Providence Sister Martha Steidl, 92, died March 12 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

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

She ministered for 25 years in schools in Indiana, Illinois, and Washington, D.C.  In 1973, she joined the music faculty at Saint Mary of the Woods College.  

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Francis Xavier, Wilmette (1948-1950), and Mother Theodore Guerin High School, River Grove (1966-1973).

She is survived by two brothers, Frank Steidl and Walter Steidl.

BVM Sister Joan (Joan Michael) Newhart, 89, died March 13 in Dubuque, Iowa.

Born in Oak Park, she entered the BVM congregation in 1949 from St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Oak Park. She professed final vows in 1957.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Joan taught at the Immaculata and Carmel Catholic High School, Mundelein. She served as Mundelein College’s director of academic computing and as coordinator for Loyola University Chicago’s computer center. She volunteered for many years as a congregational and high school computer consultant in the Chicago area as well as in Dubuque. She also taught secondary school in South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri and Colombia. 

She is survived by a brother, George Robert (Bob) Newhart, and sisters Pauline Qua and Virginia Brittain.

Father Robert J. Kash, 92, died Feb. 27. He was pastor emeritus of St. Fabian Parish in Bridgeview.

Born in Chicago, Father Kash attended St. Bruno School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained to the priesthood in 1952.

He served as assistant pastor at St. Joseph, Chicago Heights (1952-1962); St. Florian (1962-1963); St. Wenceslaus, (1963-1967); and St. Michael (South Shore Drive) (1967-1971). He was pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul (1971-1977).

Fr. Kash then was associate pastor of St. Pascal (1982-84) before being named pastor of St. Fabian (1984-1995). After retiring in 1995, Father Kash served as administrator of St. Denis and Our Lady of the Snows.

Deacon William Mages, 75, died Jan. 26. He was ordained in 1978 and served at St. Mary of the Woods Parish.

He is survived by his wife, Patti; and his children, Heidi and Gretchen Mages; three grandchildren; and his sisters, Dolores Bach, Kathleen Miller, Mary Pat Mages and Jeaniane Benton. 

Divine Word Brother Stephen Kerekes, 90, died Jan. 24 in Techny.
Born in South Bend, Indiana, he entered the Divine Word Seminary in New York in 1945. He entered the novitiate in Techny in 1950. After 10 years of seminary studies, he joined the Trappist order and was admitted to the cloistered life at Our Lady of Gethsemane Monastery in Kentucky. 

In 1964, he returned to the Society of the Divine Word as a brother candidate, worked in the Divine Word vineyards in New York and professed first vows for a third time.

He professed perpetual vows in 1968 and prepared for his first assignment in Papua New Guinea. After brief stops in the Philippines, Japan and Taiwan, he arrived in Papua New Guinea in November of that year.

During his time there, he managed and taught at St. Joseph Vocational School before becoming harbor master and manager of the Mission Supply Store in Alexishafen. He also served as postmaster and supervised the local radio station. He maintained communication with missionaries in the outer regions, coordinated weekly shipments and handled emergency requests.

In his spare time, he became a master clockmaker.

In 2002, Brother Stephen returned to the United States and was assigned to Divine Word Residence in Riverside, California. He moved to Techny in 2014.