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Sr. Eileen Clare Goetzen
Providence Sister Eileen (Mary Jane) Clare Goetzen, 94, died July 26 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.
Born in Chicago, she entered the Sisters of Providence from St. Genevieve Parish in 1941 and professed final vows in 1949.
She was an elementary and high school teacher and on the clerical staff at Mother Theodore Guerin High School, River Grove.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at St. Columbkille (1955-1957); Providence High School (1966-1969); Our Lady of Sorrows (1969-1983); and Mother Theodore Guerin High School, River Grove (1983-2005).
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Fr. John Peter Grigus
Conventual Franciscan Father John Peter Grigus, 65, died July 21 at the Felician Sisters convent in Chicago. He was rector of the St. Maximilian Kolbe Shrine at Marytown in Libertyville.
Born in Poland, he received his masters of Divinity at Catholic Theological Union. He professed his first vows in 1985, was ordained a priest in 1989 and made his solemn vows in 2000.
For the past 20 years, he led numerous religious retreats and authored many video presentations and broadcasts.
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Sr. Lynn Welsh
Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Lynn (Tomaso) Welsh, 81, died July 18 in Fort Myers, Florida.
Born in Chicago, Sister Lynn made her first religious profession in 1955 and her final profession in 1958. She was a teacher, principal, religious education coordinator and director, reading specialist, congregation leader and did parish and community volunteer. She served in Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, New York, Wisconsin, Idaho, Michigan and Florida.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Lynn taught at St. Vincent Ferrer, River Forest (1958-1961), and served as principal at Immaculate Conception (1973-1980); St. Luke, River Forest (1980-1983); and Most Holy Redeemer, Evergreen Park (1993-2001). She ministered in family care in Chicago (1985-1986) and served the Sinsinawa Dominican congregation as provincial councilor (1988-1992) and as a staff member of the development office (1992-1993).
She is survived by two sisters, Kathleen Terrien and Dominican Sister Janet Welsh, and a brother, Thomas J. Welsh III.
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Sr. Agnes Ann Gardt
Sister of Charity of Cincinnati Agnes Ann (Agnes Marie) Gardt, 89, died July 16 in Ohio.
She was born in Minneapolis and had been a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati for 68 years, entering the congregation after meeting members in Denver, where she worked after high school.
She taught for 20 years, including assignments at St. Sebastian (1954-1956) and Holy Ghost, South Holland (1966-1968).
She then offered pastoral care in hospitals, ministered in parishes and served as a missionary in the West Indies.
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Sr. Mary Imelda Coulup
Providence Sister Mary Imelda (Mary Elizabeth) Coulup, 98, died July 12 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.
Born in Indiana, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1939 and made final vows in 1947. She taught for 53 years in Indiana, Illinois and Maryland, then served as a driver and clerical assistant at the motherhouse.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Mark (1941-1945), and St. Genevieve (1951, 1952-1953).
She is survived by a sister, Catherine Zeigler, and a brother, John Coulup.
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Deacon Joseph Brady
Deacon Joseph Brady, 85, died July 24. He was ordained in 1977 and served at St. Christopher, Midlothian.
He served in the U.S. Army and was a veteran of the Korean War, and he retired from Allstate Insurance after more than 40 years.
He is survived by his wife, Ruth; his children Beth Edwards, Margaret Sheetz and Joseph Brady; his grandchildren Jacob Little; Rebecca Mathews; Kristin Mitchell; and Anna, Clare and Grace Sheetz; and seven great-grandchildren.
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Fr. Charles Kouba
Father Charles Kouba, 93, died July 13 at Presence St. Benedict Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Niles. He was pastor emeritus of Sts. Cyril and Methodius Parish, Lemont.
Born in Chicago, he attended Our Lady of Good Counsel School, Sacred Heart High School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1951.
He was assistant pastor of Mary Queen of Heaven, Cicero (1951-1953); Our Lady of the Mount, Cicero (1953-1960); Our Lady of Good Counsel (1960-1962); St. Agnes of Bohemia (1962-1969); and St. Agnes, Chicago Heights (1969-1971). He was pastor of Sts. Cyril and Methodius (1971-1990) and then associate pastor of St. Joseph (1990-1993).
He was named pastor emeritus of Sts. Cyril and Methodius when he retired in 1993.
He had resided at Presence St. Benedict for 14 years.
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Sr. Leona Watroba
Franciscan Sister of Chicago Leona (Mary Hedwinella) Watroba, 104, died July 6.
Born in Hammond, Indiana, and educated by the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago, she entered the order in 1934, made first vows in 1942 and final vows in 1944.
She served as a sacristan and seamstress in Chicago; Johnstown, Pennsylvania; and Boys Town, Nebraska. She became an X-ray technician and served for 21 years in South Dakota.
In 1972, she returned to Chicago and served as a Medicare and Medicaid clerk, assistant administrator, receptionist and local minister at St. Joseph Home. In 1983, Sister Leona went to the motherhouse in Lemont, where she served as director of housekeeping for three years and local treasurer for 11 years. She retired to the infirmary in 1999. -
Sr. Marie Bertrand Wright
Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Marie Bertrand Wright, 94, died July 5 in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin.
Born in St. Louis, she made her first religious profession in 1947 and her final profession in 1950. She taught, was a principal and did pastoral ministry in South Dakota, Alabama, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and Alaska.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Marie Bertrand taught at St. Thomas the Apostle, Chicago, 1969-1974.
She is survived by a sister, Grace Mayer, and her twin brother, Joseph Wright. -
Sr. Lucia Lietsch
Mercy Sister Lucia (Gloria Ann) Lietsch, 92, died June 29.
The oldest of 16 children in her family, Sister Lucia was raised in Iowa and entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1943.
She earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Xavier College and a master’s degree from the University of Illinois. She taught second through eighth grades in 19 Catholic schools in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin over 30 years before pursuing a certificate to be a hospital chaplain.
She later returned to teaching in Naperville and Aurora, Illinois. After she retired, Sister Lucia served as a volunteer English as a second language tutor for primarily Mexican immigrants.
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