Sister of the Living Word Norma (Jane P.) Thelen, 82, died May 9. She had been a member of the community for 45 years.

Born in Michigan, she taught in elementary schools in Illinois, Louisiana and Michigan for 25 years. She then ministered in the field of gerontology for 27 years. She retired in 2013.

She is survived by her brothers Clair and Thomas Thelen and her sisters Rose Mary Nurenberg, Virginia Drake and Linda Thelen.

Felician Sister Mary Dionette (Theophilla) Werner, 90, died May 15 in Our Lady of the Angels Convent.

Born in Poland, she moved to Chicago and attended Good Counsel High School. She entered the Felician Sisters postulancy in 1949 and professed her final vows in 1957. 

She ministered as an elementary school teacher in various schools in Illinois and also served as a librarian at Providence High School in New Lenox. She ministered in the Congregation for Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life in Rome for 20 years, and served in the Office of the Metropolitan Tribunal for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at Holy Innocents (1949-1955), St. John of God (1955-1957), St. Helen (1960-1965), St. Wenceslaus (1965-1971), and the Office of Metropolitan Tribunal (2000-2014).

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Mary (Ora) Fox, 89, died May 26 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

Born in Wisconsin, Sister Mary made her first religious profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican in 1950 and her perpetual profession in 1953. She was a teacher, school administrator, catechist, director of religious education and community liaison in Illinois, Montana, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Florida and Oklahoma.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Mary taught at Visitation (1962-1964) and St. Thomas More (1967-1971). She was principal of St. Basil (1978-1984).

She is survived by two brothers, Leonard Peacock and Jim Fox.

Deacon Marvin Kocar, 87, died May 4 after a long illness. He was ordained in 1986 and served at St. Pius X Parish, Stickney.

Born and raised in Chicago and a resident of Lyons, Deacon Kocar was a U.S. Navy veteran and he worked as an instructor at the Chicago Transit Authority. He enjoyed his retirement traveling, fishing and biking.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Margaret; children Linda Kucera and Marianne Kubat; three grandchildren; and his sister, Beverly Tomzik.

Jesuit Father John T. Dillon, 90, died May 12 in Michigan.

Born in Ludlow, Kentucky, he was a Jesuit for more than 65 years. He entered the society in 1952, was ordained in 1963 and made final vows in 1967.

He earned master’s degrees in philosophy and guidance and counseling from Loyola University Chicago, where he ministered for more than 30 years.

In 1999, he became director of Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House in Barrington, where he served until 2006. He then was a spiritual director at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary (2007-2010).

An injury he suffered as a young adult left him blind in one eye and visually impaired in the other. Because reading for long periods was difficult, he taught himself to retain information he heard listening to lectures and in meetings. His gift for listening made him an excellent spiritual director, according to many of his directees.

He is survived by his sister, Margaret Dillon, and his brother, Lawrence Dillon.