Resurrection Sister Rita Mary Ganser, 75, died July 26 at Resurrection Life Center. 

Born in Chicago, she was baptized at Annunciation Parish. She was received into the Congregation of the Sisters of the Resurrection in 1955 and pronounced her final vows in 1964.

Sister Rita Mary taught for 26 years at St. Mary of the Angels, St. Casimir and St. Thecla. She also taught at St. Bede, Ingleside, as well as in Florida and Alabama.

Sister Rita Mary served as the director of religious education at St. Mary of the Angels Parish (1986-1991). In 1995, Sister Rita Mary started a career in pastoral care in health care, serving at Resurrection Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for 16 years. More recently, she volunteered there, coordinating and scheduling the ministers of care and other volunteers.

She is survived by a brother, William.

Deacon James Francis Gallagher, 93, died Aug. 6. He was ordained in 1992 and served at St. James Parish, Highwood.

He was born in Highland Park, where he met and was married to his wife, Dorothy, for 69 years. 

He was a World War II veteran, having served as a sergeant in the Air Force 71st Bombardment Squadron – Wolf Pack.

He is survived by his children Jamie, Cindy and Michael Gallagher; his grandchildren Michael and Mark Gallagher and his great-grandchild Jules.

Father Daniel Sullivan, 91, died Aug. 16 at Holy Family Villa in Palos Park. He had been pastor at St. Gerard Majella Parish, Markham, until his retirement in 1996. 

A Chicago native, Father Sullivan attended Resurrection School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1953. 

He was assistant pastor of Mary Queen of Heaven Parish, Cicero (1953-1960); assistant pastor of St. Eulalia Parish, Maywood (1960-1965); assistant pastor of St. Sabina Parish (1965-1971); and assistant pastor of St. Agnes Parish, Chicago Heights (1971-1977).

In 1977, Father Sullivan was named pastor of St. Gerard Majella Parish, Markham, and served in that role until retiring in 1996.

Father John Edward Tilford, 76, died Aug. 14, at Palos Community Hospital in Palos Heights. He had been associate pastor at St. Michael the Archangel Parish until he retired in 2014.

Born in Chicago, he attended St. Laurence School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary North and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1966. 

He later earned a master’s degree in social work from Loyola University Chicago.

He served as assistant pastor of St. Thomas of Canterbury (1966-1971) and assistant pastor of St. Maria Goretti, Schiller Park (1974-1978), before being named and pastor of St. Bridget (1981-1990). In 1990, Father Tilford was named pastor of St. Michael the Archangel and served in that role until stepping down to associate pastor in 2004 and retiring in 2014.

In addition to serving Catholics in parishes around the archdiocese, Father Tilford was the area chaplain for Catholic Scouts in 1968, an assistant administrator at Angel Guardian Orphanage (1971-1974) and an assistant executive director at Maryville Academy (1978-1981). Father Tilford was known for his work with underprivileged youth and young adults, especially within Hispanic communities.

Father Tilford is survived by his sister, Mary Boettcher.

Sister of St. Casimir Georgine Cizauskas, 90, died Aug. 1.

Born in New Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sister Georgine entered the Sisters of St. Casimir in 1944. She made her first profession of vows in 1947, and made her final vows in 1952.

She taught in elementary and high schools in Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Rhode Island. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served as a teacher at Nativity BVM, Marquette Park (1952-1953); St. Bartholomew School, Waukegan (1960-1963), and Maria High School (1963-2005). After she retired, she took on volunteer roles in the school.

Most recently Sister Georgine participated in the ministry of prayer (2011-2017) at the motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Casimir and then at Franciscan Village, Lemont.