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Fr. John Ferdinand Willett
Redemptorist Father John (Jack) Ferdinand Willett, 84, died Aug. 15 at St. Clement Redemptorist Mission Community in Liguori, Missouri. He influenced generations of Redemptorist missionaries during the 20 years he was involved in formation ministry.
Born in Michigan, Father Willett entered the Redemptorist formation program at St. Joseph Preparatory College in Missouri and professed temporary vows in 1956. He made his final profession of vows in 1959 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1961.
He served at parishes and in preaching ministry in Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri and Wisconsin and taught and worked in formation in Redemptorist seminaries. He also served in Nigeria.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, he was pastor of St. Alphonsus (1975-1978, 1984-1990).
He retired and moved to St. Clement in Liguori in 2014.
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Sr. Sally Ann Fergus
Adrian Dominican Sister Sally Ann (William Rose) Fergus, 82, died Aug. 16 in Adrian, Michigan.
Born in Chicago, she graduated from Immaculata High School. She was in her 63rd year of religious life and had a master’s degree in education from DePaul University and a master’s degree in pastoral studies from Loyola University Chicago.
She taught and was a principal in Michigan, Florida and Illinois, and was a religious education consultant at the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Office of Catholic Education. She also served as prioress of the congregation’s Midwest chapter.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Kilian (1960-1966); Ascension, Harvey (1966-1968); St. Philip Neri (1969-1970); and St. Columbanus (1970-1980). She was principal of St. Hilary (1980-1991); a religious education consultant in the archdiocese’s Office of Catholic Education (1993-1999); and Midwest chapter prioress in Burbank (1999-2008).
She is survived by a sister, Maureen McManus, and two brothers, Patrick Fergus and Thomas Fergus.
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Sr. Marionita Gergen
School Sister of St. Francis Marionita Gergen, 100, died Aug. 17 in Milwaukee.
Born in Nebraska, Sister Marionita was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1941 and made her final vows in 1949.
Sister Marionita ministered in Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin for more than seven decades. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Martin School (1944-1949).
Sister Marionita is survived by a sister, Florence Dondlinger.
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Sr. Joan Slobig
Providence Sister Joan (Denis Mary) Slobig, 77, died on Aug. 16 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.
Born in Chicago Heights, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1964 and professed final vows in 1975.
Sister Joan ministered in education and served as director of the congregation’s formation program, was elected to the general council in 1996 for a five-year term, served as administrator of St. Ann Clinic (now Wabash Valley Health Center) and then served as a parish life coordinator at Indiana parishes.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Providence-St. Mel High School (1969-1971) and was director of instruction at Mother Theodore Guerin High School, River Grove (1975-1977).
Sister Joan is survived by a sister, Judy Reagan, and her twin brother, Father John E. Slobig.
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Sr. Barbara Doherty
Providence Sister Barbara (Vincent Ferrer) Doherty, 88, died on Aug. 17 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.
Born in Chicago, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1951 and professed final vows in 1958.
She was a teacher, theology professor and director of postulants before being elected to the provincial team for the Chicago area, serving as president of St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, directing the Institute for Religious Life at Catholic Theological Union and coordinating the Shrine of St. Mother Theodore in St. Mary-of-the-Woods.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Immaculate Conception (1956-1960); St. Joseph Province, Park Ridge (1975-1983); Institute of Religious Formation, Catholic Theological Union (1999-2007).
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