Obituaries

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Sr. Mildred Flynn

Educator, spiritual director

Sister of Notre Dame de Namur Mildred “Micki” Flynn, 80, died Jan. 24 in Cincinnati.

She was in her 64th year of religious life.

Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Sister Micki attended Notre Dame High School. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Victor, Calumet City; St. Mary, Des Plaines; and St. Anne, Barrington. 

She also taught college courses in Illinois, Missouri and South Dakota, and was a spiritual director in South Dakota and Illinois.
Sister Micki is survived by her siblings Mary Holland, Patty, Robert, William and John.

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Sr. Anne Marie McCarrick

Educator

Sister of Notre Dame de Namur Anne (Monica Marie) McCarrick, 87, died Feb. 6 in Cincinnati.

Born in Columbus, Ohio, she was in her 70th year of religious life.

Sister Anne spent many years as an elementary school teacher in Chicago and in Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton, Ohio. Sister Anne was a specialist in Montessori education. She was also vice-chancellor for the Diocese of Columbus for eight years. In 1992, Pope Paul II awarded Sister Anne the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice (For Church and Pope) Medal for her service to the church of Columbus. 

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Sr. Joyce Roehl

Educator, principal

Sister of the Living Word Joyce Roehl, 80, died March 9 in Arlington Heights.

Born in Hamtramck, Michigan, she entered the Sisters of Christian Charity in Wilmette in 1962 and was one of the founding members of the Sisters of the Living Word in 1975. 

She ministered as teacher or principal at St. Isaac Jogues, Niles, and at St. Jerome, St. Priscilla and St. Cornelius schools in Chicago. Once she retired from teaching and administration, Sister Joyce volunteered as the receptionist at the Living Word Center in Arlington Heights.

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Fr. Robert L. Bireley

Professor

Jesuit Father Robert L. Bireley, 84, died March 14 in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.

Father Bireley was best known for his prolific writing in the field of European history. He was a professor at Loyola University Chicago, where he taught and mentored students for more than 45 years. 

Born in Evanston, Father Bireley attended Loyola Academy, Wilmette, before entering the Society of Jesus as a novice in 1951. His Jesuit formation took him across the country and around the world.

Upon earning his doctorate in history in 1972, Father Bireley began working at Loyola University Chicago.

In 2017, Father Bireley moved to the St. Camillus senior Jesuit health care community in Wauwatosa, where he remained until his death. 

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Sr. Patricia Potok

Educator

BVM Sister Patricia (Liberata) Potok, 83, died March 18 in Dubuque, Iowa.

Born in Chicago, she entered the BVM congregation in 1953 from St. Cornelius Parish. She professed first vows in 1956 and final vows in 1961.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Pat taught elementary school at Holy Cross and Blessed Sacrament in Chicago. She also taught in Iowa and Mississippi and ministered as a nurse for the BVM congregation in Dubuque.

She is survived by a sister, Phyllis Reale.

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Sr. Edith Louise Merhar

Educator

Sister of Charity of Cincinnati Edith Louise Merhar, 88, died March 19 in Ohio.

Born in Cleveland, she entered the congregation in 1949.

Sister Edith Louise’s ministries brought her to five states and 44 years of teaching. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Elizabeth Seton High School, South Holland (1963-1964 and 1968-1969).

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Fr. Richard Bartlett

Parish priest, missionary

Claretian Father Richard A. Bartlett, 93, died April 1 at Presence Resurrection Life Center.

Born in Chicago, he made his religious profession as a Claretian missionary in 1943 and was ordained a priest in 1950.

He served as a pastor, associate pastor and campus minister in the United States and in the Claretian missions in Africa. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, he was associate pastor at Immaculate Heart of Mary (1966-1969), St. Francis of Assisi (1990-1992), St. Pancratius (1995-1997) and St. Paul (1999-2002). He was a resident of the Claretian community in Oak Park (2002-2004) before moving to Resurrection Life Center.

He is survived by his sister, Ann Bartlett

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Sr. Dorothy Folliard

Educator

Adrian Dominican Sister Dorothy (Margaret Michaella) Folliard, 93, died April 1 in Adrian, Michigan. 

Born in Chicago, she was in the 74th year of her religious life.

Sister Dorothy spent 43 years ministering in education, from elementary school to college, in Michigan, Illinois and Texas. She also served in her congregation’s leadership.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Joseph, Homewood (1946-1951); taught and was principal at St. Edmund, Oak Park (1951-1957); and was a theology professor at St. Mary of the Lake University/Mundelein Seminary, Mundelein (1991-1999). 

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Sr. Kathleen Donnelly

Educator

Adrian Dominican Sister Kathleen (Charles Mary) Donnelly, 96, died April 2 in Adrian, Michigan. 

Born in West Palm Beach, Florida, she was in the 79th year of her religious life.

She ministered in Michigan, Florida and Illinois.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Matthew (1939-1943).

Sister Kathleen was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Betty Jane Spencer. She is survived by a sister, Patricia Lechifflard.

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