BVM Sister Mary K. (Jean Catherine) O’Brien, 84, died Nov. 27 in Dubuque, Iowa.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Mary K. taught at St. Ferdinand, where she was also principal; St. Dorothy; and St. Gilbert, Grayslake. She was principal at St. Francis Xavier, Wilmette and served as a resource person at St. Margaret Mary. She also taught in Iowa and New York.

Born in Chicago, she entered the BVM congregation in 1951 from Our Lady of Angels Parish, and she professed final vows in 1959.

She is survived by a brother, John O’Brien, and a sister, Margaret Connolly.

Father L. Jerome Parrish, 62, died at his sister’s home on Nov. 8. Father Parrish, who was associate pastor of St. Denis Parish, had been on long-term medical leave since 2005 and he spent the last year of life with his sister, Addrene, on the South Side of Chicago.

Born in Chicago, he attended Holy Angels School, St. Ignatius College Prep, Yale University and Cardinal Stritch College in Milwaukee. In 2002, Father Parrish earned a master of divinity degree from the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary, and he was ordained in 2004.

Father Parrish overcame many medical obstacles on his path to ordination. Originally on track to be ordained in 2002, complications from a surgery to repair a torn muscle led to cardiac arrest, a stroke and kidney failure, leaving Father Parrish on dialysis and with neurological damage. 

After several months of treatment and recuperation, Father Parrish returned to Mundelein that fall. In April and May 2003, he had two more surgeries to repair and replace two heart valves damaged by an infection. However, with time his kidneys improved enough to allow him to stop dialysis.

Due to his precarious health, Father Parrish only served as associate pastor at St. Denis from July 1, 2004, through March 23, 2005.

Father Parrish is survived by his sister, Addrene Parrish, and brother, Maurice Parrish.

Deacon William Lehman, age 87; died Nov. 3. He was ordained in 1988 and served at Divine Savior Parish, Norridge, and St. Francis Borgia Parish. 

Deacon Lehman was a retired U.S. Army Colonel and taught for 40 years in School District 80 in Norridge. 

He is survived by his wife, Darlene, children Bill, Mike and Bob; and seven grandchildren.

Deacon Donald Palmer, 68, died Nov. 8. He was ordained in 1999 and had served at St. Joseph Parish, North Orleans Street.

Deacon Palmer, who was retired because of ill health, was living in Wisconsin at the time of his death.

Felician Sister Mary Avitta (Irene) Nowak, 88, died Nov. 1, in Our Lady of the Angels Care Convent.

Born in Blue Island, she attended St. Isidore School, Blue Island High School and St. Louis Academy. She entered the Felician Sisters in 1950 and professed her final vows in 1958. She ministered in various elementary schools throughout Illinois and Wisconsin.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at St. Mary Magdalene (1950-1951); St. Helen (1951-1957); Holy Innocents (1957-1961); Ascension, Evanston (1961-1963); St. Bronislava (1975-1980); St. Stanislaus, Posen (1980-1988); and St. Linus, Oak Lawn (1988-2005).