Sister of St. Joseph Marie Frances Basile, 91, dies March 8.

Sister Marie graduated from St. Willibrod High School and was a member of the Congregation of St. Joseph for 67 years.

She taught first through seventh grades during her first 16 years in community in the various parishes in LaGrange, LaGrange Park, Lyons, Hillside, Riverside and Chicago. 

She continued to serve in surrounding parishes as religious education coordinator and catechist. 

Sister Marie then moved into the ministry as a companion to the elderly in a local nursing home, and finally as congregation chapel sacristan.

Loretto Sister Elizabeth “Betty” (Marian Francis) McWilliams, 85, died March 9.

Born in Rockford, she entered the Sisters of Loretto in 1953 and made her final vows in 1961.

Throughout her 64 years of service, Sister Betty served in many positions, including 18 years as a teacher, 20 years as an innovative hospice care leader and provider in Highland Park, and 12 years for the Loretto Community in health care and administrative roles in Denver. She particularly was known for her hospice work at Highland Park Hospital, whose hospice program was one of the first in the country. Sister Betty created some of the earliest standards of care for home hospice and helped form one of the first medical ethics committees in the country.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Betty taught at Holy Cross (1964-1967) and Immaculate Conception, Highland Park (teacher 1969-1972, principal 1972-1978), She was a parish worker in Deerfield (1978-1982). She worked in a hospice office in Highland Park for a year (1982-1983) and then served as hospice coordinator at Highland Park Hospital in Glenview from 1983 to 1993.

Divine Word Father Arnold Steffen, 91, who served as provincial superior of Papua New Guinea, died March 12 in Techny.

Born in Iowa, he entered the Divine Word Seminary at age 14 in 1943. He professed religious vows in 1949 and was ordained a priest in 1955.

Father Steffen served for 59 years in Papua New Guinea, witnessing many economic and social changes on the island nation that gained independence in 1975. When he arrived in 1957, roads in the Mount Hagen area were few, and missionaries tended to travel by airplane, on horseback and on foot.

According to Divine Word Brother Aloysius Aisi Oa, who grew up in Papua New Guinea and currently serves at Sts. Anselm and Elizabeth parishes in Chicago, Father Steffen was so attuned to the land and its people that he was affectionately called the “Mountain Goat.”

“People know him well in Papua New Guinea,” said Brother Aloysius. “Many people tell stories about him. He could communicate well with the people, and he walked everywhere. He was very energetic and strong.”

In 1972, Father Steffen was called upon to serve as acting superior. The following year, he became president of Holy Spirit Regional Seminary, which served as the primary major seminary of Papua New Guinea and the British Solomon Islands Protectorate. Father Steffen was elected regional superior in 1976.

In 1981, he completed his administrative work and returned to parish ministry.

In 2016, Father Steffen moved from Papua New Guinea to Techny for retirement. He is survived by one brother, Ralph Steffen.

Adrian Dominican Sister Sharon (Therese Michelle) Beckmann, 80, died March 16 in Toledo, Ohio.

Born in Michigan, she was in the 62nd year of her religious life.

Sister Sharon ministered in elementary education, religious education and pastoral work in Illinois and California.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Carthage (1964-1967); St. Celestine, Elmwood Park (1967-1970); and St. Cyprian, River Grove (1991-1995) and was principal of St. James, Maywood (1989-1991).

She is survived by three sisters: Kathryn Martin, Therese Graham and Marcia Anstiss; and a brother, Joseph Beckmann Jr.

Deacon Earl Dahl, 88, died March 1. He was ordained in 1983 and served at St. John the Evangelist Parish, Streamwood.

Deacon Dahl was born on the Northwest Side of Chicago and joined the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, serving as a medic in Germany from 1951 to 1955. He met his wife, Doris, at Riverview Park and the couple married in 1957.

He was a member of the Carpenters Union and a custom cabinet maker. In 1962, he and his wife bought the Streamwood home where he lived until his death.

Deacon Dahl was baptized and raised Lutheran. He entered the Catholic Church at St. John the Evangelist at the urging of his wife and especially his daughters. He served the parish as an active deacon for 31 years.

Deacon Dahl and Doris Dahl loved to travel the world and the family loved to camp.

He is survived by his wife and his daughters, Pam and Darlene.

Deacon Vito DiCanio, 91, died March 4. He was ordained in 1984.

He served at St. Mary, Evanston, and St. Emily, Mount Prospect, and was a chaplain at Resurrection Hospital. He was a retired superintendent of parks and recreation for the city of Evanston and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.

He is survived by his wife, Frances, his children Teddy DiCanio, Joseph Semkiu and Michael Semkiu; and three grandchildren.

Adrian Dominican Sister Patricia (William Francine) McCarty, 85, died Feb. 12 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Detroit, Sister Patricia was in her 66th year of religious life.

She ministered in elementary education, congregational leadership, campus ministry and higher education in Iowa, Illinois and Michigan.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she was principal of Queen of Apostles, Riverdale (1967-1970); and co-provincial (1970-1972) and administrator (1972-1975) of the St. Dominic Province, Hometown.

Sister of St. Casimir Milda Blinstrubas, 88, died Feb. 15 in Lemont.

Born in Lithuania, she emigrated to the United States in 1948 after fleeing Lithuania and living in a refugee camp in Germany. She settled in the Southwest Side neighborhood of Marquette Park. 

She made her first vows of religious profession in 1951 and professed final vows in 1957.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Marywood College in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and served as a first-grade teacher for 49 years in New Mexico, California, Maryland, Florida and Illinois.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Our Lady of Vilna, Pilsen (1952-1954); Nativity BVM, Marquette Park (1954-1956, 1960-1965, 1986-1987, 1996-2005) and St. Norbert, Northbrook (1971-1974). After she retired from full-time teaching, she tutored students for an archdiocesan program.

Most recently, Sister Milda participated in the ministry of prayer and presence at Franciscan Village’s Mother Theresa Home in Lemont.

Mercy Sister Virgena Clark, 89, died Feb. 17 in Chicago.

Born in Wisconsin, she professed first vows in 1954, and final vows in 1959.

She served in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee for more than 37 years, including six as an elementary school teacher and more than 30 as a director of religious education.

She also served for more than 20 years at St. Luke Parish, Brookfield, Wisconsin.

She is survived by her brother, Ray Clark.

Adrian Dominican Sister Noreen (Peter Margaret) Burke, 88, died Feb. 18 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Detroit, she was in the 70th year of her religious life.

Sister Noreen ministered in Illinois and Michigan.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at St. Mary, Star of the Sea (1952-1954); Our Lady of Loretto (teacher, 1954-1960 and 1974-1975; principal, 1975-1985); St. Laurence (1960-1961); St. Philip Neri (1961-1965); St. Rita Elementary School (1972-1974); as assistant retirement director for the Adrian Dominican Sisters in Hometown (1986-1987); and as a guidance counselor at Maria High School (1987-2005).

School Sister of Notre Dame Jenny (Mary August) VandenBergh, 91, died July 20, 2020, in New Lenox.

Born in Evanston, she was a member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame for 70 years. She served in Illinois and Wisconsin as grade school teacher and principal, manager for Catholic Charities, pastoral minister at Resurrection Life Center and minister of prayer and presence at Marian Village.

School Sister of Notre Dame Margaret Ann Curtin, 93, died March 22, 2020, at Resurrection Life Center.

Born in Chicago, she was a member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame for 72 years.

She served in Wisconsin and Illinois as a grade and high school teacher, local leader, provincial councilor, school secretary, volunteer at Misericordia Home, province development staff member and minister of prayer and presence at Marian Village, Homer Glen, and Resurrection Life Center.

She is survived by her siblings, School Sisters of Notre Dame Joan Marie and Susan Marie Curtin, Michael Curtin, Dennis Curtin and Margaret Healy.

School Sister of Notre Dame Joanna Brigan, 87, died Aug, 27 at Marian Village in Homer Glen.

Born in Chicago, she was a member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame for 67 years. She served in Wisconsin and Illinois in dietary service, food service, housekeeping and hospitality, and in the ministry of prayer and presence at Marian Village.

School Sister of Notre Dame Mary Bann, 79, died March 28, 2020, at Resurrection Life Center.

She was a member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame for 60 years, and she served in Illinois and Missouri as a grade school teacher, student, postulant director and assistant director of religious education, and she did community service at Marian Village in Homer Glen, and then ministry of prayer and presence at Marian Village and finally at Resurrection Life Center.

Deacon Anthony John Towey, 79, died Feb. 22. He was ordained in 2003 and served at St. Stephen Protomartyr Parish, Des Plaines.

Deacon Towey loved to travel and had visited all 50 United States as well as Ireland. He was an avid performer in the St. Stephen variety shows for almost 30 years.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Patricia Connolly; his children Elizabeth Beasley, Kathryn Szamocki, Anthony Towey, Teresa Cook and John Towey; 19 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Sister Suzanne (Louis) Smith, 86, died on Feb. 3 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Washington, D.C., Sister Suzanne entered the Sisters of Providence in 1954 and professed final vows in 1961.

During her 67 years as a Sister of Providence, she served as a teacher in Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Washington, D.C., and in the motherhouse.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Providence High School (1956-1959).

Providence Sister Ruth Ellen (Ellen Susan) Doane, 84, died Feb. 5 in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Born in Indiana, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1954 and professed final vows in 1961.

During her 67 years as a Sister of Providence, she ministered as a teacher in Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts and Germany, did parish work in Indiana and Iowa and served in ministries related to the congregation.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Athanasius, Evanston (1956-1961); Providence-St. Mel (1980-1985); and Our Lady of the Westside (1985-1988).

She is survived by two brothers, Paul and Mark Doane.

Adrian Dominican Sister Marie Therese (Thomas More) Emery, 97, died Feb. 5 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in St. Louis, she was in the 74th year of her religious life.

Sister Marie Therese ministered in education in Ohio, Illinois and Michigan, before working for the state of Michigan as a fleet safety project supervisor and at Michigan State University, where she was a traffic safety specialist for two years, a traffic safety program administrator for 11 years, and a technology lab director for 10 years. She was also an engineering/automotive consultant for AAA for a year in Washington, D.C.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Our Lady of Good Counsel.

Benedictine Sister Mariella (Carol) Hathorn, 81, died unexpectedly Feb. 7 at St. Joseph Court-St. Scholastica Monastery.

Sister Mariella was born in Pennsylvania and entered the Benedictine community at St. Joseph Monastery, St. Marys, Pennsylvania, in 1957. She made her first profession in 1959 and her final vows in 1962. Sister Mariella had a 28-year career in education in Pennsylvania, serving mostly middle grades as well as in administration as principal. In 1987, she was elected prioress of St. Joseph Monastery and served two terms there.

She then spent a sabbatical time at St. Scholastica Monastery in Chicago. During the years at St. Scholastica, Sister Mariella discerned a call to transfer her stability to St. Scholastica Monastery in Chicago and requested permission to do so in 1998.

Her first assignment in Chicago was as director of the St. Joseph Court infirmary.

She is survived by her sisters, Jean Klaiber and Sally Lanzel.

Divine Word Father Paul Gootee, 93, died Feb. 10 in Techny. He was a missionary known for faith and community development in Indonesia.

Born in Indiana, he followed his older brother into the Divine Word formation program in 1941, attending Divine Word Seminary in East Troy, Wisconsin. He professed vows in 1948 and was ordained a priest in 1955.

For more than half of century, Father Gootee worked among the Dawan-speaking people of Timor, a southeastern island of Indonesia. While caring for the people, he faced many challenges, such as famine, poor crops, scarce rain, political unrest and migration of the youth to more populated areas, yet the hardships did not deter him. In response, he built churches, schools and medical clinics, dug wells, constructed irrigation systems, installed electricity and shared the Catholic faith.

During Father Gootee’s 55 years on the island, he provided pastoral care throughout the Diocese of Atambua and worked with farmers’ unions and a consumer cooperative to foster economic justice in the region.

Father Gootee returned to the United States and was assigned to Techny in retirement in 2011.

He is survived by two sisters, Agnes James and Medical Mission Sister Patricia Gootee.