Obituaries

Obituary Image

Deacon Thomas Ryan

Class of 1992

Deacon Thomas Ryan, 94, died Oct. 31. He was ordained in 1992 and served at St. Christina Parish.

Deacon Ryan was a U.S. Navy World War II veteran, worked for 32 years for People’s Gas, was a former secretary of the 19th Ward Democratic Organization and was a past Man of the Year of the Mount Greenwood Civic Association.

He is survived by his wife of 74 years, Connie; his children Constance Ryan, Thomas E. Ryan, JoEllen Martin, Martin Ryan and Patrick Ryan; nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Obituary Image

Fr. Andrew Biller

Missionary

Divine Word Father Andrew Biller, 87, a missionary in the Philippines for four decades, died Nov. 2 in Techny.

Born in Missouri, he entered Divine Word Seminary at East Troy, Wisconsin, in 1949. He professed religious vows in 1953. Following ordination to the priesthood in 1961, Father Biller was sent to the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., to take graduate courses in guidance and counseling. He then served at Divine Word colleges and seminaries and as a pastoral minister in the Philippines from 1963 to 2002.

After returning to the United States, he was semi-retired but provided pastoral care for the Vietnamese community of St. Thomas of Aquinas in St. Louis. Father Biller moved to Techny in 2012.

He is survived by four sisters: Ruth Athay, Mary Searcy, Alberta Cooper and Rita Ward.

Obituary Image

Sr. Lorraine Quella

Educator

School Sister of St. Francis Lorraine (Aquinette) Quella, 97, died Oct. 5 in Milwaukee. She ministered in education for more than 75 years.

Born in Hammond, Indiana, she was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1938 and made her final vows in 1946.

Beginning in 1942, Sister Lorraine ministered in Nebraska and Illinois for more than seven decades. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Holy Angels School in Chicago for 65 years, from 1946-2011.

Obituary Image

Sr. Eleanore Hillenbrand

Educator

Benedictine Sister Eleanore (Rita) Hillenbrand, 95, died Oct. 29 at St. Joseph Court-St. Scholastica Monastery.

Sister Eleanore, a native of Chicago, attended St. Hilary School and St. Scholastica High School. She entered the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago as an aspirant in 1942 and professed her final vows in 1947. She later earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a master’s in English from DePaul University.

She taught at the elementary and high school levels. Sister Eleanore served as St. Scholastica’s English Department chairperson, the Benedictine Sisters’ director of studies, executive secretary to the prioress, and in other community positions. She served predominately in Illinois, but also in Colorado.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Eleanore taught in parish schools at St. Hilary, St. Symphorosa and St. Lambert in Skokie and at St. Scholastica High School (1957-1992).

Obituary Image

Sr. Regine Fanning

Educator, pastoral minister

Mercy Sister Regine Fanning, 96, died Nov. 5 at Mercy Circle.

Born in Utah, she was educated by Sisters of Mercy in Chicago and joined the congregation upon graduation from high school. She began teaching after professing vows in 1942. She taught for 28 years at levels from kindergarten through high school.

She earned master’s degrees from Mundelein College, the University of Illinois and the University of San Francisco.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she served as religious education coordinator at Sacred Heart Parish in Palos Hills for 15 years, then as a pastoral associate at Christ the King and St. Ethelreda parishes. She later served as a spiritual counselor.

She also wrote several books for adults and children.

Obituary Image

Sr. Margaret Ann Roggenbuck

Educator

Adrian Dominican Sister Margaret Ann (Robert Jean) Roggenbuck, 84, died Nov. 7 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Michigan, she was in the 65th year of her religious life.

She ministered in Illinois and Michigan. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Santa Maria Del Popolo, Mundelein (1954-1958); Our Lady of Knock, Calumet City (1958-1962); St. Kilian (1962-1966); and St. Philip Neri (1966-1969). She was principal of St. Edmund, Oak Park (1969-1972).

Sister Margaret is survived by her sisters, Evelyn Stein and Jean Merkler, and her brothers, Barthol, John, Michael, Robert, William and Joseph.

 

Advertising