Obituaries

Obituary Image

Fr. Joseph Auer

Retired associate pastor

Father Joseph E. Auer, 89, died Dec. 14. He was a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago and former associate pastor of St. Linus Parish, Oak Lawn.

Born in Pittsburgh, he moved to the Chicago area and attended St. Edmund School, Oak Park; Quigley Preparatory Seminary; and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1957.

He was assistant pastor of St. Thomas More; St. Angela; Most Holy Redeemer, Evergreen Park; and St. Bridget. He was pastor of St. Catherine Laboure, Glenview, and associate pastor of St. Ferdinand; Queen of the Universe; St. Theresa, Palatine; and St. Linus.

Father William Finnegan, pastor emeritus of Our Lady of the Woods, said he will miss his classmate with whom he was blessed to live at the Bishop Timothy Lyne Residence for the past three years.

“Joe was always a very friendly parish priest,” Finnegan said. “He loved being with people and he dedicated his life to that end. He had a wonderful smile and was very humble and gentle.”

Obituary Image

Fr. Thomas Dore

Pastor emeritus

Father Thomas M. Dore, 85, died Dec. 17. A retired priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, he was pastor emeritus of St. Giles Parish, Oak Park.

Born in Chicago, he attended Our Lady of Victory School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1961.

He was assistant pastor of St. Hubert, Hoffman Estates; St. Priscilla; and St. Justin the Martyr.

Father Dore also served as associate director of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine and associate pastor of St. Cyprian, River Grove. He was then pastor of Our Lady of Ransom, Niles, and St. Giles, Oak Park, where he served until he retired in 2009.

Father Daniel Coughlin, retired archdiocesan priest, met Father Dore in high school and their friendship grew through the years.

“He was a faithful and loyal friend, very compassionate to people in need and searching for more of Christ in their lives,” Coughlin said.

Obituary Image

Fr. Herbert Meyr

Retired pastor

Father Herbert J. Meyr, 85, died Dec. 22. He was the former pastor of St. James Parish, Maywood.

Born in Chicago, Father Meyr attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1960.

He served as assistant pastor at St. Teresa of Avila, St. James (Wabash Avenue) and St. Anne (Garfield Boulevard). He was pastor of St. Francis de Paula (1971-1988) and St. James, Maywood (1988-2006).

Father Louis J. Zake, retired archdiocesan priest, remembered his classmate as a “phenomenal priest, a great pastor always concerned for his people.”

Obituary Image

Deacon Felix Patiño

Class of 2010

Deacon Felix Patiño, 49, died Dec. 15 after being ill for several years. He was ordained in 2010 and served at St. Clare of Montefalco and Our Lady of the Snows parishes.

Deacon Patiño is survived by his wife, Lorena, and his children, Maricruz and Marian Patiño; his parents, Florencio and Piedad Patiño; and his siblings, Beatriz Figueroa, Raul Patiño, Araceli Patiño, Juan Patiño, Guadalupe Patiño, Miguel Patiño and Eva Rojas.

Obituary Image

Deacon John Lucas

Class of 2004

Deacon John Lucas, 75, died Dec. 21. He was ordained in 2004, and served as executive director of Amate House and Joseph and Mary Retreat House and at various parishes.

Deacon Lucas was an alumnus of Loyola Academy, Wilmette (1963), Marquette University, Milwaukee (1967) and Loyola University Chicago (2004), and he served in the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Army.

He and his wife of 52 years, Patricia, were dedicated members of St. Philip the Apostle Parish in Northfield.

In 1975, he founded the Lucas Company with his father and brother. His business leadership continued at Holmes Engraving.

In 2000, he moved to a life of service, and four years later was ordained a deacon. He was a counselor at the Samaritan Institute and various parishes, and he was executive director of Amate House and Mary and Joseph Retreat House.

In addition to his wife, Deacon Lucas is survived by his children John Lucas III, Mary Beth LoVerdi, Megan Leadbetter and Michael Lucas; 14 grandchildren; and siblings Lynn Martin, Jerome Lucas and Lawrence Lucas.

Obituary Image

Sr. Margaret Nau

Educator, chaplain

Providence Sister Margaret (Jude Ann) Nau, 81, died Nov. 10 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Indiana, Sister Peggy entered the Sisters of Providence in 1961 and professed final vows in 1969.

She ministered in education and parish work and as a chaplain in Indiana, North Dakota, Kentucky and Illinois.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she was a chaplain at Advocate Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn (2001-2013).

Sister Peggy is survived by a brother, Thomas Nau, and three sisters, Mary Ann Johnson, Kathleen Caffigan and Sally Smith.

Obituary Image

Sr. Regis McNulty

Educator, therapist

Providence Sister Regis (Dorothy Marie) McNulty, 92, died Dec. 4 in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Born in Massachusetts, Sister Regis entered the Sisters of Providence in 1948 and professed final vows in 1955.

She ministered in education and as a therapist and clinical supervisor in Indiana, Illinois, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. David (1950-1952); St. Athanasius, Evanston (1952-1953); St. Andrew (1953-1954); and Our Lady of Mercy (1958-1959).

Obituary Image

Sr. Joan O’Shea

Educator

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Joan (Deirdre) O’Shea, 90, died Dec. 7 in Footville, Wisconsin.

Born in Chicago, she made her first vows in 1950 and her perpetual vows in 1953. She taught and was a principal; served for 16 years at Rosary College/Dominican University, River Forest; ministered as a chaplain, director of chaplains and in pastoral care; and was the provincial of the Eastern Province of the Sinsinawa Dominicans for four years. She served in New York, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Indiana and Florida.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Joan taught at St. Barnabas (1959-1960). She served as assistant professor (1965-1973), dean of students (1965-1973, 1974-1975), promoter of mission integration (2001-2006) and faculty (2006-2008) at Rosary College/Dominican University. She was the provincial for the Eastern Province of the Sinsinawa Dominican Congregation while living in River Forest (1988-1992).

She is survived by a sister, Therese Duranso.

Obituary Image

Sr. Florence Gavin

Educator

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Florence (Petra) Gavin, 91, died Dec. 8 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

Born in Wisconsin, Sister Florence made her first vows in 1950 and her perpetual vows in 1953. She taught and served as director of religious education, nurse’s aide and pastoral care minister. Sister Florence served in Illinois, the District of Columbia, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, California, Iowa, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Hawaii and Tennessee, as well as Cochabamba, Bolivia.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Florence taught at St. Richard (1950-1951), St. Sabina (1964-1965, 1969-1970) and Visitation (1976-1977, 1981-1982).

Obituary Image

Sr. Christiane Althaus

Educator

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Christiane Althaus, 86, died Dec. 14 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

Born in Mundelein, Sister Christiane made her first vows in 1954 and her perpetual vows in 1957.

She taught in the classroom for 39 years and taught music for one year, with seven more as choir teacher while serving as classroom teacher. Sister Christiane worked and volunteered in the archives at the motherhouse for 20 years. Sister Christiane served in Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Alabama.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Christiane taught at St. Brendan (1968-1970); Immaculate Conception, Waukegan (1970-1974); and Sts. Faith, Hope and Charity, Winnetka (1974-1983).

She is survived by a brother, Lasallian Christian Brother Louis Althaus.

1 2 >

Advertising