Deacon Dean Hermann, 78, of Plainwell, Michigan, died July 19. He was ordained in 1978 and served in five dioceses. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, he served as director of the English-language diaconate formation program for several years in the 1990s and early 2000s.

He was born in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and joined the U.S. Navy after graduating from high school. He served for more than 30 years and retired with the rank of commander.

He is survived by his wife, Vicki; his sons Tony and Matt; four grandchildren; and his siblings Bill, Ursula, Greg, Chris and Jim.

Adrian Dominican Sister Rina (Jeanne Dominic) Cappellazzo, 91, died July 14 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Detroit, she was in the 71st year of her religious life.

Sister Rina ministered in education, as a campus minister, as a director of staff development, director of pastoral formation and religious vicar in Illinois, Michigan, New Mexico, Arizona and California; and in Leuven, Belgium.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Kevin (1951-1952) and St. Philip Neri (1953-1955).

Msgr. R. George Sarauskas, 77, died June 25. He was the former pastor of St. Mary, Riverside.

Msgr. Sarauskas was born in Germany and moved to the Chicago area with his family. He attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary in Chicago and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein before being ordained in 1973. He also earned a master’s degree in public administration at the Illinois Institute of Technology.

He was assistant pastor of St. Athanasius, Evanston, and associate pastor of Sacred Heart, Winnetka; St. Francis Xavier, La Grange; and Holy Ghost, South Holland. In the late 1980s, Msgr. Sarauskas was appointed director of research and planning, and from 1984 to 1990 he was also director of the Lithuanian apostolate. In 2004, he became pastor of St. Mary, Riverside, serving the community for seven years.

In addition, he served as executive director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Office to Aid the Catholic Church in Eastern, Central Europe and Soviet Union for 14 years in Washington, D.C.

Msgr. Patrick Pollard, retired archdiocesan priest, remembered his friend as a great churchman who believed in the mission of the church. “He wanted it to be alive and present to people all over the world,” Pollard said. “He helped the bishops of dioceses in Eastern Europe start up their dioceses after the fall of communism.” 

Adrian Dominican Sister Anita (Jean Vincent) Chiappetta, 79, died May 28 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Chicago, she graduated from Aquinas High School. She was in the 61st year of her religious life.

Sister Anita was an educator, social work assistant, administrative assistant, executive secretary and business office manager in Ohio, Illinois and Michigan.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she was an administrative assistant in the Dominican Midwest Chapter Office in La Grange Park (2009-2015) and Chicago (2015-2021).

Adrian Dominican Sister Laura (Mary Norman) Pesick, 93, died June 9 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Detroit, she was in the 75th year of her religious life.

Sister Laura ministered in elementary, secondary and adult education in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and California.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Clare of Montefalco (1948-1952) and St. Carthage (1952-1958).

She is survived by her brother, Joseph Pesick.