Deacon Richard Baum, 78, of LaGrange Park, died Jan. 23.

Deacon Baum was originally ordained for the Diocese of Galveston-Houston, and was incardinated into the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1986. He served St. Anne Parish and at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary as associate director and then director of the diaconate formation program (2002-2005).

Deacon Baum also was an optics engineer with Bell & Howell and Singer-Link (a flight simulation company) and a project manager with Northrup and Motorola. After retirement, he was a substitute high school teacher.

He is survived by his wife, Geraldine “Skip” Baum; his children Joseph Baum and Mary-Elizabeth Beavers; and granddaughter Amanda Baum-Wagner.