Providence Sister Mary Adrian (Bernadette) Jaroch, 85, died Oct. 3 in Winfield, Illinois.
Born in Chicago, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1956 and professed final vows in 1963.
She served in Indiana, Connecticut and Illinois.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served as a nurse at Whitehall North, Deerfield (1979-1981, 1986-1988); as director of health care at Divine Word Residence, Techny (1989-1991); as a hospice nurse at VNA North, Evanston (1991-1992); as nursing supervisor at Colonial Manor, LaGrange (1992-1993); as a nurse at Brighton Gardens, Prospect Heights (1997-1998); and as a nurse at New Perspective, Wheeling (1999-2002).
Sister Mary Adrian’s experience in hospice care early in her nursing career helped her grow not only in skill but also in compassion. Always willing to help, after her retirement from active nursing, she continued serving her sisters in the Chicago area who needed care when they were ill.
Sister Mary Adrian is survived a sister, Patricia Maher.
Adrian Dominican Sister Ann Romayne (Patricia Joan) Fallon, 91, died Oct. 6 in Adrian, Michigan.
Born in Detroit, she was in the 72nd year of her religious life.
She ministered in Illinois, Florida, Michigan and Alaska.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Laurence (1957-1958); Infant Jesus of Prague, Flossmoor (1958-1959); and Queen of Angels (1959-1964). She served at Regina Dominican High School in Wilmette as principal (1977-1983), president (1983-1988) and interim president (2000-2002).
She is survived by her sisters, Margaret E. Fallon and Kathleen Fallon.
Jesuit Father Raymond C. Baumhart, 95, died Oct. 10.
Born in Chicago, Father Baumhart graduated from DePaul Academy and attended DePaul University while working as the associate director of the Chicago chapter of the Boys Club (now named Boys and Girls Clubs of America), an organization that provides after-school programs and mentoring for young people. In 1943 he transferred to Northwestern University and enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He began his Navy career by studying at Northwestern and, in 1944, studying business administration at the Harvard Business School. He went to sea on the President Polk, a troop transport ship, as a junior officer in 1945. He was honorably discharged from the Navy and entered the Society of Jesus in 1946.
In 1963, Father Baumhart was the first clergyman to earn a doctorate in business administration from Harvard University. His dissertation was on business ethics.
After ordination and the completion of coursework for his doctorate, Father Baumhart spent more than three decades at Loyola University Chicago. He taught personnel management, business ethics and statistics (1962-1966), was assistant dean (1963-1964) and was dean of the School of Business Administration (1964-1966).
He then spent two years (1966-1968) researching and writing at the Cambridge Center for Social Studies (a Jesuit think tank aimed at work on business ethics and social justice). Father Baumhart returned to Loyola as executive vice president (1968-1969) before becoming the acting vice president of Loyola’s Medical Center (1969-1970). He had a major hand in the 1969 opening of the Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois.
In 1970, Father Baumhart became the 21st and longest serving president of Loyola University Chicago (1970-1993). His tenure saw the university grow in both enrollment and physical space. He also oversaw the merging of Mundelein College with Loyola in 1991.
After a sabbatical, Father Baumhart served on Cardinal Joseph Bernardin’s and Cardinal Francis George’s advisory cabinets, became the director of Evangelization and Christian Life for the Archdiocese of Chicago (1994-2000) and served as a personal consultant to Cardinal George (2000-2011). He also served the Loyola University Jesuit Community as superior of the Jesuit residence (2006-2007) and treasurer of the community (2007-2011). In 2011, He moved to the Colombiere Center in Michigan to pray for the Society of Jesus and the church, and care for his health.
Divine Word Father John Rodney, 88, died Oct. 11 in Techny.
Born in Chicago, Father Rodney grew up in St. Elizabeth, Chicago’s oldest African-American parish. As a teenager in 1946, he enrolled in Divine Word Seminary at East Troy, Wisconsin, and professed religious vows in 1952.
After completing his seminary studies in 1960, he was ordained to the priesthood. Father Rodney continued his studies while serving in pastoral ministries. He earned master’s degrees in classical languages and German literature and a doctorate in comparative literature.
During the 1960s, he provided pastoral care for parishes in predominantly African-American communities, including St. Anselm and Our Lady of the Gardens. In 1967, he was assigned to Divine Word seminary in East Troy. He later taught college-level German, Spanish, Latin and Greek at Divine Word seminaries. He also served as a hospital and nursing home chaplain in Washington, D.C.
Providence Sister Marie Alexis (Elizabeth Clarissa) Geiger, 91, died Oct. 14 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.
Born in Indiana, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1946 and professed final vows in 1953. She ministered in Indiana, Illinois and Washington, D.C.
Sister Marie Alexis, an able administrator, was supportive and appreciative of all with whom she worked. She was also fun-loving, rarely missing an opportunity to be part of a group, whether it was to play cards or just to socialize.
In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Francis Borgia (1956-1963).
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