-1951), and served as librarian at St. Giles, Oak Park (1973-1979).
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Deacon Robert Brauch
Deacon Robert Brauch, 89, of Lake Barrington died Dec. 14. He was ordained in 1989 and served at St. Anne Parish in Barrington.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Mary Helen; children Mary Afflerbach, Claire Quinn, Jayne Haller, Kristin Plescia, Beth Gavin, Kay Carley and Marty, John and Rob Brauch; 29 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and his sister, Jean Scott.
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Deacon Arthur Nylen
Deacon Arthur Nylen, 87, died Dec. 19. He was ordained in 1984 and served at St. Jude the Apostle Parish in South Holland.
He served as the parish’s director of social ministry from 1995 to 2011 and was a member of the Holy Name Society, a minister of care, a fourth-degree Knight of Columbus Genoa Council and a third-degree Knight of Peter Claver. He served on the Catholic Charities Southside Advisory board and was the first co-recipient of Catholic Charities Compassion in Action Award in 2003.
Deacon Nylen also was a U.S. Army Korean War veteran.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Beverly; children Thomas, Michael, Robert and Terri Ann Nylen, and Mary Lou Gutrich; 11 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren; and his sister, Rose Pett.
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Deacon Donald Daum
Deacon Donald Daum, 94, died Dec. 26. He was ordained in 1986 and served at St. Germaine Parish in Oak Lawn.
He was a World War II veteran, retired from Illinois Bell and volunteered with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
He is survived by his wife, Joan, and his children Donald Jr., Richard, David, Thomas, James, Robert, Philip, John and Timothy Daum; Mary Knight and Juliana Hynes; 35 grandchildren; 35 great-grandchildren; and his brother James and sister Alice Majewski.
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Deacon Stephen Norys
Deacon Stephen Norys, 82, died Dec. 31. He was ordained in 1989 and served at St. Theresa Parish, Palatine.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Gail Wesolek Norys; his children Steve, Jerry and Greg Norys; Lorrie Mammarella; and Mary Kaye Pollard; 20 grandchildren; and 9 great-grandchildren.
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Sr. Anna Marie Dressler
School Sister of St. Francis Anna Marie (Agnes) Dressler, 88, died Dec. 13 in Milwaukee.
Born in Wisconsin, she was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1946 and made her final vows in 1954.
Sister Anna Marie ministered in education in the Archdiocese of Chicago for seven decades. She taught at St. Martin (1948-1956) and Our Lady of Charity, Cicero (1956-1964); served as principal at St. Maria Goretti, Schiller Park (1964-1968); and taught at St. Mary, Buffalo Grove (1968-1969), and St. Catherine Labouré, Glenview (1969-1970). In 1970, Sister Anna Marie began her ministry in Barrington at St. Anne parish and school, where she served as teacher (1970-1984), religion coordinator (1984-1992), RCIA director (1992-2015), and volunteer (2015-2018).
Sister Anna Marie is survived by six sisters: Alma Moris, Claire Churchill, Rose Koppen, Catherine Oberfoell, Agnes Simpson and Bernadette Thole. She is survived by three brothers, James, Bernard and Clement Dressler.
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Sr. Emily Mary Kemppi
Mercy Sister Emily Mary (Joan) Kemppi, 84, died Nov. 22.
Born in Waukegan, she grew up in North Chicago. She entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1952.
Sister Emily began her life of ministry in 1957 as a high school teacher, teaching Latin, English and logic for nearly 10 years at Mother McAuley High School in Chicago, as assistant principal at Mercy High School in Chicago and as co-principal of Unity High School when Mercy and Loretto high school merged. She also taught at Mercy High School in Milwaukee.
She then became mental health occupational therapist at Mercy Center in Aurora, Illinois, and Mercy Hospital in Chicago until 1992.
She later served as an aide to sisters living at McAuley Convent while working as support staff for Network for Mercy Education in Chicago.
In 2014, she moved to Mercy Circle.
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Sr. Evelyn Trapp
School Sister of St. Francis Evelyn Trapp, 88, died Nov. 29 in Greenfield, Wisconsin.
Born in Wisconsin, she entered the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1947 and made her final vows in 1955.
Sister Evelyn ministered in education in Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin for more than seven decades. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Peter School, Skokie (1950-1959).
Sister Evelyn is survived by four brothers: Gilbert, Philip, Robert and John.
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Sr. Doris Mary Zander
School Sister of St. Francis Doris Mary (Kathlyn) Zander, 86, died Dec. 9 in Milwaukee.
Born in Wisconsin, she entered the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1950 and made her final vows in 1958.
Sister Doris Mary ministered as a musician in Illinois and Wisconsin for more than six decades. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served at St. Clara (1952-1955), St. William (1955-1962); and St. Bernardine, Forest Park (1962-1963).
Sister Doris Mary is survived by four sisters: Franciscan Sister Felissa, Lois Severson, Kathleen Statz and Marion Dommer.
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