Obituaries

Sr. Mary O’Connor

Teacher, Principal

Adrian Dominican Sister Mary (Mary de Montfort) O’Connor, 84, died Feb. 5 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in New Jersey, she was in the 67th year of her religious profession.

She spent 63 years ministering in education in Illinois, including serving as principal for three years at St. Columbanus School.

Fr. Kenneth Yarno

Educator

Viatorian Father Kenneth Yarno, 84, died June 8 in Arlington Heights.

Born in Watseka, Illinois, he entered the Clerics of St. Viator in 1950 and professed final vows in 1954. He was ordained in Chicago in 1959.

He was director of vocations for his congregation (1962-1968) before serving as teacher and assistant principal at St. Viator High School, Arlington Heights (1968-1973). He served in Kankakee, Springfield and St. George, Illinois, returning to the retirement residence at the Viatorian Province Center, Arlington Heights, after his retirement in 2010. He moved to Addolorata Villa, Wheeling, in 2013.

He is survived by his sister, Pauline Newquist.

Sr. Frances Eileen Dunne


Teacher

BVM Sister Frances Eileen Dunne, 91, died May 26 in Dubuque, Iowa.

Born in Chicago, she entered the BVM congregation in 1943 from St. Peter Canisius Parish. She professed final vows in 1951.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Frances Eileen taught elementary school at St. Jerome, St. Charles, St. Vincent de Paul and St. Eulalia, Maywood, where she was also vice principal and served as secretary/treasurer. She taught elementary school in Iowa and South Dakota.

Sr. Margaret Mary Griffin

Teacher

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Margaret Mary “Peggy” (Marie Annette) Griffin, 89, died June 8.

Born in Iowa, she made her first religious profession in 1948 and her final profession in 1951. She was a teacher, a missionary, a parish minister and in congregational leadership and administration in Minnesota, Illinois, Montana, Wisconsin, California, New Mexico, Texas, Alaska and Washington, as well as Bolivia.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Peggy taught elementary school at St. Thomas the Apostle (1949-1954) and Epiphany (1955- 1957).

She is survived by a brother, Thomas Francis Griffin.

Deacon Peter Hajdu

Ordained in 2014

Deacon Peter Hajdu, 59, died June 6. He was ordained in 2014 and served at St. Emily, Mount Prospect.

He was maintenance manager at St. Emily. When he was ordained, he said he planned to focus his ministry on the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults and baptismal preparation.

He is survived by his wife, Melissa; two grown daughters, Stephanie Keadle and Samantha Fiegle; two grandchildren, Cooper and Carter Keadle; his mother, Elizabeth Hajdu; and his brother, Tom Hajdu.

Fr. Joseph McDonnell


Pastor Emeritus

Father Joseph Francis McDonnell, 88, died June 15. He was pastor emeritus of St. John of the Cross, Western Springs.

Born in Chicago, he attended Visitation and St. Brendan schools and Quigley Preparatory Seminary before graduating from the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary and being ordained to the priesthood in 1955.

Father McDonnell served as assistant pastor at Our Lady of Angels (1955-1962); St. Rene Goupil (1962- 1967); Our Lady of Grace (1967-1968); Assumption B.V.M. (California Avenue) (1968-1976); and St. Beatrice, Schiller Park (1976-1980). While at Our Lady of Grace, Father McDonnell also served as chaplain at Cook County Jail.

In 1980, Father McDonnell was named pastor of St. John of the Cross, and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1996.

Father David Dowdle, pastor of St. John of the Cross, said, “His first assignment at Our Lady of the Angels and the fire of 1958 impacted him greatly.” Father Mc- Donnell is remembered for his regular visits to the surviving children in the hospital, supporting their family members and encouraging the doctors and nurses.

“He cared for all children very deeply,” Dowdle said. “He always called children up around the altar at every Mass he celebrated and in honor of him, we had a statue commissioned and dedicated to him in the parish courtyard. It is a statue of Jesus with children around him.”

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