Sister of St. Joseph Mary Peter McGinty, 98, died April 20.

Born in Chicago, she was in her 75th year of religious life.

She earned a master’s degree and a doctorate in theology from Marquette University in Milwaukee. According to information published on her congregation’s website, she was the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in theology from an American university.

She taught at Nazareth Academy, La Grange Park; Rosary College (now Dominican University), River Forest; Marquette University, Milwaukee; the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary; Loyola University Chicago; St. Francis Xavier School, La Grange; St. Cletus School, La Grange; St. John Fisher School; and St. Leonard School, Berwyn.