Servite Father Lawrence Choate, 70, died May 26 from an aggressive cancer. He was a Servite priest for 38 years.

Father Choate was administrator of St. Francis of Assisi Parish.

He served on the Servite provincial council and ministered in a number of other Chicago parishes, including St. Peter Canisius and St. Roman.

School Sister of Notre Dame Irene (John Mary) Bopp, 93, died May 14, at Resurrection Hospital.

Born in Chicago, Sister Irene was baptized at St. Alphonsus and attended elementary school there. She entered the SSND convent in Milwaukee as a candidate in 1933, professed first vows in 1943 and final vows in 1949.

Over the next many years, Sister Irene served as teacher and administrator at several Wisconsin and Illinois schools. She also served as principal at St. Alphonsus for seven years, serving on parish committees and as secretary of the archdiocesan principals’ association and a member of the principal interview team.

From 1979 to 1993, Sister Irene served as an education consultant in the archdiocese, working particularly with school boards, especially when schools were merging or being consolidated.

In 1993, at the invitation of the provincial, Sister Irene began the development office for the Chicago Province, a position she enjoyed and continued for 10 years. In 2003, she moved to Resurrection Life Center in Chicago, where her lifelong cheerfulness was appreciated by staff and patients.

Sister Irene is survived by her sister Margaret Davidson.

Deacon Miguel Garcia, 78, died July 4. He was ordained in 1995 and served at St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish.

He is survived by his wife, Raquel, and his children Miguel, Gabriel, Araceli Huerta, Maria Isabel Avila, Noemi and Diana Perez; and 19 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Deacon Thaddeus “Ted” Lisowski, 89, died June 21 in Park Ridge.

He was ordained in 1974 and served at St. Francis of Assisi and St. Constance parishes. He taught at Weber High School for 43 years.

He is survived by his wife, Casey; and children Thaddeus Junior, Alicia, Stephen and Paul (Moira); grandchildren Eliot, Abigail, Jane, Alexander, Eleanor, Claire, Anne and Edward; and siblings Eugene, John, Edward and Berniece.

Adrian Dominican Sister Patricia Ann (Michael Francis) Hurley, 84, died Jan. 2, 2015, in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Detroit, she was in the 65th year of her religious profession.

Sister Patricia served in elementary education for 38 years in Ohio and Illinois.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Edmund, Oak Park (1950-1952); St. Philip Neri (1955-1959); Hurley Queen of Apostles, Riverdale (1959-1963); St. Mary Star of the Sea (1963-1966) and Our Lady of Knock, Calumet City (1966-1969). She also served as a bookkeeper and clerk at Mary’s Pence, Evergreen Park (1993-1998).
She became a resident of the Dominican Life Center in Adrian, Michigan in 2012.

Providence Sister Laura Ann (Elizabeth Ann) McLaughlin, 74, died Dec. 26, 2014, in New Jersey. Born in Massachusetts, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1961 and professed final vows in 1969. She was a teacher in Indiana, Illinois, New Hampshire, Washington D.C., and in Peru, and New Jersey and a counselor in New Jersey.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Maternity BVM (1976-1983).

Sister Laura Ann is survived by a brother, David McLaughlin.

Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration M. Alfreda Bracht, 103, died Dec. 25, 2014, in Mishawaka, Indiana.

Sister Alfreda served for 24 years (1966-1990) as president and chief executive officer of St. Francis Hospital in Evanston. The Loyola University graduate’s career in medical administration began in 1934 with a position as a medical records librarian.

Survivors include a sister, Ida Bracht.

Mercy Sister Rita Mooney, 89, died Dec. 23, 2014.

Born in Elgin, she entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1943 and made her final profession of vows in 1949.

She encountered the Sisters of Mercy as a child, when her mother was in a tuberculosis sanitarium across the street from Mercyville in Aurora, Illinois.

She taught for 22 years before getting a degree in nursing in 1970, serving for the rest of her career at Mercy Hospital.

Providence Sister Francine (Regina Catherine) McGriffin, 90, died Dec. 20, 2014, in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

An Indiana native, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1943 and professed final vows in 1950. he ministered in education and nursing in Indiana, Illinois and California. In the archdiocese, she taught at St. Sylvester (1945-1950) and St. Francis Borgia (1982-1993).

She is survived by one sister, Marjorie Bronsing, and a brother, Philip McGriffin.

BVM Sister Therese (Therese Carmelle) Jacobs, 87, died April 6 in Dubuque, Iowa.

Born in Des Moines, Iowa, she entered the BVM congregation in 1947 and professed final vows in 1955.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Therese taught music at St. Gertrude in Chicago and Carmel High School in Mundelein. She also ministered in Iowa, Hawaii, Minnesota, California and Mississippi, and in Ghana.

She is survived by a brother, Francis J. Jacobs.

Adrian Dominican Sister Helen (John Christine) Sorich, 95, died April 4 in Adrian, Michigan.

She was born in Yugoslavia and grew up in Michigan. She was in the 77th year of her religious life. Sister Helen served in Illinois and Michigan.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Our Lady of Loretto, Hometown (1970-1973); Santa Maria Del Popolo, Mundelein (1973-1977); and St. Clare of Montefalco (1977-1981); was on staff at St. Mary Star of the Sea (1981-1985); did clinical pastoral education at St. Joseph Hospital (1985-1986); and ministered at St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish, Oak Lawn, visiting the sick and shut-ins (1986-1999). Sister Helen is

Mercy Sister Mary Annelle Fuczyla died April 1.

Born in Wisconsin, Sister Mary Annelle entered the Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Janesville after graduating from high school in 1945. She entered the Sisters of Mercy in Des Plaines in 1952.

She pursued more education in nursing and worked in emergency rooms, nursing service administration and in hospital-wide supervision where she often relieved staff during vacations and holidays. She ministered in Wisconsin and Iowa. For 11 years she was an instructor in Saint Xavier University’s School of Nursing.

Providence Sister Sheila (Rosemary) FitzSimons, 90, died April 1 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

She was born in Indiana and moved with her family to California. She entered the Sisters of Providence in 1943 and professed final vows in 1950.

She ministered in Indiana, Illinois, New Hampshire and California schools.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served at St. Sylvester (1948-50) and St. Leo (1964-1967).

Providence Sister Jane (Anna Jane, Janet) Bodine, 97, died March 30 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Indiana, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1937 and professed final vows in 1945. She ministered in schools, adult education and development in Indiana and Illinois.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Genevieve (1944-1945); St. Leo (1950-1953); Marywood High School, Evanston (1954-1955); and Mother Theodore Guerin High School, River Grove (1964-1965, 1997). Sister Jane is survived by a sister, Ruth Lamb.

Sister Rita Black, 89, died March 30 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Indiana, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1945 and professed final vows in 1953.

She ministered in education and health care in Indiana, Illinois, California and Alabama. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Our Lady of Mercy (1948-1951).

Providence Sister Rita (Edward Clare) Lerner, 97, died March 25 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Chicago, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1938 and professed final vows in 1946.

She ministered in elementary schools and in health care in Indiana; California; Washington, D.C.; and Illinois.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served at Our Lady of Sorrows (1945-1946, 1952-1958); St. Mel-Holy Ghost (1958-1965); St. Leo (1965-1969) and St. Agnes (1969-1977).

School Sister of St. Francis Sylvia (Reginata) Smith, 90, died March 20 in Milwaukee.

Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Sister Sylvia was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1944 and made final vows in 1952.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Benedict (Irving Park) (1948-1951); St. Martin (1958-1961); and St. Joseph, Wilmette (1961-1969). She also served St. Joseph Parish as religious education coordinator (1969-1983), pastoral minister (1983-1993) and sacristan (1993-2006). Sister Sylvia is survived by a sister, Jeannette Hunter.

Franciscan Sister of Chicago M. Marinella (Josephine) Gubala, 101, died March 20.

Born in Ohio, she was taught in elementary school by the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago and joined the community in 1929, three months shy of her 14th birthday. She entered the novitiate the following year and professed perpetual vows in 1937.

Sister M. Marinella taught for more than 52 years, starting in 1932 at age 17. She taught at St. Florian School and St. Pancratius School, before starting at Madonna High School in 1953. She taught algebra, business math, religion and U.S. history for the first three years, and then taught English exclusively from 1956 until she retired from teaching in 1985.

At the age of 70, Sister M. Marinella went to Wisconsin for clinical pastoral education, then served in pastoral care at Mount Alverna Home in Parma, Ohio, for 17 years.

In 2002, after 70 years of service, Sister M. Marinella retired to Our Lady of Victory Convent, Lemont.

BVM Sister Elaine (St. Lillian) Wojcik, 89, died March 15 in Dubuque, Iowa.

Born in Chicago, she entered the BVM congregation from St. Mark Parish and professed first vows in 1953 and final vows on July 16, 1958.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Elaine taught elementary and middle school at Annunciation; Our Lady of Angels; St. Vincent Ferrer, River Forest; and Mater Christi, North Riverside. She also was a substitute teacher and nursing home/hospice volunteer in Melrose Park, and taught and was a principal in Kansas City, Missouri.

Deacon Dushan J. "Duke" Vemich, 96, died April 13. He was ordained in 1976 and served at All Saints-St. Anthony Parish until he retired.

He is survived by his daughter, Judith; his sisters, Helen Ball, Margaret Ceane and Sophia Martinez; and two grandchildren.