Deacon John Ficker, 86, died May 29. He was ordained in 1994 and served at St. George, Tinley Park.

Deacon Ficker was a member of one of the founding families of St. George and lived in the parish his whole life. He met his wife Alice at the church. The couple married in 1952.

As a young man, Deacon Ficker worked as a milkman for Vogt’s General Store. He was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps and served in the Korean War.

He and his wife prepared couples for marriage. As a deacon, he officiated at 50 weddings and baptized 500 babies, but he will be most remembered in the parish for the time he spent visiting the sick and taking the Eucharist to them in the hospital.

He is survived by his wife, his children John, Cathy, Larry, Barbara, Michael , Cindy and Daniel; 14 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Father Robert Behnke, 69, died June 4 at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park. He was a resident of St. Bede the Venerable Parish and former pastor of St. Barbara Parish.

Born in Chicago, Father Behnke attended St. Priscilla and St. Francis Borgia schools and Quigley Preparatory Seminary. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Niles College of Loyola University, and graduated from the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1973.

He served as associate pastor at St. Therese of the Infant Jesus (1973-1978); St. Mary Magdalene (1978- 1980); Queen of Martyrs, Evergreen Park (2000); and St. Thomas More (2000-2002). In 1980, Father Behnke was named administrator of Assumption BVM and served in that capacity until 1983, when he was named pastor. The parish eventually merged with St. Catherine of Genoa and Father Behnke remained there until 2000. During his time at Assumption BVM, he was administrator of SS. Peter and Paul Parish for almost three years. Father Behnke then served as pastor of St. Barbara (Throop Street) (2002-2006). From 2006 to 2016, Father Behnke was a resident of St. Thomas More and St. Bede the Venerable parishes.

Father Behnke is survived by a brother, David.

Father Philip Dressler, 80, died May 26 at St. Juliana Parish Rectory, where he was a resident and pastor emeritus.

Born in Chicago, Father Dressler attended St. Andrew School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1961.

Father Phil, as he was commonly called, was assistant pastor at St. Ita (1961-1965) and St. Anne, Barrington (1965-1972). He was pastor of Immaculate Conception (North Park Ave.) (1979-1985), Queen of Angels (1985-1995) and St. Juliana Parish (1995- 2005).

He also was administrator of St. Anne (1971); Our Lady Help of Christians (1974); St. Juliana (2005); Queen of the Rosary, Elk Grove Village (2007); and St. Mary of Perpetual Help (2008).

Father Dressler is survived by a brother, Joseph Dressler.

Adrian Dominican Sister Mary Declan (Geraldine) Foss, 95, died May 21 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Toledo, Ohio, she was in the 67th year of her religious profession.

Sister Mary Declan ministered mostly in education and as a recreational therapist in Michigan, Illinois, California, Ohio and Indiana.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught elementary school at St. Rita (1949-1950) and high school at Aquinas High School (1950-1952).

Providence Sister Michael Ellen (Dorothy Ellen) Green, 86, died May 15 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Indianapolis, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1951 and professed final vows in 1958.

In her 65 years as a Sister of Providence, she ministered in housekeeping, hospitality and health care.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at St. Columbkille (1954) and St. Sylvester (1954-1958).

Sister Michael Ellen is survived by a sister, Joanne Broden.