Deacon Ralph Hinch, 94, died March 23. He was ordained in 1990 and served at the St. Francis Borgia Deaf Center.

Hinch became a deacon after retiring from a career as a research chemist.

“He was kind of an on-the-go guy,” said his son, Joseph Hinch. “After he retired, he said, ‘I’m going to go get a master’s degree in ministry.”

Deacon Hinch, who was deaf, earned a master’s degree in pastoral ministry with the deaf from St. Thomas University in Miami, Florida, and became the Deaf Center’s second permanent deacon, said Father Joseph Mulcrone, the center’s director emeritus.

Deacon Hinch enjoyed preaching, his son said, and took pride in his homilies.

“He would bring it down to the everyday person’s level,” Joseph Hinch. “He would tell you a story, and there was probably a joke in there. He wanted to get a message across and he wanted people to listen to it and be interested.”

Deacon Hinch is survived by his wife of 60 years, Virginia, who is also deaf, and their four sons, Joseph, Peter, John and Paul; and four grandchildren. A daughter, Mary, died in infancy.

Holy Family of Nazareth Sister M. Alma (Leokadia) Bak, 99, died Feb. 28 at Nazarethville in Des Plaines. She was in her 80th year of religious life.

Born in Chicago, she was baptized at Holy Innocents Church. She entered religious life in 1940 and professed her first vows in 1943. She earned a bachelor’s degree from DePaul University.

She taught in many parish schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago, including St. Ann, St. Casimir, St. Hedwig, St. Andrew, St. Adalbert, St. Josaphat, St. Ladislaus and St. Hyacinth.

Providence Sister Mary Rita (Mary Paula) Griffin, 83, died March 6 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Washington, D.C., she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1954 and professed final vows in 1962.

She ministered in education, administration and service to the poor in Indiana; Maryland; Massachusetts; North Carolina; Chicago; Washington, D.C.; and Taiwan.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she was principal of Our Lady of Sorrows School (1978-1984).

Franciscan Sister Patricia (Helen) Heuer, 103, died March 11 in the 86th year of her religious life.

She was born in South Dakota and entered the Sisters of St. Francis in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1933 and made her final vows in 1939.

She received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Loras College in Dubuque. Sister Patricia ministered as an educator in Iowa in Waterloo, Sioux City, and Dyersville; in Illinois at Midlothian, Melrose Park and North Riverside; and in California in Crescent City.

Adrian Dominican Sister Ruth (Joan Francis) Rabideau, 93, died March 12 in Adrian, Michigan.

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

She served in education and as a pastoral minister in Michigan, Illinois and Florida.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Queen of Angels (1948-1952); St. Edmund, Oak Park (1963-1965); and St. Rita Elementary School (1965-1967).

She is survived by a sister, Joan Mendicino.

Sister of Christian Charity Carolyn (Agnita) Eultgen, 94, died March 16 at Sacred Heart Convent, Wilmette.

Born in St. Louis, she entered the convent in 1939. She made first vows in 1944.

She taught at St. Raphael (1944-1957) and St. Gregory (1966-1972) and was principal at St. Theresa, Palatine (1984-1988) and St. Martha, Morton Grove (1988-1991).

She also ministered to the Lakota Sioux people on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota.

In 2008, Sister Carolyn returned to Wilmette as local leader of Sacred Heart Convent. In 2010, due to health problems, she became a patient there.

Providence Sister Christine (Eleanor Mae) Patrick, 89, died March 20 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Indianapolis, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1950 and professed final vows in 1957.

She ministered as a teacher, principal and administrator in Illinois; Indiana; Oklahoma; Washington, D.C.; and Florida. A lover of animals, especially dogs, upon retirement she volunteered at the Southeastern Guide Dogs in East Palmetto, Florida.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served at St. Mel-Holy Ghost (1952-1953) and Maternity BVM (1956-1958).

Sister Christine is survived by a sister, Zoe Booker.

Sister Marie David (Mary Catherine) Schroeder, 97, died March 30 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

She ministered in schools in Indiana, Illinois and California before returning to the motherhouse, where she served in the business office and gift shop.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served at Maternity BVM (1943-1947); St. Francis Xavier, Wilmette (1951-1952); St. Mel (1954-1957); and St. Sylvester (1973).

Father Ronald H. Anglim, 81, died March 7. He was pastor emeritus of St. Peter, Antioch.

Born in Chicago, Father Anglim attended St. Ignatius High School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1965.

He was assistant pastor of St. Giles, Oak Park, and St. Francis Borgia. He was associate pastor of St. Barbara, Brookfield, and Our Lady of the Ridge, Chicago Ridge. He was pastor of Holy Family, North Chicago; St. Joseph, Libertyville; and St. Peter, Antioch, where he was named pastor emeritus in 2009. Father Anglim also served as chaplain of the Navy League of the United States.

Mercy Sister Sheila (Mary Carmeletta) Lyne, 83, died March 10.

Born on the South Side of Chicago, she attended Little Flower School and Mercy High School. After graduating from high school, she joined the Sisters of Mercy in 1953 and wanted to become a nurse.

She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing at Saint Xavier University and ministered at hospitals in Aurora, Illinois, and in Iowa.

In 1971, she began a long career in administration at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, first as an administrator and then twice as CEO. During her time as CEO, she earned a master’s degree in business from the University of Chicago.

Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed Sister Sheila as commissioner for the Chicago Department of Public Health, a position she held from 1990 to 2001. Sister Sheila was the first woman and the first non-physician to serve in that role. She gained national attention for creating comprehensive women’s health programs, including a plan for domestic violence and improving prenatal care.

Concerned about the number of individuals affected by AIDS, she increased funding from $4 million to $40 million and implemented many programs to help the people of Chicago.

Mercy Hospital was in a dire financial situation in 2000 when Sister Sheila decided to return to the hospital as CEO. “There were those who urged us to move so we’d get away from poor people. But we’re not running from the poor. What would Catherine McAuley think of us if we did?” Sister Sheila is reported to have said.

Instead, Sister Sheila recovered old insurance claims, reached out to former donors and added facilities. A state-of-the-art MRI Center, a Heart and Vascular Care Center and the Comprehensive Breast Care Center, named after Sister Sheila Lyne, are three of the programs she initiated.

Sister Sheila negotiated the movement of Mercy Hospital to Trinity Health System in 2012, months before her retirement.